Smyrna times., 1940-01-25

liable to damage suits by depend
ents of lynching victims was pass
ed by the House previously only to
encounter a Southern flibuster in
the Senate. While House debated
on January and 10 during the
18th Congress, arguments for and
against it which had been heard in
past discussions were trotted out
again. Southerners and a few
Northerners contended it was un-
enforceable. Proponents denied
these statements. Representa-
tive Gavagan (Democrat), New
York, author of the bill, eliminated
a section specifically exempting
killings in the course of labor dis
putes. And while the House de-
bated, National Guardsmen were
on duty in Prentiss, Miss, to pre-
vent what local officials feared
might develop into lynching.
Crowds demanded the lives of two
Negroes charged with killing a
peace officer.
APPROPRIATIONS R. 1905,
commonly known as the Deficiency
Bill and making supplemental ap-
propriations for the Military and
Naval Establishments, Coast Guard,
and Federal Bureau Of Investiga-
tion for the fiscal year ending June
80, 1O40 was passed by the House
on Friday, January y, 1910.
H. R. 1922, the independent Of
fcers' appropriation bill for the
next fiscal year encountered the
economy movement last Thursday
when the House upheld the Appro-
priation Committees action in cut
ting about S9O,OOO,OOO from the
budget estimates submitted for
these independent agencies. A ter
rife fight was made in the House
to make further retrenchment, par
ticularly in funds for the IVA, but
administration forces were victor
ious in retaining the committee
figure of S4O,OO0,00O for this
agency including authorization OF
the construction of Coulter Shoals
Dam, ultimately to cost about $685.
100000 The Maritime Com1uis-
sion budget for construction was
cut S50,000,00O, and contract au-
thorization for another S150,000,-
900 was thrown out on point OF
order. Federal aid highway funds
were cut S25, 100000 under the
1910 appropriation.
COMMITTEE HEARINGS -
While members of Congress, as
well as citizens generally, have
long been dubious of the functions
Of various federal agencies, hear
ings now being conducted in the
Capitol are making disclosures Of
an astounding nature.
The House Committee probing
administration Of the National
Labor Relations Board has exam
ined a number of board employees
These included several women act
ing as Review Attorneys who testi-
fed that they had little or no ex-
perience with the law, and one man
employed as trial examiner. The
latter's duties consisted Of passing
on the legal aspects Of evidence
submitted at labor hearings, but
he testified that he had never
studied law. It seems unusual that,
with thousands of experienced at
torneys available, the NLRB should
engage persons with little back
ground, handicapped by lack Of
qualifications, to discharge these
duties and administer the act
which is designed to promote amic-
able relations between employers
and labor.
Another important hearing is
that being conducted by the House
Ways and Means Committee on the
Reciprocal Trade Agreements. One
of the witnesses this past week was
Henry F. Grady, Assistant Secre-
tary of State, who is credited with
being the No. 1 man handling the
Pact Negotiations. heard Grady
testify that the agreements had
benefited the American farmer and
that the latter has had the Amer
ican market. To prove his asser-
tion, he presented charts showing
how small our agricultural imports
are when compared with our total
domestic consumption. However,
official statistics covering the first
ten months of 1889 show that these
insignificant" imports of agricul-
tural items amounted to 1897 ,S51, :
900.