Evening star., 1942-02-18
Big War Bill Rushed;
House Is Warned Of
Axis Spring Drive
32-BiIIion Measure Sent
To Senate; Funds Voted
For Civilian Defense

A record smashing s32, ,070, ,901,-
900 war appropriation moved to
the Senate today with a 371-to-0
Endorsement by the House under
committee warning that supplies
must be ready against supreme
Axis offensive this spring.
House Appropriations Committee
members, introducing the measure
yesterday, spoke against a back
ground of information furnished
privately by high-ranking Army
officials and urged quick action on
the bill, which includes outlays for
transportation and other immediate
items as well as for long-range pro-
duction. The House passed the bill
with only four hours debate.
With similar unanimity yesterday,
the Senate passed by voice vote
$163, 300, ,854 deficiency measure, in
cluding $100, ,000, 900 for civilian de-
Tense against afr raids. and returned
It to the House for action on minor
amendments.
House Restrictions Intact.
In that bill the Senate left intact
House restrictions against use of
any part of the protection fund for
fan dancing, street shows or other
public entertainment" or for the
Treasury's $4,000 Donald Duck in
come tax cartoon film.
The big war fund carried $22 2.888.-
901 300 for the War Department,
mostly for ordnance and expediting
production, with a provision that
half of this could 60 for lease-lend
AID.
1t also included q $5,430 900 900
specific item for lease-lend, raising
the total approved separately for
such purpose to date to more than
SIT 900 900 900.
Another big item was So ,S52 ,00o,-
600 to carry forward the merchant
marine program, the goal of which
now is 2,877 ships-or two a day
at total cost of s6,704, ,464,056. The
schedule this year calls for 1876 cargo
ships.
Shortly before passage, the House
rejected by standing vote of SO to
SO an amendment by Representative
Smith, Democrat, of Virginia, which
would have banned the closed shop
in industry, and jurisdictional and
sympathy strikes.
Cannon Issues Warning,
Chairman Cannon, Democrat, Of
Missouri of the Appropriations Com
mittee warned the House before
the final vote:
The crisis is coming in the spring
of 1912.
Japan is consolidating its vic
tories. In Europe and In Africa,
the enemy is preparing for his great
est push, the supreme offensive
Unless we produce material by that
time sufficient to hold the front, it
will be too late"
Debate was quiet and peaceful
until Representative LambertSon
Republican, of Kansas protested
further lease lend appropriations
and charged that ''if the President
doesn't change his ways and give us
efficiency, we will lose this war"
Majority Leader Mccormack
Democrat, of Massachusetts jumped
up to charge the veteran Kansan
with making "wrangling, political
speech" and said this is no time
! for whispers and poison to divide
the people.
Letter Accuses G. o. P.
Then Representative Otter, Re-
publican, of Pennsylvania rose to
criticize Mr.. Cannon for letter
he sent Monday to House Democrats.
accusing Republicans of parliament
tary tactics on appropriation bills
aimed at winning control OF the
House in November.
Representative Cannon's letter,
placed in the record, warned his
colleagues to be on the alert for
Republican amendments to the $32,-
600, ,000, 900 bill. The letter said the
Republicans made Clever coup"
with their no-fan- dancing amend
ment to the civilian defense bill
when no fan dancing was in the
bill and when the committee already
had approved change having the
same effect.
Mr.. Otter said the letter was
narrow, conf1ning and partisan"
and added that Republicans as well
as Democrats had supported defense
and war measures. Mr.. Otter and
Representative Woodrum, Democrat,
of Virginia Joined Mr.. Mccormack
in an anneal for unity