Evening star., 1940-01-02
President Maps
Session Plans
With Leaders
| More Battles Than
Expected Appear
To Be in Store
BY the Associated Press.

by the ASSoCidtco lIceS.
President Roosevelt and legisla-
tive leaders-among them Vice
President Garner-canvassed tho
possibilities of a short, harmonious
congressional session today amid
signs that more controversy than
they expected might be in the offing.
Mr.. Garner, Speaker Bankhead
and Senator Barkley and Repre-
sentative Rayburn, the Senate and
House Democratic leaders, filed into
the Chief Executives Office shortly
after noon to 60 over plans for to-
morrow's opening session, at which
Mr. Roosevelt will deliver his an.
nual message.
The conference brought about the
first meeting between the President
and Vice President since the latter
announced his candidacy for the
Democratic presidential nomina-
ton, which friends say he will seek
regardless of whether Mr.. Roosevelt
stands for third term.
Aside from a late afternoon press
conference the meeting was the only
engagement on the Presidents list
today. He arranged to remain in his
study to attempt completion of his
messages to Congress. The budget
message. to be sent up Thursday,
is almost finished, but the annual
message which he will deliver in
person tomorrow still requires con.
siderable work.
An aide indicated that it might be
midnight tonight before Mr.. Roose-
welt completes the annual message.
The President and his associates
have been represented as desiring a
brief session that could wind up be-
fore the summer political conven-
tions.
Pet Measures Threaten.
Against this plan, however, is bal
anced the desire of many legislators
to obtain action on pet measures and
the projected vigorous battles over
the reciprocal trade program and
fiscal legislation.
Senator Connally, Democrat, of
Texas. member of the Finance
Committee, raised another important
controversy with a statement that
he would reofTer his proposal to re-
quire the Government to match
State grants to the needy aged on
the basis of 81 to 81 up to a maxi
mum aggregate of SIS month.
The proposal. which Senator Con-
nally argued would prevent dis
elimination against the less
wealthy States. was approved by the
Senate last year but was not finally
enacted.
Senator Connally said he also
would ask for schedule Of stif
war-profits taxes if revenue bill
were offered. and Senator Town.
send. Republican. of Delaware de-
manded that the administrations
authority to purchase foreign silver
be terminated.
Anti-Lynching Bill.
The first important issue will come
up next Monday, when the House
considers a bill to impose Federal
penalties for the crime of lynching.
Although the House is expected to
approve the legislation after two
or three days debate. the situation
in the Senate is different.
Senator Connally, who led sue
cessful filibuster against similar
measure two years ago, told report
ers that there will be no anti
lynching legislation Leaders pre-
sumably will seek to keep the meas
ure from reaching the Senate floor.
A few Republicans made it clear
that they would wage a vigorous
fight against the administrations
projected record defense appro-
priations, but Democratic leaders
predicted these would be approved.
Battles also are in prospect over
general appropriations, for there
have been hints that the President
is cutting a number of funds in
which congressman are interested.
The forthcoming fight over con-
tinuance of the administrations re-
ciprocal trade program, which ex-
pires next June, easily may become
the most bitter of all. A sizable
group of Democrats may join with
(See CONGRESS, Page AID