Evening star., 1942-12-07
Log Jam Confronts
77th Congress in
lis Final Month
8 Controversial Bills
Foce Restive Chumbers;
YuIe InterIude Brief
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
With final adjournment only
four weeks away, the Seventy
seventh Congress found on it's
hands today a holiday log jam
that had no relation to the Yule
variety.
Stacked up in committees and on
the calendars of both Houses were
eight bundles Of legislative con-
troversy which-if a quorum re-
manned In town-promised to keep
members busy up to January with
q brief interlude for Christmas.
They included:
A House-approved proposal to
Jack up the basis for computing
agricultural parity prices by includ-
ing all farm labor costs. Advocates
said they would attempt to prevent
the Senate from voting finally
on any other legislation until this
measure, fought by administration
supporters, is considered.
A narrowed war powers bill au-
thorizing the President to suspend
tariffs but not immigration regu-
lations. House approval was con-
sidered possible but there was doubt
that the Senate would get around
to it.
Clark to Filibuster Again.
A conference report on a bill
passed by both houses setting up
machinery for distributing 10000
900 which the Mexican government
has agreed to pay American claim
ants. Senator Clark, Democrat, of
Missouri said he was ready to resume
q one-man filibuster against ap-
proval of the measure in its present
form.
A House-approved bill granting a
5000, 100000 increase in borrowing
authority to the Reconstruction
Finance Corp. Republicans planned
to offer a compromise amendment
In the Senate forcing an accounting
of the funds.
An administration sponsored
measure authorizing the Treasury to
sell unpledged silver in its vaults for
war industry use. Senators Thomas
and McCarran, Democrats, OF Ne
vada, and other silver bloc members
have projected a last-ditch fight to
prevent action on the bill.
A compromise measure, before the
Senate Civil Service Committee to-
day. which would increase the work
week of white collar" Government
employes from A to 48 hours and
give them a bonus" of 20 per cent
increase on their annual pay up to
$4,000 yearly. The log-jam made
passage doubtful.
An administration proposal to ex-
tend Government rent controls to
commercial property not now COW
cred by law. The House passed the
bill IN broad form, but the Senate
Banking Committee revised it to
cover only defense areas and prop
erty operated by war contractors.
A State Department measure au-
thorizing the transfer OF certain
United States property in the Canal
Zone to Panama, fought unsuccess-
fully in the Senate by those who
contended that the agreement should
be in the form of a treaty. Chair
man Bloom of the House Foreign
Affairs Committee was seeking
means of getting 1t before the
House.
Aside from these issues, there was
mn dearth of controversial material
still being ground out by committees.
Five groups have been working on
various phases of the manpower
problem, with a committee headed
by Senator Pepper. Democrat, OF
Florida, striving to bring out a
favorable report on measure estab-
fishing war mobilization Office
which would have direction over
most home front efforts.