Evening star., 1942-03-29
House Approves
6 Pei. Limit on
War Profits
Amendment Placed
In Bill for 10000
More War Planes
By ]. A, O'LEARY.

ny J. "A. ~ LEhhI.
Before passing a new $l8,-
300,000,000 war appropriation
bill last night, the House unex-
pectedly went on record in favor
of limiting profits on war con-
tracts to 6 per cent.
The amendment, which still must
run the gantlet Of Senate debate,
was offered by Representative Case,
Republican, of South Dakota a few
moments before final passage. and
went into the bill after brief ex-
planation and without a record
vote. On a standing vote the divi-
sion was 10 to g.
The rider, which overshadowed
whole day of discussion on the
money items in the bill, reads as
follows:
mo part Of any appropriation
contained in this act shall be avail
able to pay that portion of a con-
tract for construction of any char
acter and or procurement of ma
terial and supplies for either the
military or naval establishments,
designated as final payment to any
contractor who fails to file with the
procuring agency certificate of
costs and an agreement for rene
gotiation OF the contract and reim-
bursement of profits in excess Of
6 per cent"
Speeches on Amendments Limited.
In a desire to get the big supply
measure through, leaders had agreed
at $50 pm. to limit members to
two minute speeches on amend
ments offered thereafter. When
Mr.. Case offered the amendment q
short while later. a point of order
was made against inclusion of Ian
suase requiring the Secretary Of
War or the Secretary Of the Navy
to approve the certificates Of costs
to be submitted under the amend
ment. This language was elimi-
mated and the question was put to
vote.
Representative Cannon. Demo-
crat, of Missouri. chairman Of the
Appropriations Committee, told
newspapermen later the objective
Of the amendment is fine" but in
dicated he believed it is unworkable
in its present form.
Mr.. Case explained off the floor
that he had been prompted to offer
the amendment by the recent Su-
preme Court decision denying the
Government the right to recover on
World War ship contracts which,
he said, meant that once the Gov
ernment has made the final pay
ment on a contract, 1t cannot then
go back into the costs or re-
negotiation process.
House action on the bill, which
provides funds for 3l,070 more
Army planes, for the upkeep of an
armed force of 100000 men by
December and for continued expan-
sion Of the Navy, was the last i'm
portant step Congress is expected
to take for two weeks.
Many Plan Trips Home.
Although the House and Senate
both will meet at intervals during
this period, there is a general un-
derstanding that final action will
not be taken on any controversial
issues during that time, and many
members plan to make a trip home
for Easter before tackling another
major problem-the tax bill.
Passage of yesterdays bill-the
sixth supplemental defense bill
brings Americas war chest for the
battle against the Axis past the
$3.50 ,000, ,000, 900 mark In direct ap-
propriations and authorizations
This total, however, is to be spent
over three fiscal yearS-1941, 1912
and 1943-and, due to the time re-
quired to construct ships and other
heavy war implements, some of the
money may remain on the books
until 1945.
The informal breathing spell men,
bers are about to take-the first
since this country entered the war
in December-crept into the dis
cussion on yesterdays bill.
While members of the Military
Affairs Committee were protesting
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