Evening star., 1940-03-21
House Unit Cuts
and
MI. R. B. Funds
Labor Bourd Called
'Overstoffed';; Bills
Total Sliced 19MiIIion

BY the Associated Press.
Contending the National Labor
Relations Board was "overstaf1ed"
and that a confused administra tive
problem" existed in the Wage-Hour
Division, the House Appropriations
Committee asked Congress today to
trim next years fund for those
agencies.
The committee proposed an
appropriation of $2,843 ,00O-$337 900
under President Roosevelt's budget
estimate-for the Labor Board, and
SIS, los ,O00-or $1,080,O00 less than
budget figures-for the Wage-Hour
Division.
The recommendation were in
corporated in a 1854, ,189, 700 bill for
needs of the Labor Department, the
Federal Security Agency and four
other related agencies during the
fiscal year beginning July /. The
total was Sill, ,798 ,942 below the Pres
ident's recommendations and $19,-
118, ITO less than the amount avail
able for the current fiscal year.
State Grants Fund Cut.
Most OF the reduction below the
budget was accounted for by a $10,-
100000 cut in a $245 900 900 item for
grants to States for old-age assist
ance.
Testimony of Chairman Arthur j.
Altmeyer before an appropriations
subcommittee made public today, re-
vealed that the Social Security
Board favors variable Federal grants
to States for old-age assistance, in
stead of the present system of
matching State payments.
Mr.. Altmeyer told the subcommit-
tee that the board felt the grants
should be related to the economic ca
pacity and need of the individual
States.
We do not favor free fund to an
administrative agency which must
then determine for itself and on such
basis as it deems reasonable how
much each State should get" he said
Anti-Lobbying Ban.
The committee disclosed that new
phraseology had been put in the
appropriation bill to strengthen the
present law against use of Federal
funds to influence Congress.
While this Is already the law
the committee is not entirely salts
fed that it is being observed as
such in all its applications, the
report said.
Charges that the Labor Board had
"lobbied" for its own appropriations
and against Wagner Act amend
ments have been made before the
special House Investigating Com
mittee. Evidence on this subject was
referred by the committee to the
Justice Department, which now is
investigating.
Whereas the Appropriations Com
mittee has made deep cuts in other
supply bills this session, it said that
statutory requirements - such as
those for social security payments
prevented any greater economies in
| this measure.
1t reported that President Roose.
velt's reorganization program hat
effected already saving of $5,400,'
900 in the new Federal Securit,
Agency.
Other Major Items.
Other major items in the bill:
l. Eighty-five million dollars fol
the National Youth Administration
program-the same as the budget
figure but SIS 5000, 900 less than fol
the current year.
| 2. c. c. c. camps-$230, 900 900, a.
recommended by the budget, bu
$64 ,955 900 under the current fund
This program calls for 1882 camp
next year, compared with 1,500 thl
year.
3. Funds for 10 additional Labo
Department conciliators. The com
mittee said it earnestly hoped
that labor and industry would us
the increased staff.
4. Five million dollars for venerea
disease control work, $4,000 900 NOR
than President Roosevelt recon-
mendet
The Appropriations Committee pro
posed that the LABOR Board say,
$45 600 annually by eliminating tn,
Economics Research Division headet
by David Saposs. Counsel for tn,
(See APPROPRIATIONS, page AS