Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-01-31

BY the Associated Press.
Dismayed by demands for heavy
cuts in agricultural expenditures
congressional farm leaders today
hastily switched their principal fight
for more money from the House to
the Senate.
Because of strong economy senti-
ment they decided to let the annual
farm appropriation bill go through
the House without wholehearted
attempt to add 1925 600, 900 for parity
payments, but to seek it's inclusion
when the measure reaches the Sen
ate. =
Nevertheless, they will try to re-
store during the House debate other
slashes which the Appropriations
Committee recommended yesterday
To that end, they talked of swapping
support of relief and urban housing
appropriations for votes from city
members who ordinarily do not favor
large farm expenditures.
The Appropriations Committee
asked the House to vote 1894 ,374 ,256
for all Agricultural Department &C
tivities next year-a total 20 per cent
under the Presidents budget esti-
mates and so per cent below the
funds for the current year.
Items Deleted.
Among the items defeated were
the $25 .000, 900 farm tenant loan pro-
gram, the S72,678,812 boost in auto
matte appropriations for surplus
crop removal and $47,975 ,OO0-the
money is in the bank-for benefit
payments to sugar growers.
House debate began only a few
minutes after these slashes were
made, and farm leaders quickly pro-
tested they had not had time to
study the reductions.
Chairman Jones of the Agricul-
ture Committee. who was on his feet
all yesterday afternoon fighting the
cuts. told reporters:
"It's pretty bad to perform that
big an operation without letting us
see the patient until he is half dead
and proposing to bury him without
letting us see his face"
Representative Tarver, Democrat,
Of Georgia and several other men,
bers complained that the Appropria-
tions Committee would make the
farmer the goat" of budget bal
ancing. But administration leaders
and others we'll versed in congress
sional fiscal affairs cautiously pre-
dicted the cuts would stick"
$685., 100000 in Economies.
Some members served notice that
If farm funds were to be slashed
they would not support proposals to
make loans to Finland or authorize
a proposed $3.50, 900 900 expansion Of
the Navy.
The Appropriations Committees
action raised tentative congressional
economies in one month to more
than 1888 900 900. It tackled a sl54,-
SIS ,263 saving onto previous cuts in
other supply bills of more than
$128, 900 900.
Some of these reductions may be
overridden before the various ap-
preparation bills finally become law.
The Senate Appropriations Commit
tee decided yesterday to restore $780,
000. 900 of a $150,00O,O 900 authorize
ton for merchant marine ship con-
struction which the House had de-
leted. This did not alter the total
OF actual appropriations, however.
Senator Byrnes, Democrat, of
South Carolina, disclosed late yes
terday that the committee had found
a way to carry on the work of three
OF President Roosevelt's new agen-
cies for which the House refused to
provide funds.
He estimated Senate increases in
the independent Offices supply bill
aggregated about $4,000, 900 since
some items had been reduced below
the House figure. This would bring
the bills total to about $1,138, 00O,-
o00 or some $50 900 900 under budget
recommendations and about $40, 000.-
600 above the last appropriations to
these agencies.
$39,000,000 for Ships.
Senator Byrnes said the 500 OOO,-
600 added for the merchant marine
by the Senate group was needed to
pay for ships already contracted for.
He pointed out that the item was
still $4,000, 900 under budget recon-
-
Senators said they cut more than
81 900, 900 from the 1900, 693 voted
the Civil Aeronautics Authority by
the House; some 100000 from the
$97 ,266 900 voted the Civil Service
Commission, and $4,000 from the
s., $40 for the Federal Commu-
nications Commission.
The Senate group dealt with the
three Roosevelt agencies eliminated
BY the House in three different ways.
1t voted $4,000 for the National
Resources Planning Board, which
Is directed by Frederic A. Delano.
uncle of the President, finding that
Congress had authorized this agency
under 1880 act establishing a
Federal Employment Sterilization
Board.
In regard to the Personnel Ad-
ministration Council, President
Roosevelt wrote Senator Byrnes he
would "be quite content to have
the separate item for the council
eliminated if the Senate will add
this amount to the Civil Service
Commission estimates
Although civil service funds were
reduced 100000 by the Senate sub
committee, Senator Byrnes said the
commission would receive more
funds than it did last year.
Senator Byrnes said no attempt
was made to provide $1,055, 900 for
the ''Office of Government Reports"
formerly known as the National
Emergency Council, because This
will be handled in the regular relief
bill when 1t comes along"
d AL Dsal n ~