Evening star., 1944-08-26
Congress Reyiyes Ia
OF Taking Recess
Until After Election
By the Associated Press.

Talk Of q mid-September re-
cess Of Congress until after the
election was revived today after
the Senate's passage OF a bill
creating an eight-member hbard
to direct surplus war goods dis
posal.
Members Of Congress, eager to 60
home and put in some campaign
licks, were hopeful the Senate and
House could MI In the gaps Of an
overall reconyersion program in
time for q recess starting about
September IS. Some doubted that
the program could be completed be-
fore October l.
House must pass the Senate-ap-
proved George bill dealing with un-
employment compensation for war
workers during reconversion. And
Senate and House conferees must
reconcile differences between the
separate property disposal bills
passed by the two houses.
Compensation Debate to Open.
The House starts debate on the
unemployment compensation bill
Tuesday, with fight expected over
the action Of the Ways and Means
Committee In striking out a Sen
ate provision bringing $500, 900
Federal employees under State un-
employment compensation.
Conferees will start work early
next week on House-Senate differ
ences in surplus property legisla-
ton. The House measure would
vest supervision over sales Of excess
goods in single administrator.
In passing the bill for disposal Of
some 500, 900 900 900 in surplus war
goods, the Senate attached a pro-
vision that all receipts be used to-
ward retirement Of the national
debt. The measure was approved
without a record vote at a session
attended by a quorum of 40 men,
bers.
Exactly that number participated
in an earlier roll call vote in which
the Senate rejected. 81 to 10, an
"antiprofiteering" amendment to
permit the Government to take legal
actiop against buyers of surplus
goods where it was found that the
purchasers made excessive" profits
In resales.
Debt Retirement Fund.
Only brief debate preceded &C.
ceptance Of an amendment by Sen
ator Wherry, Republican, OF Ne
braska providing that revenues from
the sale Of surpluses go into a debt
retirement fund rather into general
Treasury receipts.
THE American people are going
to pay this huge war debt" Senator
Wherry said. Whatever help we
can give them, we should give
them"
Before the Senate voted, William
L. Clayton. surplus property ad-
ministrator, told the Senate War
Investigating Committee he con-
siders land disposal provisions of
the Senate measure a great mis-
take"
Mr.. Clayton said he thought a
single agency should have authority
In order to avoid possible bottle
neckS."
Family Sized Land Sales.
He has directed the Reconstruc-
ton Finance Corp. to handle land
disposal problems and said his
policy will be to sell the lands in
family sized trucks" with prefer
ence for those who will live on the
land.
Senator Ferguson, Republican, of
Michigan. saying he was greatly
concerned" over what he termed
provisions for sales by approved
brokers'" contended it would be
possible for a few brokerage firms
to handle all of the business and
make huge profits. Mr. Clayton re-
piled that it was planned to guard
against any concentration of the
business.
Col. John j. O'Brien, chief of the
War Departments real estate di-
vision and chairman of Mr.. Clay
tons Real Estate Advisory Com
mittee, read statement to the COM
mittee terming as unfounded,
charges he said had been made
that the War Departments real es-
tate program was dominated by the
National Association of Real Es-
tate Boards.