Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1942-02-04
House Quickly Passes
Bill 10 Give China
S5O0,000,000Aid
Would Be Administered
By Moreenthou Under
RooseveIt's Direction

With little debate the House
unanimously passed and sent to the
Senate today an authorization for
a $500, 900 900 appropriation to aid
China.
The fund would be administered
by Secretary Morgenthau at the
direction of President Roosevelt.
Representative Fish, Republican,
of New York, and Majority Leader
Mccormack spoke briefly in favor
of the fund in the brief debate, Mr..
Mccormack saying that this Is
very important bill for the defense
of China
Few members knew how the
money would be spent and. because
of the need for military secrecy, they
accepted at face value statements by
high-ranking administration leaders
that this would be q psychological
time to make available huge sums to
help finance China's fight against
Japan.
Secretary of the Treasury Nor
eenthau, one of five witnesses before
a closed session of the Foreign AZ
fairs Committee yesterday, was re-
ported to have outlined IN general
possible ALLEGATIONS of the money.
Subject to President Roosevelt's ap-
proval, Mr.. Morgenthau would have
full discretion over its disbursement.
Would Give Funds.
In q report to the House the COM
mittee said that Mr.. Morgenthau
would be authorized to loan or
extend credit or give" aid to China
up to $500, 600, 900 and added:
THE joint resolution was deemed
adequate to permit the Secretary
of the Treasury to accept any di-
rect or indirect benefit to the United
States as ample consideration for
either part or the whole OF the as
sistance to be extended to China
Yesterday the Senate entertained
three economy suggestions from
Senator Byrd. Democrat. Of Vir-
ginia, chairman OF the joint Con-
gressional Economy Committee.
On the House side, the Committee
on Un-American Activities was re-
ported considering sending a sub
committee to Puerto Rico and
Panama to investigate alleged
Spanish Falangist strength there.
Silver Act Stands.
Also in the House quiet move
ment to kill the Silver Purchasing
Act OF 1884 failed by two-vote
margin during consideration OF the
$I,112,926,8 99 Treasury and Post
Once appropriation bill. Proposed
as a rider, yesterdays legislative
effort would have forbidden the
Treasury to pay salaries or expenses
of the Silver Division in the Treas
ury. The move was initiated by
Representative Dirksen, Republican,
of Illinois, who pointed out that
Secretary Morgenthau had described
the silver buying program as "a
bOner."
Senator Byrds formal proposals
consisted of Introduction Of legis-
lation to. repeal pensions for men,
bers of Congress as provided in re-
cent civil service retirement legls-
lation, and OF an announcement
that his committee would inquire
into the use of Farm Security Ad-
ministration loans for payment Of
State poll taxes.
The Virginia Senator also criti-
cized National Youth Administrator
Aubrey Williams for allegedly OPP
posing efforts of students of Hard
ing College, Arkansas. to return their
N. Y. A. funds to the Government
for use in the defense program.
Senators Bailey. Democrat, of
North Carolina; Burton. Republican,
of Ohio and johnson, Democrat, OF
Colorado joined Senator Byrd In
seeking repeal of the congressional
retirement plan.
The Civil Service Commission as
serted, however, that the annual
cost probably would not exceed
$40 600