Evening star., 1942-02-20
Death kne|| Forecast
In House Next Week
For Pension Issue
Senote Reverses Self
By IS to 5 Vote to
Cancel Recent Action
BY ]. A. O'LEARY.

BY ]. A. O'LEARY.
The House is expected to sound
the death knell early next week
Tor the congressional retirement
plan, which the Senate voted to
repeal late yesterday, rs to S. The
House is in recess until Monday.
While the roll was being called in
the Senate, the House Civil Service
Committee announced it was re-
porting out without recommends
ton similar repeal bill drafted by
Chairman RamSpeck.
To expedite final action, the Senate
attached its repeater clauses to q
bill already passed by the House, to
continue the pay and allowances
OF men in the armed forces, or other
Government employees, reported miss
ing in the war zones but not re-
ported dead.
This sends the repeal question d.
rectly to the House, where a motion
could be made either to concur i'm
mediately in the Senate's action, or
send the military pay bill to con-
fenence.
Ramspeck to Seek Rule.
Representative Ramspeck said last
night he would 90 before the Rules
Committee for an open rule, which
would enable the House to consider
his committees bill, subject to
amendments offered from the floor.
This Dourse, however, will not relieve
the House of the necessity of dis
posing of the Senate's repeal amend
ment, one way or the other, in the
missing persons bill.
There Is one marked difference in
the two possible courses of House
action. If the House accepts the
Senate amendment the issue will
be closed, and 60 to President Roose-
velt for signature. If, however, it
passes a separate bill and eliminates
the Senate amendment in the other
bill, the Senate would have to vote
on the question again. In view OF the
desire Of congressional leaders to
halt the controversy the retirement
plan has aroused back home, 1t is
more than likely the Senate provi-
sion will be accepted.
The humping majority for repeal
OF the congressional pensions in
cluded so Democrats, "a Republi-
cans and Norris of Nebraska, indie
pendent. Senator La Toilette,
Progressive, of Wisconsin, was the
first Senator to vote against repeal
and he was Joined by one Repub-
lican, Nye of North Dakota, and
three Democrats, Mead Of New
York, Clark of Idaho and Wangren
Of Washington.
Twenty EIGHT Senators who voted
January 10 for retirement pay for
Congress members voted for the
repeal bill. They we're:
Austin, Republican, of Vermont;
Bankhead, Democrat, of Alabama;
Bilbo, Democrat of Mississippi;
Bone, Democrat, of Washington;
Brown, Democrat, of Michigan;
Bulow, Democrat of South Dakota;
Bunker, Democrat, of Nevada; Cap
per, Republican, of Kansas; Cara
way, Democrat, of Arkansas; Davis,
of Pennsylvania; Doxey,
Democrat, Of Mississippi; George,
Democrat, of Georgia; Gillette,
Democrat, Of Iowa: Hayden, Demo-
crat. of Arizona; Hill, Democrat, of
Alabama; Holman, Republican, of
Oregon; Hughes, Democrat, of Del
aware; Kilgore, Democrat, of West
Virginia; Lee, Democrat, of Okla
homa; Mcfarland, Democrat, of
Arizona; Maloney, Democrat, of
Connecticut; Murray, Democrat, of
Montana; Roster, Democrat, of
West Virginia; Smathers, Demo-
crat, Of New Jersey; Stewart, Dem
ocrat, of Tennessee; Truman, Dem
ocrat, Of Missouri; Wheeler, Demo-
crat, of Montana; White, Repnubli-
can, of Maine.
The following Senators, who
voted for the pensions originally,
were absent but were announced
as favoring repeal: Russell, Demo-
crat, of Georgia; Tunnel, Demo-
crat, Of Delaware; Aiken, Republi-
can, of Vermont.
Seven others who voted for the
pensions last month were absent
and not voting.
After several hours of sharp de-
bate on the urgency of putting all
effort into winning the war, the
Senate defeated, % to 40, an attempt
by Senator Downey, Democrat, of
California, to write into the mill
tary and naval pay bill a more lib
eral old-age pension for all needy
persons over so.
Several Attack Reforms"
Majority Leader Barley and
Senators McKellar of Tennessee,
George, O'Mahoney Of wyoming
and Lucas of Illinois joined in warn
ing the Senate that, with the Nation
involved in fight for survival against
the Axis, this is no time to spend
borrowed money on new domestic
reforms.
Senator Downey proposed to have
the Federal Government pay $50 a
month to all needy persons over so,
without disturbing the old-age as
sistance now paid to those over IS
by the Federal and State Govern
ments on matching basis. Senator
Downey contended the cost would
be about 1000, ,000, 900 a year, less
savings of several hundred millions
that would result in w. P. A. and
general relief expenditures.
Senator Barkley insisted, however,
he had reliable Government esti-
mates that the Downey amendment
would cost anywhere from $780,
000,000 to $4,000, 900 900.
What good will pension of this
or any other amount do these old
people, If Japan or Germany gain
control of this country" Senator
McKelar asserted. Gentlemen, this
country has a task to perform to
preserve the Nation before it can
turn to these other worthy subjects"
A1fhn,IOh tho HnIIce civil Caryice