Evening star., 1947-07-27
House Quits Work;
Mass of Must
Bills Approved
CONGRESS TO INVESTIGATE liv-
ing costs, housing. Page Al
RECORD OF EIGHTIETH CON-
GRESS' first session. Page Al
By J. A. OLeory

A weary Congress struggling to
adjourn in the early Sunday
morning hours, was thrown into
an uproar by a bitter revival OF
the Kansas City election issue in
the Senate.
At one point in the heated de-
bate, Senator Connally, Democrat,
of Texas, was called to order by
Republicans while he was delivering
a blistering verbal attack on Sena-
tor Ferguson, Republican, of Michl-
gan, leading advocate of the Kansas
City investigation.
While the Senate was thus en-
broiled, the House voted at 1888
am. to adjourn Ten minutes later
an adjournment motion came up in
the Senate, but that chamber re-
fused to adjourn without acting
on some remaining nominations,
including that of Philip B. Perlman
of Baltimore to be Solicitor General.
Move to Adjourn Defeated.
Senator Brewster, Republican, OF
Maine, indicated he wanted to dis
cuss the Perlman nomination.
Senator Hatch, Democrat, OF New
Mexico, suggested members were
tired and wanted to go home. TAX
ing this as his cue, Senator Brewster
promptly moved to adjourn. Enough
Republicans opposed the motion,
however, to defeat it, Al to 38.
Earlier, the Senate pushed through
a mass OF must legislation, with one
of it's final actions the voting OF
final approval of a $1,403, 100000
foreign relief budget.
The Senate cleared the docket
of four other appropriation bills,
but the weary lawmakers left many
other issues on the unfinished list
until January 2, when they recon-
vene unless Republican leaders or
the President deem it necessary to
call them back sooner.
Forrestal Confirmed.
After this furry occasioned by
Senator Connallys attack on Sena-
tor Ferguson, the Senate resumed
the dispatch of its final business.
BY unanimous consent it con-
firmed the nomination of James v.
Forrestal as Secretary of Defense
under the new act to bring the
armed services under unified direc-
ton.
Senators spent two and a half
hours debating a bill to change the
Army's promotion system from a
basis of seniority to merit and finally
passed it with minor amendments.
The House, pausing in its singing,
accepted them instantly.
Then the Senate took up the
$502, 1892 bill to finance the Ar
mys civil functions, including flood
control, and more debate was loosed
before it passed.
Adjournment Date Changed.
Shortly before midnight the Sen
ate adopted a resolution calling for
adjournment at that hour. But
since its business was not completed
the House changed it to call for ad-
journment on Sunday, with the hour
indefinite.
Republican Leader Halleck told
the House the business on January
2 will be to adjourn this first session
of the 80th Congress, and the new
session then will start January 6.
The last measure passed by the
House was a catch-all bill carrying
s1O5,OOO000 in supplemental appro-
priations. The Senate interrupted
its consideration of the Army pro-
motion bill to pass it without debate
Must" bills sent to the President
for signature in the last-minute
cleanup included:
The $613046.826 Agriculture De-
partment supply bill; S35 ,O40 ,0O(
budget for various Government cor.
porations and a 100000 supple
mental bill for scattered depart
mental needs.
Before crowded galleries las
night, the Senators engaged ir
lengthy debate, first on resolution
to investigate the immigration prob.
lem, and later on the system Of
promotion for officers in the armed
services.
The immigration resolution, in.
See CONGRESS. Page A-7D