Evening star., 1940-02-27
Roosevelt Plea
For Canal Locks
Funds Refused
Report to House
Denies IS Million
For Work in Ponumu

HeUleS - MllItOU
For Work in Ponumu
~ the Associated Press.
The House Appropriations Com
Hittee, whacking away with its
economy ak. turned thumbs down
today on President Roosevelt's re-
quest for immediate appropriation
Of SIS 900 900 to start a third set of
Panama Canal locks.
Instead, the committee recon-
Mended an $850,000 fund for pre-
pairing plans for the locks, assert
ing that "in the absence of such
plans and specifications the ulti-
mate cost must largely be con-
jectural."
The committee also followed up
the Houses recent action in refus-
Ing to appropriate $l,000,0 900 for
harbor project at Guam in the mid
Pacific by rejecting 100000 re-
quest for dredging the channel at
Wake Island. on the route from
Hawaii to Guam.
? 1T feels constrained" the COM
mittee said, Ito view the proposed
Wake harbor improvement as part
Of q projected naval seaplane base
there. estimates for which have
been passed over twice by the House.
Measure Sent to House.
Both the Panama CanHl and the
Wake items were part of a $203, ,472.-
667 appropriation bill for the War
Departments civil functions. The
committee reported the measure to
the House for action tomorrow.
Although the President had re-
duced the estimates for these func-
tons. which include river and har-
Dor work and flood control, to $780,
082, $50 from the $305, 1858 ap-
propriated for the same purpose this
year, the committee went still fur
ther.
1t cut the total of the bill $1e,-
COS, ,6S3, chiefly in the Panama and
Wake items, below the presidential
requests.
The $4,000, 900 budget estimate
for flood control, exclusive of the
lower Mississippi. the Sacramento
and San Joaquin Rivers, was ap-
proved In full, as was q 10000, 900
item for flood control on the lower
Mississippi.
The sum sanctioned by the Com
mittee for Rivers and Harbors, in
cluding both improvement and
maintenance, was $66, ,721 $40, repre-
senting cut Of $2,051 $40 below the
executive request This cut was made
up Of the proposed 47O0, 900 for Wake
and $l,351 $40 slashed from MAIN
tsnance funds.
Project Pushed Too Rapidly.
As 10 the Panama Canal, the COM
mittee said it believed the project
was being pushed "too rapidly" The
canal already has q double set of
locks and third was proposed both
rs q national defense measure and
to meet future commercial needs.
The proposition" the committee
said, "is to commit the Government
to vast and costly undertaking two
years in advance of the time when
detailed plans and specifications will
be ready for accomplishing the
structural features.
In the absence of such plans and
specifications, the ultimate cost
must largely be conjectural.
The project is urged at this time
as q defense measure, but project
that cannot be completed for six
years has questionable standing as
an urgent defense measure.
Moreover, we are now engaged
In building protective works around
existing canal facilities at an esti-
mated cost Of $39,570.0O0. If this
work does not give the sought pro-
lection, an auxiliary waterway
closely paralleling the present one
and similarly protected would be of
doubtful value"
The committee approved a $19,-
100000 appropriation and con-
tractual authority Of $4,50O,OO0 for
continuing the protective works pro-
gram for the canal
The Senate yesterday approved
. $l07 ,079 900 appropriation bill for
the State, Commerce and Justice
Departments. The total was $146,-
$50 less than the House figure and
represented an aggregate reduction
of $2,585 ,010 below the Presidents
budget.
Salary Deletion Blocked.
Administration forces blocked a
group headed by Senator Lodge,
Republican, of Massachusetts,, from
deleting the $17,500 salary for the
United States Ambassador at Mos
COW.
Before approving the bill, the
Senate rejected, 80 to Is, a proposal
to increase from 1884, 500 to $546, 500
. fund for business experts on Sec
Setary of Commerce Hopkins staff
and for the promotion of Latin
American trade.
Senator Lodge opposed the in
crease with the contention that the
extra money would be used to en-
ploy twenty or more business ex-
perts" who would be fifth Wheel
on the governmental machinery.
+. Deficiency Bill Passed.
The House also passed an appro-
prtation Till yesterday, voting $780,
O6o, ,139 for various deficiency funds.
Included was $4,000, 900 for addi-
tional farm benefit payments. The
bills total was 5000, ,704 below the
budget estimate. .r.
The vote making sec, 0,000, 900 of
next years agriculture fund avail
able Immediately to keep crop con-
troll checks flowing to farmers was
In response to q radiogram from
President Roosevelt, who is vaca-
tioning In Southern waters.
Members Of the House Appropria-
as~,.. ~o,S,vniffaA rer1nrtad that %ha