Evening star., 1949-05-31
0VIJVIV VOfIIVSI 0uS u
Truman, Then Meet
On Priority for Bills

M Pn0Iny Tor blIIS
The Senate Democratic Policy
Committee Is meeting this after
noon to discuss the order In which
items on President Truman's legis-
lative program will be taken up.
Senate Majority Leader Lucas said
after q White House conference
today.
Senator Lucas said the entire
field would be covered and that he
would make q statement after the
meeting.
He would not forecast whether
the North Atlantic pact or legis-
lation to replace the Taft-Hartley
Act would get preference. Neither
did he indicate how the President
felt on this point.
Asked If the President had urged
speed on the pact. Senator Lucas
said he did not want to give a
scatagorical yes or no answer"
He said only that the matter had
been discussed.
No Message Planned Now.
, Earlier, 1t had been reported that
the President planned to send a
message to Congress urging speed
on the pact. but White House Press
Secretary Charles q. Ross said
there was nothing of the sort In
immediate prospect.
House Speaker Rayburn. another
OF the conferees. said he told the
President the House expects to
get some kind of revision OF the
Taft-Hartley Act and a minimum
wage bill" to the floor, but he did
not know when. y
He pointed out that subcom-
mittees are working on both.
He answered with an emphatic
Eyes SIR" when asked If the DEM
ocratic leadership In the House
expected to have better luck with
the labor law this time than when
1t was taken up previously. only
tp be sent back to committee.
Arms Plan May Be Delayed.
Although the North Atlantic
treaty Is expected to be ratified
soon, Congress evidently is going
to pass up until next year the pro-
gram for re-arming Americas
European allies.
The tip-off on that came earlier
today from House Majority Leader
Mccormack. He omitted 1t from
q list of chores he said the House
will get out of the way before
Congress quits.
influential Senate Democrats
also have indicated the $l,130.-
900, 900 arms program for partners
in the North Atlantic alliance
won't be pushed.
But the North Atlantic treaty
itself definitely is on the Senate
schedule for action this session.
Committee to Start Work.
The Senate Foreign Relations
Committee plans to start work
tomorrow on a good. strong re-
port" Chairman Connally said.
The House has no say on rati-
flying the treaty. But the House
would have to approve the arms
program. to back 1t up.
Originally there was talk OF
bundling up in one big $1,450.-
600, 900 package all the legislation
to authorize military help to West
ern Europe and to continue it for
Greece and Turkey. Now it looks
as II the Greek Turkish part
might@be pushed Through sepa-
rately.sss .s &c -. 4. 80. .,s. =. =.
Both Senate and House are
showing an 4inclination to skip q
good many OF President Truman's
legislative proposals this session.
even though the Chief Executive
says they should stay on the job
until they. act on most of them.
House Sees August Adjournment.
Il expect we'll adjourn some
time in August" Mr.. Mccormack
told reporters. ''The only thing
that holds us up will be the Sem
ate"
III some good, hot weather
comes along. that might expedite
things all along the line"
The Democratic leader predict
ed the House will put through
"a" labor bill. long-range housing,
a measure to let more homeless
Europeans come to America. anti
lynching and anti-poll tax bills
and q measure to boost the Ma
tional minimum wage. OF these.
housing has passed the Senate
and administration lieutenants
say minimum wage legislation
nnight clear.