Evening star., 1943-12-22
Congress Goes Home,
Hoping 10 Cool Off
During Holiday
By the Associated Press.

mculUcTS OI Lie 6eVcilJy -clSntu
Congress went home today to cele-
brate the Christmas holidays and
to recharge their political batteries
for the opening OF q presidential
campaign year.
They will return January 10 to
come to grips with batch of ques-
tions directly affecting the coun-
try's wartime economy, of challenges
to President Roosevelt's method for
holding the imitation line, Of issues
|centering around taxes, wage in
creases, subsidies and appropria-
tions.
AS the final gayel fell late yester-
day to end a session which saw the
administration give ground in tur-
bulent battles over home front poll
cies, there appeared little hope for
peace between the executive branch
and coalition Of Republicans and
Southern and farm State Demo-
Gratis
Won Temporary Truce.
In the final days President Roose-
velt's Capitol Hill stalwarts won
temporary truce in some of the
pending fights, hopeful that q cool
ing-of" period would shift senti-
ment, that the constituents back
home would rally to their support
Two OF those Observation-Disclosures
and taxes-await Senate attention.
A third. that Of wage stabilization,
rests in the House. Here Is how
they were left:
Subsidies-The House and Senate
agreed to postpone until February II
a showdown on the question of out
lawing consumer food subsidies. The
truce was reached by extending the
life of the Commodity Credit Corp.
until that date The subsidy ban
was attached TO another bill, passed
Overwhelmingly by the House, which
granted CCC a continuance until
July, 1945.
Wages - The House Interstate
Commerce Committee sidetracked q
measure to give 100000 non-
operating railway employees an
across the board 8-cent-an-h hour
pay boost until after the recess.
The Senate passed the bill by =
vote of "a to 4, despite the admins
tration's protest that it would wreck
the stabilization machinery.
New Taxes Voted.
Taxes-In the final minutes the
Senate Finance Committee okayed
a measure calling for $2.275, 500, 900
in new taxes, less than 20 per cent
of the amount the administration
described as necessary to drain of
surplus" money and combat In
fiation. The bill awaits Congress
return
Marked for quick attention when
the holiday is over are two issues
affecting servicemen. House action
has been scheduled for January on
measure to provide mastering out
pay for servicemen. The Senate
already has approved bill provid-
ing for sliding scale discharge pay
ranging from 5000 to $500, dependent
upon the length of service.
Meanwhile. an effort Is being made
to work out compromise on legis-
lation to give soldiers vote in the
November elections-one which will
satisfy both those who claim the
Federal Government should make,
arrangements for the balloting and,
those who maintain it should be-
handled by the States. S,ag !
During its first year this Con-
gress has:
l. Gone on record for postwar
International cooperation to main-J
taina just and d1asting peace .p
q. Continued, for two years the
lease-lend agreements. :. - ]
3. Extend the administrations au-l
thority to write reciprocal trade
agreements.
4. Voted appropriations amount
ing to Sll4000 900, 900, about o6 per
cent of which was earmarked for
war purposes.
5. Adopted modified pav-as-you-
earn tax bill abating approximately
IS per cent of one years assessments
for the Nations taxpayers.
3. Enacted the stringent Smith
Connally War Labor Disputes Act to
curb strikes by providing cooling
off, period.
7. Increased allowances for de-
pendents of servicemen.
8. Revamped the selective service
law in an effort TO slow down
induction of fathers.
g. Nullified President Roosevelt's
executive order limiting individual
incomes to maximum OF s25 200
after taxes