Evening star., 1947-07-16

For.Navy, Congress
Go 10 White House
Behind schedule, the fourth ard
fifth of a dozen big departmental
appropriation bills needed to run the
Government this fiscal year went
from Congress to the White House
late yesterday.
They set up So, ,433. .046, 100 cash for
the Navy and SIS ZOO, 900 to run Con-
gress.
As the money mill ground slowly
In the economy-minded Congress,
the House took emergency steps to
keep thousands of Government en-
ployes from going payless. 1t passed
and sent to the Senate measure
authorizing the agencies to meet
their mid-July payrolls.
The Senate passed by voice vote
two other appropriation bills
$6,I60,O00,000 for the Army and
$8,307, ,978,247 for score of inde-
pendent executive agencies, includ-
ing $6,985, ,504.3 800 for the Veterans
Administration.
Senate Raises Appropriation.
i The War Department measure is
fattened $500 900, 900 by Senate ac-
tion, mostly for the air forces. The
Senate also added $40, ,109 ,220 to
. the independent agencies bill as
passed by the House. If the House
does not accept these changes, the
bills must be held up for compromise.
The rerna ming five big appropria-
ton bills are pending in conference
committees. working out differences
between Senate and House, or are
awaiting Senate passage. All apply
to the fiscal year which began
July /.
The $55 ZOO, 600 appropriation bill
to pay Congress expenses includes
the lawmakers salaries. Represen-
tative Cannon, Democrat, OF Mis-
souri, told the House before 1t voted
that Republican claims OF re-
duction OF $6,000,000 from last
years spending are "subterfuge." :"
/, He said it was brought about by
;. cutting in half the Government
Printing Ofiice's revolving fund.
The Navy bill. which carries in ad-
dition to the s3,433, ,046, 100 cash the
authority to contract for s248 ,000,-
600 in aircraft. passed the Senate
by voice vote after the House had
approved. It's cash outlay is s234,-
OOO. 900 besow President Trumans
recommendation.
Magnuson Rider Killed.
Just before passage of the Army
bill; the Senate rejected an at
tempt by Senator Magnuson, Demo-
crat. of Washington to place in the
measure a rider that would prevent
anv "stop-watch" or "time-measur-
ing'' studies in War Department
agencies.
Senator Magnuson said such a
rider had been included IN every
Army Navy appropriation since
1912.
This is the most vicious anti
labor practice that has ever been
devised by any one" Senator Mag
, t,uson said. adding that the studies
. s.make time slaves" of workers.
Senator Morse, Republican, OF
Oregon supported Senator Mag
r,uson, saying that unless the pro-
hibition was included some Army
and Navy officers will become petty
tyrants" and "speed-up artists" IN
their sections.
The amendment was opposed by
Senator Gurney, Republican, OF
South Dakota, floor manager Tor
the bill, and Senator Ball, Repub-
ncan, of Minnesota.
Byrd Blocks Request.
Senator Ball said that industrial
conditions" had changed since 1872
and the old rider for many years
had tied the hands of Government
officials who sought to improve pro-
ductivity and efficiency of workers
Senator Byrd, Democrat, of Vir-
zinia succeeded in blocking a War
Department request to allow an ex-
emption from Che ceiling on the
number of it's civilian employees
which had been approved by the
Appropriations Committee.
The Virginia Democrat said the
War Department has SAT 900 civilian
workers or more than one for every
two soldiers.
"The War Department has more
workers not efficiently employed
than any other agency" Senator
Byrd said.
AS the bill passed the Senate, II
approved funds for 35.205 more
civilians than allowed by the House
which had cut 74S06 positions from
the 495, ,034 recommended by the
budget.
Budget Request Trimmed.
The bill to finance independent
executive agencies carries an addi-
tional $5s2, 1893 900 contract author
asation for five of the agencies ap-
proved by both houses.
AS approved by the Senate, the
bill carries some $4,000. 900 less
than the President asked in his
budget
Also covered in it are the Execu-
tive Office of the President, the
Atomic Energy Commission, Wal
Assets Administration, Civil Ser
vice. Federal Trade, Interstate
Commerce, Communications anc
Federal Power Commissions: the
Federal Works agencies and dozen
smaller agencies.
The Senate added on the floor
1882 .220 for veterans hospitals to
the S9o5. .f15,780 recommended by Its
: Appropria tions Committee.