Evening star., 1945-07-01
Fight on FEpC
Shifts 10 House.;
Senate Adopts
Reduced Fund
OF $250,000
OPA EXTENSION BILL approved.
sent TO Truman by plane. Page AT
BY J. A. O'LEARY.

BY j. A. O'LEARY.
The fight to end the life OF
the Fair Employment Practices
Committee prevented Congress
from passing one big appropria-
ton bill for 16 important war
agencies last night. after the
lawmakers had sent to the Pres
ident all other money bills
needed to start the new fiscal
year today.
A chorus of objections from
Southern Democrats In the House
blocked the unanimous consent re-
.quired to appoint conferees on the
$771 500 900 War Agencies bill, after
the Senate had cleared the way for
an FEPC compromise by giving the
agency a reduced fund of s25o,o00
for the next IL months.
Thus, the battle merely moved
from the Senate into the House,
just when it appeared that a settle
ment was In sight.
Temporary Provision Made.
Although the war agencies bill
carries the funds for the War Pro-
duction Board, ONCE of War In
formation, Once of Defense Trans
portation and dozen similar emerg-
ency agencies temporary provision
has been made for the expenses Of
these activities until Congress final
ly agrees on the bill.
Forseeing such last-minute
deadlock, both houses wrote into the
second deficiency bill blanket
clause authorizing Government Of
ficials to incur obligations in antici-
patton of appropriations not passed
by July l.
Legislative experts expressed
doubt as to whether the blanket
clause in the deficiency bill is broad
enough to cover FEPC because its
$3.50, 900 fund has been approved
only by one branch of Congress.
In the case of the other war
agencies, both Houses have voted
for some appropriation, so that
only the final-total remains to be
settled.
Swift FEPC Decision Seen,
In any event. the House prob
ably will decide within few days
whether FEPC Is TO get any funds
for the year which starts today.
The. fiiibuster which kept the
war agencies bill tied up In The
Senate for nearly three days ended
yesterday, when Majority Leader
Barkley succeeded in getting an
agreement to permit vote on the
$3.50, 900 allotment for FEPC, in
stead of the $446 200 budget asked
by supporters of the agency.
Southern Senators dropped their
demand for a point of order, which
would have required FEPC hackers
to muster a two-thirds vote to
suspend the rules to make the larger
appropriation in order.
The Se,ltherners then contented
themselves with voting against the
$3.50, 900 item, which carried on a
straight majority roll call, AZ to 26.
Cloture Test Was Slated.
If the Senate had not accepted
a compromise yesterday, a vote
would have come automatically to-
morrow afternoon on the petition
of Senator Taft, Republican, of
Ohio to invoke the seldom used
cloture rule to limit debate and in
sure a decision.
Senators always have been reluc-
tant to adopt cloture, through fear
that it would grow into an en-
croachment on freedom of debate in
that body. Capitol observers be-
lieve the threat of cloture in this
instance hastened yesterdays COM
promise.
Two courses are open to House
leaders this week to get action on
the war agencies bill. First, they
will apply to the Rules Committee
for special rule to send the bill
W. ltotAAGACAASC WttAi sbAiC OCildtC, HUI
withstanding the objectors. The
Rifles Committee, however, has sue
ce4sfully blocked action on othey
FEPC bills during this session, and
the outlook for action In that di-
rection is not too bright now.
May Iron Out Clash.
If the Rules Committee fails to
act, the Speaker may refer the whole
war agencies bill back to the House
Appropriations Committee for fur
ther study. That committee could
either report the measure back to
the House for a vote, with the Sen
ate amendments left in, or write a
new bill leaving FEPC out again.
as 1t did when it drafted the war
agencies bill originally month
ago. House leaders are expected
to try to iron out the controversy
over the week end.
Some Republican Senators voted
against the $250, 900 compromise yes
terday because they objected to
tSee CONGRESS, Page A-4.)
California Seismnnranh