Evening star., 1939-07-01
Monetary
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sNlOluSN0Iy
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ceptance of the pending report and
then continue use of the powers con-
tanned in the lapsed legislation was
raised by Senator Taft, Republican,
/ o. Ohio in contending that the ST..
oGQ 100000 stabilization fund auto
matically reverted to general funds
of the Treasury at midnight last
night and that separate appropria-
ton action may be necessary to
make it available again, even though
authority for its use may be voted
A Battle of Political Wits.
From early yesterday afternoon,
when the conference report first
came up in the House, until the
Senate's sleepy adjournment at 2
am, the monetary issue precipi-
tated a battle of political wits which
kept the spectator and press gal
leries on both sides jammed,
Shifting their strategy several
times. the administration leaders
were first defeated in midafternoon
when an effort to hold the relief ap-
preparation bill in back OF the
monetary measure was upset by
House Republican maneuvers. AL
though the supply bill conference
report was accepted early by the
House, leadership of the lower
branch held it at their end Of the
Capitol with the apparent intention
of forcing action on the monetary
measure next and dispatching that
to the Senate first.
House Republicans began bar
rage of quorum calls, however, and
when Representative Hoffman, Re-
publican of Michigan won the floor
for one hour to discuss in no fiat
tering terms the Michigan guber-
material administration of Frank
Murphy present Attorney General,
the House leadership quickly cap
itulated and sent the relief bill to the
Senate.
House Minority Leader Martin
thereupon paid call on the Sen
ate and exchanged congratulatory
handshake with Senator Vanden-
berg, Republican, of Michigan, 4
leader in the monetary fight.
Monetary Report Also Goes.
A few minutes later, the House
chased the monetary report over to
the other end by 229-to-l60 roll
call vote.
Meanwhile, the Senate became en-
tangled for another two hours in dis
cussion of the relief bill, with Sen
ator Holt, Democrat, of West Vir-
ginia, holding forth at length. II
was about 7 pm. when this was ap-
proved and Senator Wagner, DEM
ocrat, of New York, chairman of
the Senate monetary conferees,
arose to ask acceptance of the con-
ference report.
From then on, the oratory was
purposeful if not always pertinent.
Much of it, incidentally. was Bit
terly critical of the surrender by
the Senate conferees to the wishes
of the House and of the administra-
ton. The Senate managers had
retreated on Senate amendments
to terminate the Presidents de-
valuation power and to end pur-
chases of foreign silver and had
compromised at I'll cents per ounce
instead of 7757 on a purchase price
for domestic silver.
Adams, Townsend Fire Away.
Senator Adams, Democrat, of Col
orado, one of those supporting the
highest possible price for domestic
silver purchases, opened the attack
on the Senate conference action.
Himself a conferee but not a signer
Of the report, Senator Adams chided
his colleagues for failure to demon
strate their customary vigor in
fighting for the Senate bill.
Senator Townsend, Republican, of
Delaware also a conferee, echoed
Senator Adams criticism, directing
his fire particularly at the surrender
on the foreign silver purchase ban,
q program which he declared was
simply an extension of the w. P.
A. to foreign silver mines" Senator
Townsend had introduced the
amendment to ban such purchases
The conversation really became
pointed, however, when Senator Van
denberg took the floor to speak con-
temptuously of the "pathetically in
adequate achievements of the Sen
ate ambassadors. the "bludgeoning
dictums from Hyde Park" and the
"hysterical threats" of Secretary of
the Treasury Morgenthau.
Pointedly, the Michigan Senator
challenged the administration lead
ership to bring in continuing
resolution for the stabilization fund,
on which there was no disagreement
between House and Senate, and see
1t passed almost unanimously" be-
fore midnight. There was no re-
sponse to the challenge, however,
and the Senator went on with full
limitations against busted dictators"
and pennsylvania avenue auto
Gratis"
Several times he drew laughs from
the galleries by calling the score"
by the clock as the hands crept
toward midnight.
During the appearance of Senators
Vandenberg and Barbour, Repubn-
can of New Jersey, Senator Con-