Evening star., 1939-06-12
D. {. Job|ess Bill
Action Delayed
For Two Weeks
House Committee
Reaches Decision
In Stormy Session
BY JAMES E. CHINN.


stormy two-hour meeting today
decided not to seek House action
for at least two weeks on the Nc
Gehee bill that would divorce the
local unemployment compensation
board from the Social Security
Board and pave the way for a sub
stantial reduction in the present 3
per cent pay roll tax on employers.
The measure Is on the House CAL
endar and was scheduled to have
been called for consideration later
in the day.
Weekend protests to various
members of the committee that GER
tain interested groups had not been
given an opportunity to express their
view at public hearings started a
prolonged and heated discussion.
A Capitol policeman was stationed
in the committee room.
why shouldn't they be heard?"
demanded Representative Schultz,
Democrat, of Indiana.
Sidney Katz Blamed.
Representative McGehee, Demo-
crat, of Mississippi. sponsor of the
measure. explained that every in
terested group had been given an
opportunity to appear before his
subcommittee when public hearings
were held. A number of representa-
tlveS of organizations, he said, had
appeared in his Office and told him
they did not want to be heard since
they approved the bill.
"All of this has been brought on
by that man Katz," he declared.
I've been as fair as any human
being could be-"
Mr. McGehee had reference to
Sidney Katz of the Maryland-Dis-
trlct G. /. o.. who was in the COM
mittee room at the time.
Later, Mr. McGehee said the re-
port on the bill is not complete and
asked Chairman Randolph not to
call it up in the House before the
next so-called District day" June
26. The committee approved the
request.
A>ShulS SuiIl pldlIlS.
The discussion continued, however
Representative Nichols, Democrat.
OF Oklahoma complained that the
orderly process of the committee
had been reversed on several pre-
vlous occasions because of protests
from persons that they had not had
an opportunity to testify on certain
legislation.
A letter from Commissioner Hazen
was read pointing out that the So
cial Security Board had raised "a
number OF fundamental objecttons
to the bill.
The committee also engaged in
another heated debate over a bill
that would abolish the lunacy COM
missioner and change the present
method of procedure in handling
lunacy cases as a result of an
eleventh-hour request by Commits
sioner Hazen that House action on
this measure not be sought until
after public hearings are held. This
bill also is on the House calendar,
but may not be called up today be-
cause of an anticipated long dis
cussion over the Districts new rev.
enue bill.
Hearings Not Held.
The lunacy bill was reported
IaNorably by the committee last
week without first being subjected to
public hearings. Representative
Bates, Democrat, of Kentucky, chair
man of the Public Health Subcom-
mittee which had recommended ap-
proval of the measure, explained
that no hearings were held because
the measure was an outgrowth of
the recent investigation of conditions
at Gallinger Hospital.
Representative Bates. Republican,
of Massachusetts,, declared it was
fundamentally wrong" not to hold
hearings on important legislation.
I'm getting little worn out with
continued attempts to impeach the
subcommittees,' declared Repre-
sentative Nichols. 1--WE ought to be
little more clannish and protect
our own subcommittees."
For about Is minutes, the COM
mittee discussed various provisions
of a bill authorizing the Public
Utilities Commission to reduce the
number of taxicabs' in Washington
from 1000 to 2,40O, but deferred
action on it until next Monday.