Evening star., 1939-01-10

/
on by sharp business decline of
last Uinter and spring made ap-
preparation for present fiscal year
inadequate. Estimates of need
hare ranged from $500, 900 900 to
S1050,000,000 aUith President hit
ting betl0een these figures. Mean
1chile Shakeup in administrative
personnel may be accompanied
by change in methods.
By the Associated Press
Congressional economy advocates
and critics of politics in relief"
moved rapidly today toward an
initial showdown with Roosevelt
forces over the Works Progress
Administration.
Interest in the outcome was
heightened on Capitol Hill by the
fact it will afford the first test of
the Presidents strength in both
House and Senate.
On the House side, the issue was
drawn by Mr.. Roosevelts request for
an S875,00O,000 appropriation to
finance w. P. A. until June 80, and
on the Senate side by his nomina-
ton of former w. P. A. Admins
traitor Harry L. Hopkins to be Secre-
tary Of Commerce.
Smaller Sum Predicted.
Influential members of a House
subcommittee considering the w. P.
A. appropriation predicted a smaller
sum would be recommended. Some
wanted to cut it as low as $500, ,0O0,-
900, and there were rumors that a
| ma jority might agree to this.
The subcommittee was called to-
gether at pm. to make its decision
Democratic members of the group
held private conference yesterday
afternoon with Speaker Bankhead
and Floor Leader Rayburn, but there
was no indication whether those
administration Representatives sue
ceeded in holding them in line or
whether compromise figure was
agreed on.
w. P. A. Administrator F. c. Har-
rington declared the sum requested
by the President was necessary if
w. P. A. was to make no drastice
reduction in relief work. He was
understood to have advised the sub
committee that at the present
5000, 0,000-job level there were still
100000 persons eligible for work
relief who were not getting it,
Woodrum Wants Cut.
Representative Woodrum, Demo-
crat, of Virginia, subcommittee
chairman, said on the other hand
1t was his belief that "the w. P. A.
can stand substantial curtail-
ment of its program without caus-
ing any great suffering by the peo-
pie who are in need"
Meanwhile members of the Senate
Commerce Committee were studying
the report of the Sheppard Campaign
Expenditures Committee, which
charged the w. P. A. with political
activity, preparatory to questioning
Mr.. Hopkins tomorrow.
After voting yesterday to request
the former w. P. A. administrator to
appear some committee members
limited they were interested in learn
ing how much of the alleged political
activity had been known to the
"high-ups" here.
The Sheppard committees report
avoided any criticism of Mr.. Hop
kins personally although it referred
at some points to Aubrey Williams
National Youth Administration
chief, who was his first assistant.
There appeared no likelihood that
the Hopkins nomination would be
disapproved, although most Repub-
lican Senators and probably a few
conservative Democrats were expect
ed to vote against confirmation.
When the committee voted tc
summon Mr.. Hopkins it said that il
it was inconvenient for him to ap-
pear tomorrow he could send rep
resentative and appear in person
later.
Hopkins to Appear.
Mr.. Hopkins informed newsmen
however, that he would be present
He previously had indicated will.
ingness to give the committee any
information it desired.
With the legislative program still
in the formative stage there was
little work for the Senate and House
themselves. The newly strengthened
Republican forces in tn House, which
indulged in an afternoon of heckline
the administration yesterday, viii
hold a party conference soon te
work out a more definite policy fol
the session.
Representative Woodruff, Republi'
can. of Michigan, conference chair
man, predicted the minority woule
be "a great deal more active" thar
in recent sessions.
John D. M. Hamilton, chairman
of the Republican National Com
mittee, talked with numerous House
Republicans yesterday.