Evening star., 1941-06-14
BarkIey Forecasts
Lengthy Fight Over
Defense Tax Bill
Majority Leader Doubts
Measure Can Be Passed
Before Next September
Blythe Associated Press.

Blythe Associated Press.
Predicting a long congressional
fight over tax legislation, Senate
Majority Leader Barkley expressed
doubt today that a defense revenue
bill.could be sent to President Roose-
welt before next September.
Senator Barkley. Just out of the
hospital, said there will be lot
of pulling and hauling" before the
tax measure is worked into final
form.
If the House sends a revenue bill
to the Senate early in July, the Sem
ator said, two or three weeks of
Finance Committee hearings still
will be necessary before the measure
reaches the Senate floor.
There it Is expected to arouse
considerable debate and even after
1t Is passed by the Senate, Senator
Barkley said, some time will be re-
ouired to adjust differences be-
tween House and Senate versions.
Meanwhile, arrangements were
made to speed Senpte consideration
of an S885,905,00O relief bill to
finance w. P. A. employment of an
average of 100000 persons during
the II months beginning July l..
Employment at that average would
be Al per cent less than the average
of the present fiscal year, ending
June 30.
The measure was approved by
the House yesterday. A Senate Ap-
preparations Subcommittee will take
it up early next week. 1t carries IS
per cent less than the 81 $50 $50 900
available to w. P. A. this year.
The House approved measure
would continue restrictions against
w. P. A. employment of subversive
elements. A provision that sponsors
must finance at least IS per cent
of the cost of non-Federal projects
also was retained.
BY a 169- -to-165 vote, the House
eliminated, however, a provision re-
quiring rotation of employment by
discharging every person who stays
on w. P. A. rolls for l8 consecutive
months. President Roosevelt told
Congress last month the require
ment has worked "a great hardship
on many persons"
Aside from the tax and relief
measures, Senator Barkley said the
general legislative situation now
shapes up as follows:
l. There is little doubt that the
Senate-approved legislation permit
ting Government seizure of defense
plants which suffer production stop
pages through strikes or lockouts
will be approved In some effective
form"
g. Legislation permitting the Gov
ernment to take over all kinds of
private property temporarily or
permanently doubtlessly will be re-
vised to narrow its scope. Senator
Barkley said there might be some
question whether such legislation
was necessary in view of the Senate
bill for seizure of defense plants, but
he added that If the War Depart
ment wanted additional measures
Congress doubtless. would provide
them.
3. Besides legislation governing
property, there Is little for Congress
to do except approve routine appro-
priations and defense measures sug-
gested by various departments.
4. Provided there is no important
change in the war situation, Con-
gress may be able to recess for three
or four weeks in July or August.
The Senate majority leader said
he would discuss the possibility Of
recess with Republican chiefs when
he returns to his Senate duties two
or three weeks hence. Physicians
have ordered him to rest, and he Is
expected to go away for a vacation
after final medical examination
next Tuesday.