Evening star., 1949-10-30

WlVllotdIlOulS GllC tllOuSoIlOo VI w
disapprobation, the 81st Congress
only scratched the surface of the
program includes, as major items
Taft-Hartley Act. the civil right!
bills-FEPC, anti-lynching, anti.
poll tax and anti-discriminatior
measures, compulsory nationa
health insurance, the Brannar
farm program. Missouri Valley ane
Columbia Valley Administrations
universal military training. Fed
eral aid to education, and in
creased taxes to offset growing
deficit spending. There is 6
plethora. too, of less widely dis
cussed measures still awaiting
action.
The administration is face te
face with two serious factors
which threaten the fulfillment o1
its program. The first is an in
formal but nonetheless effective
coalition of conservative Demo
Gratis with Republicans. This de-
nies the administration leaders
majority control in Congress. The
second lies in the fact that the
Government is going deeper into
the red each day by millions of
dollars, a fact which raises an
impossible barrier to costly new
programs.
With a congressional election
coming up in November. 1850. it is
unlikely there will be another To-
month session of the 81st Con-
gress like the session recently
closed. The members will feel
the urge, and will need to return
to campaign in their States and
districts.
Oleo Tax Comes First
Administration leaders say it
is too early to set out complete
schedule and timetable for legis-
lation in the coming session. On
the Senate side of the Capitol,
however. the present plan is to
begin with the bill repeating taxes
on oleomargarine, which has al
ready passed the House. When
this has been disposed of. the
leadership will turn, probably. to
civil rights legislation. The bill
on the civil rights list which
stands No. l with the admin
istration is the FEPC Fair
Employment Practices Commits
sion bill. 1t is also the measure
which will be most bitterly fought
and which may prove the most
difficult to get through the
Senate. Under the leadership of
Senator Scott Lucas of Illinois,
majority floor leader. an effort
vail be made to forse a showdown
on this bill, however. The out
come will depend upon whether
a constitutional thirds vote
of the Senate (two-thirds of the
entire membership or 81 Senator's
is willing to vote to impose clo-
ture on a motion to take up the
bill.
The FEPC bill is now on the
Senate calendar, reported from
committee without recommended
ton" The action was taken late
in the last session, when there
was some suggestion Congress
be kept in session until Christ
mas, if necessary. to get action
on civil rights measures. The
plan was abandoned. So motion
to take up the bill will be in order
The Senate will have plenty OF
time to devote to this fight at
the outset of the new session,
particularly in view of the fact
that appropriation bills are not
expected to reach the Senate be-
fore late in April or the first of
May-and then in one omnibus
bill. Chairman Clarence Cannon
of the House Appropriations Com
mistee is all set to put into effect
this far-reaching plan for a single
appropriation, covering all ac-
tivities of the Government.
Mr.. Cannon's one-bill plan Of
fers more hope for real economy
in Government spending than any
thing that has been advanced in
q long time. When Congress is
faced with the total estimate of
Government receipts and at the
same time with a total figure for
Government expenditure, it will
find it more difficult to run wild
with the taxpayers money. Ger
tainly it will have to justify to
the public any action which will
run the Government further into
debt, will bring about deficit
spending and imitation.
Interesting Experiment
Mr.. Cannon has informed the
chairmen of the subcommittee
they are to hold hearings and
mark up the bills, which will be
reported to the full committee.
The committee in turn will refer
the reports to the executive COM
mittee, consisting of five majority
and three minority members.
These bills will be designated
"chapters." to be assembled by
the executive committee in a sim
gle consolidated bill. It will be an
important and interesting expert
ment.
No order of business has yet
been set for the House at the
opening of the session. Majority
Leader John Mccormack of Mass
achusetts will return to Washing
ton for conference with the
Speaker and probably with Presi-
dent Truman and the Senate
leaders at which plans will be laid.
One Is the administration bill
for coynn1lsorv health Insurance