Evening star., 1939-06-17

ods, 1t left to States and localities
the obligation OF caring for un-
enployables and directed its o,Dn
efforts at providing Work for those
able to earn relief pay. Always
an issue OF controversy, program
has been under increasing fire in
recent months.
By the Associated Press.
A weary House put an emphatic
%. K.' early today on bill to pro-
vide 81, ,735, 600, 900 for relief during
the year starting July /, abolish
such w. P. A. projects as theatrical
productions and otherwise restrict
work relief spending.
Inc bill was passed at the end of
a tumultous session which lasted
about IA hours, one of the longest
In recent years. Speaker Bank
head announced the roll-call vote
was 373 to 81. Nine Democrats
and IL Republicans baHoted against
the measure.
1t now goes to the Senate, where
leaders promised swift considera-
ton in order to replenish W. P. A.
golfers by July /, when current
appropriations run out.
A smooth working coalition of Re-
publicans and some Democrats, aug
mented by sprinkling of members
who usually are administration SUD-
porters. beat back repeated attempts
to eliminate or modify some of the
proposed restrictions on the relief
agency and to increase the funds
for various phases of the relief pro-
gram.
Although Washington was swell
ter1ng, the legislators labored in the
relatively comfortable air-condi-
toned House chamber.
Sirovich Almost Collapses.
Some members apparently dozed
IN their seats as the debate wore to
close. Others read early editions
OF the morning newspapers. Repre-
sentative Merritt, Democrat, of New
York whiStled audibly at several
points. Another New York Demo-
crat. Representative Sirovich, al
most collapsed after a. vigorous but
futile appeal for continuation Of the
w. P. AS Federal Theater Project,
which would be outlawed by the
Dill. together with other projects
financed wholly by the w. P. A.
Representative Sirovich revived after
shifting restorative.
Shortly before the final vote, the
House shouted down a Republican
proposal to turn administration of
relief back to the States. It also
defeated an effort by Representative
Starnes. Democrat, of Alabama to
add 1915 100000 to the total for
heavy construction projects admin
lstered by the Public Works Admin
istration. AS finally approved, the
bill would transfer to that agency
$l25 900, 900 of the sl.477,OOO re-
quested by President Roosevelt for
the Works Progress Administration
The bill would substitute a three
member board for the w. P. AS
present single administrator.
Majority Leader Rayburn took
the floor and criticized the proposal
but no attempt was made to strike it
from the measure.
$l0O, ,OOO, 600 for N. Y. A.
Later. Representative Rayburn
put through the only amendment
making any change in the bills
total amount. 1t added $4,000 900
to the fund for the National Youth
Administration, bringing to an even
0O,0OO,OOO the sum carried for that
agency. This is still $23, 900 900 less
than the figure recommended by the
President.
Before the House began voting on
the bill. its Appropriation Commit
tee. which drafted the legislation,
acted to head off mounting opposi-
ton TO some of the restrictive pro-
visions by offering a series of modi-
tying amendments. House approval
OF these was obtained without diff
Guilty.
The first Of these concessions re-
stored to the bill language permit
ting the ALLEGATION of relief funds to
Federal projects such as post Offices
and other Federal buildings. An
other eased the proposed $25 900 per
PROJECT limitation on w. P. A. build
ing construction so that up to $50 ,OCO
would be spent on projects financed
entirely by the Federal Government
and $4,000, exclusive of sponsors
contributions, on non-Federal prof.
ectS.
Other amendments would permit
ALLEGATION of not more than $5O,-
100000 of relief funds to regular
Federal agencies, a practice pro-
hibited in the original draft of the
bill; limit to 81 per worker per
month the material costs on w. P.
A. projects, and require at least 25
per cent of the labor on p. w. A.
projects to come from relief rolls
A proposal by Representative
Casey, Democrat, of Massachusetts
to increase the total to s., $50 .OO0, 900
was hoWled down, although 1t car
ried the Endorsement of both the C.
I. O. and the Workers Alliance.
union of w. P. A. employees and the
Jobless. David LASER, national presi-
dent of the alliance, sat in the gal
lery during most of the proceedings.
AS approved, the bill would re-
quire the removal from relief rolls
OF certain persons who had been
continuously employed by the w.
P. A. for 18 months; prescribe a
formula for employment of relief
workers after next October l on the
basis of ratio between population
and unemployment; require the pro-
posed board to fix a monthly wage
scale for project workers and re-
quire them to work 100 hours
monthly.
Workers discharged under the 18-