Evening star., 1949-08-16
hewEffortDue
To End Tieup Of
AgencyFunds
House Leaders to Try
Again on Stopgop Bill.
To Pay z, SOC, 900

The plight of 2,50O,0O0 Gov
srnment employees threatened by
payless paydays and Federal
agencies facing a cutoff of operat-
ing funds brought further efforts
in the House today to provide
emergency money.
Technically, according to Chair
man Cannon of the Appropria-
tions Committee, the Military
Establishment as we'll as the In
terror Department, Veterans Ad-
ministraiton and the Economic
Cooperation Administration cam
not legally spend or commit money
because a temporary financing
measure expired at midnight.
The situation results from fail
ure of Congress to enact annual
appropriation bills for the agen-
cieS involved. The House has
approved two stop-gap authorize
tions but Chairman Cannon and
the committee failed yesterday to
win House approval of third
emergency move to forestaH pay
less payrolls.
House Vote Falls Short. q
After various members chided
the Senate for delay in acting on
the regular money bills. the House
vote on the emergency measure
fell short of required two-thirds
majority. The vote was 176 for
the measure and 145 against.
Mr.. Cannon said he would ask
the Rules Committee again today
to clear an emergency measure
under a procedure requiring
majority vote. The Rules Com
mittee turned him down on a
similar request yesterday but was
expected to change it's decision.
Even with Rules Committee ap-
proval, however. the temporary
measure could not be called up in
the House under normal proce-
dure until tomorrow. 1t could be
passed today only by unanimous
consent or a two-thirds vote. Mr..
Cannon was not optimistic about
getting that.
He warned that the Veterans
Administration and the Bureau
of Indian Affairs would have no
funds available to care for pa
tients in hospitals. The Veterans
Administration also would have
to stop paying pensions and other
benefits for periods beginning to-
day. he noted.
THE Army, Navy and Air
Force will have no authority for
pay of military personnel, for dis
charge pay, and transportation
home of enlisted personnel, or
for burial of deceased members Of
the military forces" he said. "A
man whose enlistment has ex-
pired and who would be eligible
for discharge on August Is might
have to wait at his post of duty
until funds are available for his
fare home"
The Economic Cooperation
Administration. he explained.
can operate only 80 days on
liquidation basis and must cease
all procurement Immediately.
Even a few days lag in procure
ment would disrupt the schedules
and could seriously impair the
effectiveness of the program.
So far as the defense depart
ment was concerned, officials
showed no immediate worry. A
spokesman said the department
has authority under basic law to
continue contracts for food, fuel
and other needs. It's civilian pay
roll normally runs IL days behind
services rendered.
Senate Blamed for jam.
The log-jam of appropriation
bills came in for criticism in sew
eral House speeches yesterday and
all blame was put on the Senate.
Mr.. Cannon commented that the
jam is the worst in the history
of Congress.
The House broke all records this
year in passing the annual appro-
priation bills for the fiscal year
that started July /. but the Sen
ate has been slower than usual
on them.
Appropriation bills for the In
terror Department.. the armed
services. and to supply money to
meet deficiencies in a number of
other establishments still await
Senate action. The foreign aid
and Army civil functions fund
bills are in conference for adjust
ment of differences between Sem
ate and House versions.
Twice already this year Con-
gress has passed stopgap appro-
priation bills. The first one gave
emergency financing up to mid
night July 81; the second ran until
at midnight although the House
wanted it to run until the end of
this month.
Alexandria Couple Hurt