Evening star., 1943-06-01
Fund Bill Conferees
To Ask House Views
On Senate Chances
Will Seek Instructions
On Limit to Presidents
Powers on Transfers

Conferees on the $143 900, 900
urgent deficiency bill decided this
afternoon to go back to the
House for instructions on the
Senate amendment sharply re-
stricting the Presidents right to
transfer his emergency funds to
Government agencies, except
the War and Navy Departments.
The House conferees also will ask
for further instructions on the SEN
ate's action in striking out the House
attempt to remove three Govern
ment officials from the payroll. The
three are Goodwin B. Watson and
William E. Dodd, jr, of the Federal
Communications Commission and
Robert Morss Lovett, Government
secretary for the Virgin Islands.
his means separate votes will be
taken in the House tomorrow or the
next day on these two phases of the
bill. The House originally voted to
prevent the President from allotting
his emergency funds to the National
Resources Planning Board or to the
Farm Security Administration The
Senate conferecs felt that if there
is to be such ban, it should be gen.
eral, and not applied to two
agencies.
Meanwhile, the authority of Con-
gress to withhold appropriations for
payment of salaries to Government
employees was upheld by Representa-
tive VoryS, Republican, of Ohio in
answer to the protests over House
action in seeking the removal from
office the three Federal officials
charged with unfltness for further
service.
MI. Vorys singled out the case of
Mr.. Watson, whose salary is $4,000
year. He was one of a group
of Government officials inveSti-
gated by special subcommittee
of the House Appropriations Com
mlttee which reported that 'his
views and writings constitute sub
VerslVe activity within the definition
adopted by Your committee and that
he is, therefore, unfit for the pres
ent to continue in Government en-
plovment.'
Mr.. Vorys declared in a letter
sent to those who protested the
House action that Watson is still
free as citizen to do and say as
he pleaseS within the law. We are
certainly justified, however. in with
holding taxpayers money to support
him AS a Federal employe in war
time"
Virtually every protest, Mr. Vorys
said, shows the result of misinfor-
nation which must have come from
Watson and his associates, both as
to the nature Of the action taken
by Congress and as to the evidence
against Watson" "
This was not judicial trial for
A crime, the letter read. 1T was
merely a decision as to whether
money should be appropriated to pay
a Federal employe No one has a
vested right in Federal Job. Con-
sress has the duty of deciding
whether to appropriate money for
the various departments and offices
Of Government and must. therefore
pass on the work Of these depart
nentS.
Congress can only do this by
passing on the work of the people in
the departments, for that is the way
the departments 90 their work. Con-
greSs does not select employees. but
sets up standards for their selection
and their retention. Congress has
the power to decide whether or not
to appropriate money to pay an in
divldual employe This is a cumber-
some and difficult way to legislate,
but it has become necessary in a
number Of Instances because this
administration has made practice
Of evadlng the standards set up by
Congress in determining fitness for
positions Of responsibility in the
Coy eminent in wartime"