Evening star., 1948-12-31
80th Congress
Extends Life Of
Hoover Board
Granting Of so Days
Only Major Action
Of Closing Session
BULLETIN

BULLETIN
The House adjourned at 1:20
pm. today and the Senate
adjourned seven minutes later,
ending the two-year life of
the Eightieth Congress.
TRUMAN AND TOP AIDES Confer
Today on Congress Program.
Page AS.
The outgoing Republican-con-
trolled Eightieth Congress today
gave the Hoover Commission on
the Reorganization of the Execu-
tive Departments an additional
go days to complete its job.
This was the only major piece of
legislation scheduled for the Con-
gress which was to adjourn sine die
on completing its business this aft
ernoon. The incoming Eighty-first
Congress, controlled by the Demo-
Gratis. meets at noon on Monday.
The two houses met at noon in
an atmosphere of greetings and
handshakes. but with a realization
that no major legislation could be
passed. Each house had three new
members to be sworn in-Senators
Mundt, Republican, of North Da-
kota, who resigned his House seat
today: Broughton. Democrat, of
North Carolina. and Long, Demo-
crat, of Louisiana. The three Rep
resentatives, all Democrats, were
Bentsen of Texas, Burton of Vir-
ginia and Jones of Missouri.
No Message From Truman.
In asking for an extension for the
Hoover Commission, Senator Aiken,
Republican, of Vermont, a member
of the commission, pointed out that
the group, headed by former Presi-
dent Hoover. could not complete its
job by the original deadline of Janu-
ary 13. He also asked that one of
the members. Representative Man
asco. an Alabama Democrat defeated
for reelection, be allowed to con-
tinue on the commission.
The vote was without objection in
either house.
The House voted to formally noti-
fy President Truman tnat it was in
session and ready to receive any
communications, the usual procedure
on meeting after recess. A few
minutes after the motion had been
passed. the retiring majority leader,
Representative Halleck, Republican,
OF Indiana, reported the President
had no communications.
The outgoing Speaker, Repre-
sentative Martin of Massachusetts,.
was given the Houses unanimous
thanks in resolution for the" liable.
impartial and dignified manner" in
which he has handled the job the
past two years. The incoming
Speaker, Representative Rayburn,
Democrat, of Texas, said Mr.. Mar
tin will go down in history as one
OF the fairest. one of the ablest men
that ever graced the chair of the
Speaker"
DuC E1OuSE.
AS the House met, only about 100
members were on hand, but others
came in soon to swell the total to
about $50.
Major fight on the House side
will be over plans to curb the power
OF the Rules Committee to regulate
the flow Of legislation to the floor.
If that fight goes to a showdown,
it will provide an immediate test
Of President Truman's influence
with the new Congress.
Liberal Democrats have been
fearful that an old coalition of Re-
publicans and Southern Democrats
on the Rules Committee might slow
down the Presidents program in
the new Congress.
Revisi0nS in Procedure
To head off such a possibility.
these Democrats are working on
change in the rules under which
the chairman of any regular House
committee could take a bill to the
floor without the sanction of the
Rules group whenever he could get
the signatures of 100 or $50 House
members. The details have not been
decided on definitely.
Veteran New Deal Representative
SABBATH OF Illinois, who will take
back his old job as chairman of the
Rules Committee, announced after
meeting with party leaders yes
terday that he will offer an amend
ment to make it easier for the House
to get bill out of his committee.
When the Democrats were In power
before, Mr.. SABBATH sometimes found
himself outvoted on the Rules Com
mlttee by the coalition.
Under existing rules it takes 21s
slgnatures-a majority of the House
to force bill out of the Rules
Committee.
ANY effort to change House rules,
If it is to succeed, must be made on
the opening day before the House
goes through the usual procedure
of adopting its old rules.
The promise of a fight came
promptly from Representative Mar
tin, who objected to giving Demo-
cratic committee chairmen the
sole power of filing the proposed
petitions to let smaller number of
House members force bill out of
committee.
Mr.. Martin, branding the proposed
limitation as "one-sided affair"
announced that Republicans will
have an amendment ready to permit
any House member to file a dis
charge petition, not just a Demo-
cratic committee chairman.