Evening star., 1944-08-27
House Leaders Open
Attack on Senaie's
Surplus Property Bill
BY the Associated Press.


Ey the Associated Press.
Provisions of surplus property
disposal legislation passed Fri.
day by the Senate stirred up 1
hornets nest Of opposition in the
House yesterday, presaging 8
long fight in conference ovel
differences between the two
branches. ~
In recess when the Senate passed
Its own measure instead Of the ont
sent from the House, the HOUSE
will not receive the bill until to.
morrow, but House leaders lost NJ
time attacking it.
They objected particularly te
Senate provisions creating an eight.
man board to handle the disposa
program, and giving public insti.
tutions the right to purchase OF
lease surplus property at a so pc,
cent discount. The House specifi.
cally had rejected these proposals
Manasco Opposes Changes.
Chairman Manasco Of the House
Expenditures Committee, which
wrote the House measure in CO.
operation with Will L. Clayton, sur.
plus war property administrator, said
he would oppose both Senate
changes. He will head the House
conferees to be appointed, prob
ably tomorrow.
II can see nothing to be gained
by setting UP board instead of
appointing an individual to handle
this job," Mr.. Manasco said. "Some
one must have the authority and
the responsibility to do it and to
do it quickly"
Representative Knutson, Repub-
lican, of Minnesota. member of the
Ways and Means Committee, who
frequently reflects the views of the
House minority. opposed especially
the Senate provision giving public
institutions discount on purchases
and authorizing the donation of
surplus educational, medical and
dental supplies to schools, hospitals
and other unsupported or nom
profit institutions.
Delay Is Anticipated.
Since the House expects to be
busy all week with the Senate
passed unemployment compensa-
ton bill, the surplus property meas
ure is not likely to come up for at
least another week.
On the unemployment measure.
the stiffest fight Is expected over
a move to restore increased unem-
ployment aid payments, financed by
the Federal Government.
Another battle is in prospect over
action of the House Ways and
Means Committee in striking from
the bill provisions for the refrain
ing and re-employment of war
workers and for blanketing some
3,500,000 Federal workers under the
unemployment compensation pro-
gram at Federal expense.
Republicans Flay Measure.
In a statement issued yesterday,
Republican Ways and Means COM
mitteemen flayed the Senate meas
ure as emphasizing unemployment
and putting "a premium on idle
ness"
Only by giving free rein to the
American VIII to develop, build and
expand" the Republicans declared,
can there be security, opportunity,
prosperity and contentment." The
Roosevelt administration, they ad-
ded, "has no workable program for
peacetime America"
That the administration will make
fight to increase benefits and
coverage in the unemployment COM
pensation bill was indicated when
four Democratic members of the
House Ways and Means Committee
criticized the measure as utterly
Inadequate"
Merits of Bill Criticized.
The four-Representatives Eber-
harter of Pennsylvania, Forand of
Rhode Island, Lynch of New York
and Dingell of Michigan, all staunch
administration backers-claimed the
bill as it stands would do absolutely
nothing to help war rehabilitation
or reconversion."
Congress, they said in a joint
statement. has enacted legislation to
protect war veterans and business
and this is only right and proper"
but it must also protect the rights
of the millions of women and men
who have worked in war plants and
have produced the munitions of war
that are making our victory posi-
BILE"
They contended that the proposed
demobilization director would lack
the authority necessary to do his
Job. and that failure to provide for
retraining and unemployment will
hamper reconversion.