Evening star., 1943-05-23
Action on Offices Bill
And Trade Pacts Due
In Senate This Week
Committee Speeds Work on
Fund Measures Thut Must
Pass by June 30
BY ]. A. O'LEARY.

By ]. A. OLEARY.
The Senate will act this week on
the $2.62l ,539,379 independent Of
fees bill and the two-year extern
sion of the Reciprocal Trade Agree
ment Act, while the Appropria-
tions Committee works at full speed
on a long list of remaining sup
ply measures that must pass by
June 80.
The new fiscal year is only five
weeks away, but Senator Mcclellan,
Democrat, of Tennessee, acting
chairman of the Appropriations
Committee, expressed confidence
yesterday all Of the bills for the
operation of the Government de-
partments will be put through on
time.
The Trade Agreement Act expires
June II, and major fight is brew
ing in the Senate over efforts to
attach an amendment to the exten-
sion bill, reserving the right in Con-
gress to repeal the agreements by
Joint resolution six months after the
war ends.
COP Sponsors Amendment.
While this amendment is spon-
sored by Republicans, there are also
some Democrats who favor a degree
of legislative review of the agree
ments, and the administration is
facing a stiff fight to get the law
extended without limitations, and
the vote will be close. The trade
agreement debate is expected to
start Wednesday or Thursday.
The two main issues in the indie
pendent Offices bill tomorrow will
revolve around the future status of
the National Resources Planning
Board, and the Home Owners Loan
Corp.
Senator McKellsr said last night
he will move to raise the 5000. 900
allowed the planning board by the
Appropriations Committee to the
s534,000 figure recommended by
subcommittee, and which was re-
jected on a tie vote in committee.
The Senator will add a proviso that
not less than 100000 of the higher
total must be used in cooperation
with State and county planning
groups. The committee voted to
confine all activities under the $780,
900 to o-ordinating State and
county planning.
The budget estimate for the plan
ming board was Sl.400.000. but the
House cut it all out so that what
ever the Senate approves will still
be subject to possible reduction in
conference.
Senate Restored Hole Cuts.
The House also cut administrative
expenses of HOLC. with view to
forcing it to liquidate its outstand-
ing home mortgages within year.
but the Senate committee restored
the cuts to allow the agency to con-
tinue it's program of gradual liquida-
ton.
Chairman Byrd of the Joint Con-
sressional Committee on Non-Ess-
sential Federal Expenditures, said
last night he expects to discuss to-
morrow the recommendation of his
group that HOLC be required to
liquidate in two years, or by June
30, 1945 The Virginian was not
certain, however, whether he would
attempt to have the two-year liqui-
dation order written into the ap-
preparation bill, or considered sepa-
rately.
The main difference of opinion
over how long HOLC should con-
tinue hinges on the probable losses
the government would sustain from
rapid liquidation. The Byrd COM
mittee took the view that the task
of liquidation will not be any easier
or more advantageous to the gov
ernment later than at present.
McKellar's Comment.
Senator McKellar, in charge of
the appropriation bill, made this
comment yesterday:
II am frank to say that HOLC has
done better job than I had thought
before we took this testimony"
While the committee allowed
funds to continue liquidation of
mortgages on a gradual basis. Sem
ator McKellar said it was felt that
the agency should endeavor to dis
pose of most of the houses it has
taken over during the coming year.
He said it has 81 900 houses left, and
that if between 10000 and $4,000
could be sold this year 1t would put
;,, coIlYI condition "
While more than dozen of the
annual appropriation bills are still
in the legislative mill, all but three
of them have passed the House.
These are: For the military es-
tablishment: for civilian agencies
connected with the war, and for the
Labor and Federal Security agencies.
This leaves the bulk of the re-
manning work to be done in the
Senate and in the final stages of
conference.
Hearings on Lease-Lend Fund.
A Senate subcommittee will hold
closed hearings tomorrow on the
S6,273,629, 900 lease-lend appropria-
ton passed by the House Friday
Senator McKellar said he also
expects the annual s715 ,099 ,662 ag-
ricultural supply bill to come out
of Senate committee this week
One of the first money bills passed
early this year by both houses
for the Treasury and Post Office
Departments-iss still tied up in con-
ference by a disagreement over sew
eral controversial issues, including
the continued purchase of silver by
the Treasury, and the question of
whether free use of the mails by
Government departments should be
restricted.
The Senate is urging that the
Budget Bureau and Post Office De-
partment be given go days to make
a thorough study of the use of the
mails by Government agencies, as
a substitute for the House action in
prohibiting use of any of next
years appropriation for carrying