Evening star., 1944-09-20
Work Finished,
Congress Ready
To Start Recess
Reconversion Bill
Passed by House,
Goes to President
BY the Associated Press.


Action on four-way congress
sional program designed to gear
the country to the end of war in
Europe was completed today.
The House, by overwhelming voice
vote, sent to President Roosevelt's
desk a States rights" demobiliza-
ton and reconversion bill i last
major item in the general pattern
and Speaker Rayburn expressed the
hope that Congress would recess
later this week until after the No
vember elections Many lawmakers
already have left Washington.
The only thing 1 can see that
would keep us here after this week."
Mr.. Rayburn said, lis that some
members might want to sit here to
see if the President will veto the
reconversion and surplus property
disposal bills. In my opinion, the
President will sign them both
Specific Mandate.
The mobilization and reconver-
sion legislation includes a specific
mandate on the demobiliZation Of
the armed forces when men are no
longer needed for fighting. 1t de.
clares:
The War and Navy Departments
shall not retain persons in the
armed forces for the purpose of pre-
venting unemployment or awaiting
opportunities for employment"
Under this bill, control of unem-
ployment insurance is left entirely
in the hands of the States, and at
House insistence the bill was shorn
of Senate provisions for back
home" travel pay, up to 5000 FAM
lily, for war workers. Unemployment
insurance for 100000 Federal
workers also was eliminated.
Chairman George of the Senate
Postwar Committee said, I'VE have
done everything we can now to pre-
pare for the collapse Of Germany"
and added:
I'VE have drawn a general pro-
gram for the release of wartime
economic controls and return to
our free enterprise system and ths
American ways of life. We shall
supplement and improve this pro-
gram to meet developments. as ad-
ditional facts are clear to u.s."
Ready for v-Day."
Chairman Colmer of the House
Postwar Planning Committee said
obviously, the existing political at
'aosphere is not conducive to sound
legislation" ard that it is his
opinion the four pieces of legislation
are "al that is Immediately neces-
sary for the approaching V-day."
j This program embraces:
l. Creation Of an ONCE of war
mobilization and reconversion, to
coordinate the program for shift
ing from war to a peacetims
economy.
2. Machinery for the disposal Of
$100, 900 900 900 of war accumulated
Government property, under the su-
pervision of a three member board.
3. A system of terminating war
contracts, involving billions of dol
lars and intended to facilitate in
dustry in speedily shifting from the
production of weapons of war to
civilian goods.
4. The "GI bill of rights provid-
ing benefits for war veterans.
Debt Provision Deleted.
The Senate passed the surplus war
property bill and sent it to the
White House last night. Senator
Wherry, Republican. of Nebraska.
protested against elimination OF
provision directing that all receipts
be applied against the national debt.
He said the provision was written
into both Senate and House bills,
but was deleted by the conferees
in violation of Senate rules.
Discussing the program with
newspapermen, Senator George en-
phasized particularly a need for
future revision of tax laws to en-.
courage private enterprise.