The Washington times., 1939-01-23
WPA ECONOMY
BLOC SET FOR
FURTHER CUTS
Coalition Confident Of
Victory in Showdown
By ARTHUR HACHTEN

UN.S.) Administration leader
in Congress, led by Senate Leade'
Barkley of Kentucky, swung int
action today after White Hous'
conference in an effort to restore
Sl5O.OOO 900 SlaShed from th'
emergency relief appropriation.
The leadership wants to in
crease the WPA fund to the $875,
100000 figure recommended By
President Roosevelt. The House
voted only $725. 5.o00, 900 to carry
the relief rolls-3,O0O,0 900 workers
are now on the payroll-and this
figure also was approved by the
Senate Appropriations Committee
Upon emerging from a confer
ence with the President at the
White House. which was attended
bv Vice President Garner and
other Congressional leaders, Bark
ley said
II think we know as much
now about the relief problem as
we will April l. Even with $875,-
100000, 100000 workers will
have to be dropped from the re
lief roll.
1.-The bill invites the President
to ask Congress for additional
funds later and he already
knows he needs more.
II see no reason for taking
two bites at the appropriation"
UPHILL FIGHT SEEN
It was agreed by observers on
Capitol Hill, however, that the
Administration forces faced an
uphill fight on behalf of the PreSl-
dents recommendation for $685.
600 900 in view of the 17-to-7 vote
of the Appropriations Committee
in support of the $150,O0O, 900 re-
duction.
Senator Byrnes CD of South
Carolina, a member of the Appro-
pria lions Committee usually in
tune with President RooSevelt'S
recommendations, was taking a
prominent role in lining up votes
for the lower appropriation OF
S725,O0
Supporting Senator Barkley in
his fight for restoration Of the
$50, 900 cut was Senator Ken
meth D. McKellar CL0, Tennessee,
a member of tthe Senate Appro-
priations Committee and the pro-
gresSive bloc in the Senate.
McKellar filed with the Senate
a minority report demanding the
full amount asked by the PreSi-
dent, saying there might be wide
spread hardship if only $725, ,OO0,'
900 is allowed.
The appropriations bill may be
called I'D in the Senate late today
That the President will sign the
emergency WPA bill, regardless OF
the amount of money it carries,
was generally assumed.
NO TINE FOR VETO
With warning by Col. Francis C.
Harrington, WPA administrator
that his organization will be out
of funds February 7, just IA days
away, it would be well-nigh Inn
possible for the President Subse-
uuently to force an $875 ,000, 900
bill through Congress, if he chose
to veto one for $725, 900, 900, legls-
lators pointed out.
About 10000 Of the 5000, 900
persons on relief will have to be
dropped or resign by June 80 if
the $725, 100000 is to carry
through, the Appropriations Com
mittee members figured. They
counted heavily on business re-
covery and the usual spring and
summer exodus. from the relief
rolls, in deciding on the $150,OOO,-
600 reduction in the presidential
recommendation.
Where the relief rolls have
usually declined from 100000 to
100000 during the warmer
months, Harrington told the
Senate Appropriations Committee
the $875, ,O00,0 900 estimate was
OaSeQ upon EeQuCCAOu VI O14Ay
100000 relief enrolleeS.
WARNING TO BUSINESS
Senator Pat Harrison, Cd. of
Mississippi. chairman Of tn e
Senate Finance Committee, told
International News Service that
his chief purpose in advocating
$725, ,000, 900 was:
"To let business and the coun-
try know that we intend to re-
trench in Federal expenditures
and make a move toward cut
ting down the expenditures
which have been increasing in
recent years."