Evening star., 1949-10-09
Continued From Page CID

impossible to limit debate on mo-
tions to take up bill, gave Senate
filibusterers a tremendous ad.
vantage. The rule was so amended
that cloture may be invoked on
a motion to take up by consti-
tutional tWo-thirds vote of the
Senate. This means. however, thai
two-thirds of the entire member
ship of the Senate at least must
support the motion to limit
debate.
The FEPC bills have been re-
ported favorably to the House and
to the Senate by their respective
committees and are on the
calendars of both houses-with an
administration promise they will
be taken up early in the next
session. The anti-poll tax bill has
passed the House but no action
has been taken in the Senate. An
anti-lynching bill has been favor
ably reported to- the Senate and
is on the calendar awaiting action
It may be expected that strenuous
efforts will be made to deal with
all these measures next year
with a congressional election COM
ing. up and the Democrats and
Republicans both seeking to i'm
press the Negro voters Of the
country. They will be fought
desperately by the Southern
Democrats in Congress-particu-
larly the FEPC bill. 1t is doubtful
that a constitutional two-thirds
vote to end a fllibuster against
that measure can be had in the
Senate, but the administration
will demand a showdown on it
anyway.
Some Accomplishments
The main accomplishments of
the 81st Congress so far on do
nestle legislation include passage
of a Federal housing law provid-
ing for the construction of 10000
dwelling units in the next six
year-low-rent housing-at a
cost of $308, 100000. The same
law authorizes $1,500,000.000 in
Federal aid to communities for
slum clearance. for a farm -hous-
ing program of direct loans and
grants and for housing research.
The law gives preference to vet
erans and families of deceased
veterans.
The Congress also has passed
a bill increasing the minimum
wage from 40 to IS. cents an hour
under the Federal Wages and
Hours Act. This, like the hous-
ing act, was one Of the President S
promises and included in his pro-
gram sent to Congress at its start.
The House has passed a bill
amending the Social Security Act
by covering in 100000 addi-
tional persons and increasing So
cial security benefits. Unless
present plans change. this meas
ure will not be considered by the
Senate until next session. This
too. follows a recommendation
made by the President, although
the bill does not go as far as he
proposed. Under the measure
average old-age benefits will be
increased from $26 to $40 q
month. The bill also permits
higher part-time earnings and
provides for temporary and per-
manent disability insurance.
A law extending rent control
for Is months was passed early
in the session-although it did
not fully meet the demands OF
the administration.
The Hoover Commission plan
for the reorganization of the ex-
ecutive establishment of the Gov
ernment has been given a good
start in the present session OF
Congress. OF the first seven plans
submitted by the President to
Congress. subject to rejection
within go days by either house
the House gave tacit approval to
all, and the Senate rejected one
which provided for the creation
of a department of welfare. II
is expected that still more prog
ress toward reorganization under
the Hoover plan, estimated to
save the Government $3,O00,000.-
900 or $4.000,0 900 a year, will
be made at the coming session.
New farm legislation, to take
the place of the Hope Aiken Re-
publican farm law enacted last
year, has passed the House. The
Gore bill, coming from the House
would continue farm price sup
ports on basic crops at a rigid 90
per cent Of parity. The Anderson
bill from the Senate, which is
expected to pass this week, is q
modified and improved Aiken bill
It provides for a flexible scale OF
farm price supports-from 80 to
go per cent of parity. If no agree
ment is reached and final enact
ment of new farm legislation fails,
the Aiken law will go into effect
January l.
Pay Raises Pass
Other domestic measures passed
by Congress were those increasing
the pay Of the President, the Vice
President and other high-ranking
officials of the Government and
the pay Of civil employees of the
Government, and increasing the
pay of the armed services.
The Senate passed a bill fol
Federal aid to education in the
States. The measure, however
begged down in the House COM
mittee, owing to a controversy over
whether aid should be extended in
any form to parochial schools.
The Congress renewed the au-
thority Of the President to make
vnI1,ptorv ooreonner,tc offectipo