Milford chronicle., 1939-08-11


FROM CONGRESSMAN
GEORGE S. WILLIAMS
The final week of the first session
of the 10th Congress witnesses two
decisive defeats of two administra-
ton measures, the Lending-Spending
bill and the Housing bill. The Sen
ate had already authorized the Uni
ted States Housing Authority to issue
and sell its obligations in an
amount not to exceed $500. .0OO, 600
with annual contributions of $45.-
O00, 900, but the House rejected the
iule to consider this legislation by a
vote of 191 to 1863. This authority
already has authorized capital OF
$500 900 900, most of which has been
utilized in slum clearance and build
ing projects for lOw-incOme groups.
LAST Tuesday, by a vote of 1873 to
166, the House refused to consider
the Lending bill, which also had been
approved by the Senate, including
81, 100000. AS reported by the
House Committee on Banking. the
Administrations Lending measure
provided authority for RFC to make
loans totaling $2,050.000.000 for
roads. railroad equipment, rural cleo
trification. farm tenancy and export
import bank. The Senate had in
cluded $90,000,000 for reclamation
projects, but the House bill did not
contain this provision, and thus was
not directly involved.
In some instances. at least, this
session of Congress has been a rec
ord breaker" On July 81 while con-
sidering the Consent and Private
Calendars, the House passed and sent
20 the Senate 244 bills out of nearly
400, this being an all-time record.
Up to August l, total of 20,926 bills
cad been printed and introduced into
Congress at this session, compared
with 1O,S64 for last year. This cOu-
pied with the $4,000 pages of the
Congressional Record which have
been printed this session has kept
TIE government printers working
overtime and also required the con-
slant attention of the legislators.
The President on August signed
the Hatch bill, which now legally
puts an end to pernicious political
activities and places a law on our
statute books to preclude coercion by
governmental employees of relief
voters and others similarly situated.
The new law Will also stop many
governmental officials from attend
ing the Democratic convention as
delegates, and will also require them
to relinquish positions in party
OfficialdOm.
Congress last week passed legisla-
ton authorizing construction of an
additional set of locks for the Pan
I ma Canal. to assure the vital artery
will remain open for quick transit
of the fleet in time of war. The addi-
tiOnal locks would cost an estimated
S277 900. .000-nearly equaling the oFi-
ginal cost of the canal-and would
AXE six years to build. Fifteen mil
lions would be spent next year, un-
der terms of the measure.
d
The House last Saturday passed the
fifty set of alien restrictions to re-
ceive approval at this session. The
Smith bill would outlaw efforts to
undermine the loyalty of Army. Navy
and Coast Guard personnel; add to
the list of depOrtable aliens those
who help smuggle aliens, foreign
spies. violators of state narcotic laws,
and possessOrs of certain weapons;
call or deportation of an alien who
at any time was a member of an
class, compel alien immi-
grants to be fingerprinted in their
native land; outlaw advocacy of over
throw of the government by force and
violence.
Japan smarted under a diplomatic
slap when the State Department de-
clded to abrOgate the long standing
treaty. and so informed
Nippon. AbrOgation of the 1911 treaty
will not become effective for six
but the decision was felt inn
in the Orient. Japan could
not carry on modern warfare. such
rs she is doing. without supplies
from the outside world. Without the
pid of American imports Japan will
be greatly handicapped in her unde-
rlared war in China.
o
Since Congress is dUs to ddiourn
Dn August 5. this will be the last
news letter from Washington until
The beginning of the new session in
January 1910. During the recess of
Congress. my office in Washington
will be closed and l will be at my
acme in Millsboro.