Evening star., 1940-03-15
Hatch Bill Foes
Lose Last Effort
By 52-31, Vote
RecommittoI Beoten;
Passage Of Bill
Muy Come Today
By J. A, O'LEARY.

The opposition lost its final effort
to stave of passage of the new
Hatch bill, when the Senate this
afternoon beat a motion to send 1t
back to committee, 50 to 81.
The recommittal, which Senator
Hatch, Democrat, of New Mexico
charged would mean the death of
the measure, was proposed by Sen
ator Lucas, Democrat, of Illinois. It's
failure to carry encouraged leaders
to expect passage of the bill this aft
ernoon, ending q hard-fought two
week battle that split Democratic
ranks.
Senator Tydings, Democrat, of
Maryland, a supporter of the bill,
sought to bring about compromise
recommital, by Offering a substitute
under which the committee would be
required to rewrite the bill and re-
port it back on March Is and the
Senate resume its consideration
either the next day or as soon there
after as possible.
Withdraws Plan, However.
Finding himself confronted by
points of order and the opposition
of Senator George, chairman of the
committee in charge of the bill, Sen
ator Tydings withdrew his proposal
and announced he would oppose the
Lucas fiat recommital.
Before withdrawing Senator Tyd-
ings predicted that if the bill passes
the Senate in its present form it
will never become law unless Con-
gress plans to stay in session until
near the end Of the year. The Mary
lander did not say what features he
thought would block it, but other
Senators have indicated privately
the 5000 limit ON political campaign
contributions adopted yesterday.
While indorsing the objective of
the bill Senator Tydings argued it
should be rewritten to define the
activities forbidden, and then apply
the ban to high officials as we'll as
subordinate employees. BY fixing
definite time to resume work on the
bill he endeavored to avoid having
it sidetracked for the session.
Motion Out of Order.
Senator McNary of Oregon, Re-
publican leader, made the point of
order that fixing definite day re-
quired two-thirds vote and made
the Tydings motion out of order
as substitute for motion that re-
quires only a majority.
When the chair upheld this point,
Senator Tydings limited his motion
to requiring the committee to re-
port March IS, with no fixed time
for renewing debate. When Chair
man George took the floor against
this Senator Tydings withdrew his
proposal entirely.
Today's roll call was regarded as
foreshadowing Senate passage, since
nearly all the two weeks of debate
has revolved around the restriction
on political activity. All that re-
mains to be acted on is the section
aimed at coercion by State officials,
and a provision giving the Civil
Service Commission general author
ity to make rules defining political
activity.
Thomas Objection Met.
When Senator Thomas, Democrat,
OF Oklahoma attacked the delega-
ton of rule-making power to the
commission as unconstitutional, Sem
ator Hatch, Democrat, of New Mex
leo offered a substitute to overcome
that objection. Senator Thomas
contended Congress may delegate its
authority only within stated limits,
and the Hatch substitute seeks to
lay down such limits.
The effort to restrict the power
OF the Civil Service Commission was
accompanied by a move by Senator
Brown, Democrat, of Michigan, to
write into the bill a more specific
definition of political activity"
His amendment would write into
the bill and the original act, rules
already laid down by the commits
sion guaranteeing employees right to
free expression Of opinion and to
make voluntary campaign contribu-
tions. He also proposed to leave
employees free to take part in purely
local political groups not identified
with national parties.
Estimates $3,00O,000 Outlawed.
Senator Bankhead, Democrat, of
Alabama, sponsor of the 5000 con-
tribution limit proposal, estimated
it would outlaw about $4,000, 900 of
contributions in each presidential