Evening star., 1939-07-27
Lending Bill Modified
In Drive 10 Gain
Prompt Passage
Senate Leadership Acts
As House Democrats
Schedule Caucus

sir gears. Recently President
Roosevelt asked Congress to
authorize netu effort on these
lines With emphasis on projects
OF SeU-liquidating character. In
effort to get approval, program
has been trimmed materially
1i"eddy.
By the Associated Press.
The Senate leadership modified
the $2,490, 100000 lending bill to-
day in an effort to obtain prompt
passage, while House Democrats
scheduled clear-cut test of senti-
ment on the measure at caucus
tomorrow night.
The Senate move was initiated by
Democratic Leader Barley, who Of
fered an amendment to eliminate
the necessity for levying tolls on
projected $500 900 900 road build
ing program.
Senator Barkley said his amend
ment would leave it up to indi-
vidual States and communities
whether tolls should be levied. He
added that it would permit States
ton, maintenance and repair of
highways and to pay for them in
whatever way they could find, pro-
vlded it would be acceptable to the
Public Roads Bureau
There was a belief in adminiStra-
ton quarters that Senator Bark
leys amendment would eliminate
much Senate opposition to the bill
Major Fight in House.
In the House, however, the legis-
1ation was creating a major fight
among Democrats which probably
VIII be settled at the party caucus
The meeting, called by a petition
of 81 members, will decide party
policy on the lending bill.
A group of ntiadministration
Democrats, including many from the
South, was talking of boycotting
the meeting so that a majority
would not be present to transact
business.
Although party caucus custom
arily binds all its members to the
decision of the meeting, there was
q conflict of opinion as to how eff
fectlve tomorrow's conference would
be in forcing support of the bill.
One expert on House procedure
SAID that If tWo-thirdS of those pres
ent voted to support the measure it
would require all members to vote
for 1t except those who had made
pledges against it to their constit-
uents or who believed it to be un-
constitutional
Trouble in Banking Committee.
Additional trouble was being
stirred up for administration leaders
in the House Banking Committee
where one Democratic member as
serted he had "solemnly shaken
hands with three other Democrats
to tie up the lending bill in the COM
mittee until the Senate has voted
on it. The committee has been con-
sldering a companion measure.
This informant said that if pro-
posal to restore the prevailing wage
scale for work relief projects was
approved by the Senate. the meas
ure might be bottled up permanently
in the committee.
Senator Murray, Democrat. of
Montana, sponsor of the prevailing
wage amendment told reporters he
thought he had the necessary SEN
ate votes to write it into the lending
bill
Senator Murray's amendment
would give w. P A. workers paw
equivalent to that which they would
receive if employed in private in
dustry. The prevailing wage system,
formerly used by the w. P A., was
abandoned in the new relief act
Congress provided, instead that all
w. P. A. employees must work 100
hours month for their security
wage. The provision resulted in
strikes of relief workers and de-
mands that the law be amended.
Senate Tolls Till 1890 PM.
In an effort to get the lending
bill out of the way and hasten ad-
journment, Senator Barkley held
the Senate in session until 1890
O'Clock last night.
While one Republican followed an
other in general denunciation of
the lending program. few Senators
were on the floor. Sometimes there
were only half dozen. BY contrast.
the galleries were crowded.
Senator Barkley said afterward he
thought Republicans have made
their record" and that a final vote
thus might be expedited For their
part, Republican leaders said they
had no disposition to delay the
measure and would cooperate to
obtain prompt action on amend
ments.
Ihe lenolng measure was regarded
as the key to adjournment, but the
administrations housing bill-dou-
bling the 100000 900 borrowing pow-
er of the United States Housing Au-
thorlty-Still was stuck in the House
Rules Committee.
The committee failed to give the
measure right of way on the floor
after a meeting yesterday. Repre-
sentative Smith. Democrat, of Vir-
ginla proposed that the measure be
passed along on condition that it
would not be called up for action
until Congress meets in January.
There was substantial committee
sentiment, however, that the meas
ure could be sent to the floor and
acted upon before adjournment.
A further complication in the leg
islative picture was the disagreement
OF Senate House Conference Com
mittee over social security legislation
approved by the two chambers.
Some members predicted no compro-
mise could be reached at this session.
Yesterdays Senate debate on the
lending bill found line of Repub-
ican members, aided by a few Dem
ocrats, hammering against its pro-
visions after Democratic Leader
Barkley had contended it would help
re-employment.
The bill would authorize the r.
F. C. to float securities totaling
$2,490, 100000. The funds would be