Evening star., 1939-06-28
Relief Bill Fight
Centers on Funds
For Public Works
Proponents Decide to
Cut in Half Demands
For $500, ,000, 900
BY the Associated Press.

Senate proponents of a new pub
lie works appropriation decided to-
day to cut in half their demand for
$500, 900, 900 if they were unable to
add the full amount to the pending
relief bill.
The Senate Appropriations Com
mittee turned down the $500 900 900
proposal yesterday, IA to 7, and then
voted, 13 to 6, against $3.50, 900 900
ALLEGATION.
Senator Russell, Democrat, of
Georgia, told reporters, however,
there was good chance Public
Works Administration supporters
could obtain a s250,O0O 900 ALLEGATION
on the Senate floor Senator Byrnes,
Democrat, of South Carolina, an
other committee member, said it
was a tossup whether any P. w. A.
money would be voted.
Action on the P. w. A. proposals
was delayed until the Senate dis
posed Of committee amendments to
the $l,735 100000 relief measure,
which includes nothing for public
works. The relief bill must be en-
acted by Friday midnight or the
Works Progress Administration will
be without funds.
Night Session Held.
Recognizing the need for haste.
Democratic Leader Barkley held the
Senate in session until almost 8
o'clock last night, and called it into
session again at II am. today, an
hour earlier than usual.
The Senate had taken up the re-
lief bill late yesterday afternoon
after waiting most of the day for the
Appropriations Committee to give
final approval.
The first action the Senate took
was to delete a House-approved pro-
vision setting aside SIPS, 1000 900 of
the presidentially-re $l,477,-
100000 w. P. A. fund for public
works projects.
Then it knocked out a provision
distributing relief funds on the basis
of population and unemployment,
leaving ALLEGATIONS on the basis of
relative need among the States.
A House proposal to substitute a
three-man board for the present ad-
ministrator was rejected, and the
title of wv. P. A. administrator was
changed to commissioner of work
projects"
Russell Proposal Approved.
The Senate approved an amend
ment by Senator Russell providing
that wages of w. P. A. workers in
different geographical areas for the
same type of work should not vary
to any greater extent than was justi-
fled by differences in the cost of liv-
ing.
Although those provisions were
acted on quickly, debate slowed dur
ing consideration of a proposal to
give certified w. P. A. applicants
preference over workers who have
been on w. P. A. rolls for 18 months.
When Senator Austin, Repub-
lican, of Vermont suggested that
the chamber could make more speed
after a good nights rest, Senator
Barkley agreed. He said there
would be a session tonight, how
ever, unless the bill was passed
during the afternoon.
The Senate had encountered three
delays on the bill yesterday. First,
it obtained quorum only after its
sergeant at arms had rounded up
absentees. Then it found the APP
preparations Committee had not yet
finished work on the measure. In
midafternoon the committee report
ed it, but Senator Johnson, Re-
publican, of California objected to
debating the measure until print
ed copies were available, and the
Senate had to wait until the Gov
ernment Printing Office could pro-
duce them. 1t was nearly S pm.
when debate started.