Evening star., 1947-04-26
Inferior Fund
Slash Of 45%
Goes 10 Senate
Small Concessions
To West Put Over
Bill in House
By J. A. O'Leory

A $161 ,413,513 Interior Depart
ment bill for the fiscal year
starting July is on the way to
the Senate today, where West
Ierners will fight to restore part
of the IS per cent cut the House
made in budget estimates before
passing the measure last night.
Republican strategy of making a
few concessions to the West to pre-
vent a serious setback for the econ
omy drive succeeded in the House.
In the closing hours of debate,
Representative Jones, Republican,
of Ohio in charge of the bill, put
back about $5,000,000 of the cuts
that had been made in Western
projects.
When the final test came Demo-
cratic move to send the whole bill
back to committee failed, 1877 to 40,
after which the bill passed, BOT to 30.
Picture Different in Senate.
In the Senate, the Westerners
may be more successful in increas-
ing funds for irrigation and rec
lamation. In that branch each
State has two votes, regardless of
size. In the House the population
basis of representation gives the
East an advantage. Even in the
House, however, the economy drive
might have been halted by serious
revolt of members from beyond the
Mississippi.
The increases offered by the Ap-
preparations Committee yesterday
constituted a small percentage of
the 1881 GOT reduction it had
made before reporting the measure
The increases were:
| For the Colorado-Big Thompson
reclamation project in Colorado,
| 100000, making the fund $685.
600; Anderson Ranch Dam, Idaho
81 100000, making $3,874,OO0 in all;
Columbia Basin project in Wash
ington, $4,000 900, making $11 ABS 900
in all, for the Glendo project in
Wyoming, $175,0o0 additional, and
for the Bureau of Fisheries, $150, 900
additional.
These increases were partly offset
by the elimination of $3.50 900 for an
anthracite laboratory in Pennsyl-
vania. It was dropped after con-
test developed between two Pennsyl-
vania communities.
A score of Republicans joined
most of the Democrats early in the
day i'll vain attempt to increase
the fund for the education of In
dian children.
Maybe the Republicans are afraid
that if the Indians are educated
properly they'll vote Democratic, =
observed Representative Monroney
Democrat, OF Oklahoma. The COP
spokesman insisted, however, they
had made adequate allowance for
the Indian schools.
The Republicans also blocked a
Democratic move to boost the Bon
neville power project on the West
Coast from approximately $1,000, 900
allowed by the committee to $780,
278,OOO.
Throughout the long debate DEM
ocrats cried false economy" on
the ground that irrigation and
reclamation are Wealth-producing
They also accused the Republicans
of making deals" to prevent com.
plete revision of the bill.
It was major test for the Re
publican economy drive, by which
the leaders are trying to cut from
all of next years supply bills enough
to provide both for tax reduction
and some debt retirement.
The real test, however, will be
whether the Senate shows an in
clination to go along on the budget
slashing program. Thus far the
Senate has acted only on deficiency
bills for the remainder of this fiscal
year.
The first of the 1948 regular ap-
preparation bills-for Labor and Fed
eral Security-wil go before the
Senate next week.