Evening star., 1939-06-25

Congress Session
Seen Lasting 10
Labor Day
Minority Leader Martin
Points to Many Bills
Before Both Branches
By G. GOULD LINCOLN.

Before Both Branches
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.
Congress will be lucky II it ad-
journs by Labor Day." House Minor
tty Leader Martin declared last
night in commenting on the situa-
ton which has arisen on Capitol
Hill.
Representative Martins estimate
Of the probable length of the pres
ent session Is far from the ideas and
hopes OF his Democratic colleagues
although some of them are shak-
ing their heads over recent develop
ments, including insistence on the
part of President Roosevelt that the
neutrality bill must pass, plus his
new four-billion-dollar lending pro-
gram.
Badly speaking, the situation is
as follows:
Both Houses still have to act on
the Hull Bloom neutrality bill and
the new administration lending
program.
The Senate still has to act on the
relief bill, the amendments to the
Social Security Act. and the meas
ure to extend the Presidents power
to devalue the dollar and to oper-
ate the "stabilization fund"
The House has to act on the rail-
road bills and the Hatch bill to
bar Government employees and Of
flcials from taking active part in
political campaigns. Only the Presi-
dent and Vice President, members of
the cabinet and their immediate
assistants and members Of Congress
are excluded from the bills pro-
visions.
Advocates of amendment of the
Wagner Labor Relations Act also are
becoming more active.
Suggests Business Aids.
IF we have to stay here this sum-
mer to pass neutrality legislation
and the lending program bill" Rep
resentative Martin said, "let's stay
and put through some legislation
that will really help business recov-
cry. I mean, for example. amend
ments to the Labor Relations Act
and railroad legislation"
Within a week or so it is exp ID
the House will be called on to act
on the Smith resolution providing
for an investigation of the Labor
Boards administration and also au-
thorizing the investigating commit
tee to report any amendments to
the Labor Act it deems necessary
Supporters of the resolution. in
troduced by Representative Smith
Of Virginia. said yesterday they
were confident it would be adopted.
and that if so, legislative recon-
mendations would follow. Neither
the House nor the Senate Labor
Committee have taken action on any
of the many Wagner Act amend
ments referred to them at this ses-
sion. Indeed. charges have been
made that the administration forces
have deliberately stalled committe
action-with delays and long drawn
out hearings.
Representative Smith also has a
resolution providing for investiga-
ton of the administration of the
Fair Labor Standards CWage-Hour)
Act. 49,.
Senate Situation Unhappy
The situation in the Senate as
that body adjourned yesterday was
not a happy one for the leadership.
Two important measures. the bill
to extend the Presidents monetary
powers and the bill appropriating
81, 1,735 100000 for relief must be
passed by next Saturday. July /.
Otherwise, relief funds will not be
available to carry on and the Presi-
dents powers to devalue the dol
lar and to operate the stabilization
fund will have expired.
A filibuster by Senate silver bloc
to force an amendment to the
monetary bill providing for higher
government price for silver already
has caused delay. An agreement
has been reached to vote tomorrow
on the Pittman amendment calling
for $1-27 an ounce for domestic sill
yer. The present price under the
silver program is 64.64 cents an
ounce. Even if this amendment is
beaten, other silver amendments
may follow, and there are other
strenuous fights in the bill.
Majority Leader Barkley said yes
terday that if a choice has to be
made between the monetary bill
and the relief measure in order to
get one of them through by Sat-
urday, it must be the relief bill.
He may, If it becomes necessary,
move to take up the relief bill, thus
temporarily sidetracking the none
tary bill.
The Senate Appropriations SUBJ
committe labored yesterday to COM
plete consideration of the relief bill.
and hopes to be able to get it to the
Senate in time for consideration
Tuesday. Administration forces
have been active in trying to elm
mate from the relief bill some of the