Evening star., 1941-06-29
Record Army Bill
Sent 10 White House
For Final Approval
Measure Appropriotes
10 Billion for Defense;
Other Legislation Speeded
By the Associated Press.

BY INT Associated Press
Congress gave final approval yes
terday to the biggest cash appropri-
alton bill in the Nations history,
a gigantic s1O,3S4 ,821 ,624 item for
the Army. The total exceeded the
largest previous appropriation, a
1919 Army bill, by about a billion
dollars.
The Senate sent the measure to
the White House as Cne of many
actions taken in the course of a
day devoted to clearing the CAL
endars of legislation which had to
be disposed of before the fiscal year
closes at midnight tomorrow.
In addition TO the Army bill, the
Senate passed and also sent to the
White House a bill extending oper-
ations of the s2.0OOO00,0OO Stabili-
zation fund and the President s
power to deVaiue the dollar for two
years. Without the legislation they
would have exp!reI at the Monday
midnight deadlIne.
Sent Back to House.
Losing 40 time. the Senate also
approved bill prolonging The life
Of the Commodity Credit Corp. for
two years and incl easing its crop
loan funds by $1,250000,OO0 to a
total of $3.50. 100000. This meas
ure went back to the House for
action on Senate amendments
The Senate passed. as a defense
measure. a House bill to give the
Maritime Commission control over
the movements and cargoes of
all American ships. 1t goes TO con-
ference for the consideration OF
Senate amendments.
In the debate which preceded the
action, Chairman George warned
against granting too extensive poW-
er to the administration and as
serted it was not necessary to adopt
"totalitarian methods" to. provide
naional defense. Some, he said,
feared that important decisions
might be made before the people
have an opportunity to make their
views known.
Caught in a jam of disagreement
was 1886 905 900 bill to finance
Federal relief through the next
fiscal year. Senate and House con-
ferees met and ended their session
at loggerheads over $4,000 900
item for the disposal of surplus
commodities which the Senate had
inserted in the bill
Some think it should go in this
bill, some think it should go in the
farm bill and some think it should
not 90 anywhere" said Senator
Adams. chairman of the conference
committee.
Compromise Expected.
Although he added that he did
not know when he would call the
committee together again. there
seemed little coubt that some COM
promise would be worked out. Un-
less the bill is finally enacted BY
tomorrow night the w. P. A. will
be without funds until it is.
Mr.. Roosevelt's power to devalue
the dollar was granted originally,
over intensive Republican opposi-
ton, in 1884. 1t authorized him to
cut the gold in the dollar to SO
per cent of its former weight.
In 1886 and 1888 the power TO
chop the remaining 9 per cent from
the original value of the dollar was
continued for two-year period. al
ways after spirited battle with
Republicans and one faction of the
Democratic party.
This time Senator Adams endeav-
ored to remove the devaluation DOW
ers from the bill, leaving the stabil-
lZatlon fund intact. He and Sena-
tor Taft. Republican, of Ohio ar
gued that dangerous infationary
possibilities were bound up in the
devaluation authority.
Senator Glass. Democrat. of Vir-
ginla, formerly an opponent of the
legislation, backed it vigorously this
time as necessary to give the ad-
mlnistratitn power to deal with anv
repercuSSlon from the foreign crisis.
The Adams agreement was beaten.
40 to %. and the bill passed. 40 to 20.
The Senate Appropriations Com
mlttee, approving a s1.055 200. 900
deficiency bill yesterday. added
s429, 1888 to the S1,015 900 fund which
the House had voted for the Office
OF Government Reports. headed nv
Lowell Mellett.
Minority Plans Battle.
Three Republican Senators,
Bridges of New Hampshire. Lodge
of Massachusetts and Gurney of
South Dakota, protested the in
crease. Senator Bridges said they
would file minority report and
fight the item when the Senate con-
siders the measure tomorrow.
The deficiency bill, carrying 1892. =
100000 for 2,236 Navy planes and