Evening star., 1950-12-31
Democratic Senators Unlikely TO Ask Bon
on Seotine Of Butler. Poee A-3

Democratic Senotors Unlikely to Ask Bon
on Seotine Of Butler. Poee A-3
facing momentous debate over
foreign policy and many moves
to gear the Nation to a prepared
ness program.
Giving up its New Year holiday,
the House will meet at noon to-
morrow in an effort to:
l. Complete and send to the
President the $33 billion excess
profits tax bill
2. Appoint conferees to iron out
differences with the Senate over
the $40 billion supplemental de-
fense appropriation bill.
Senate to Meet Tuesday.
3. Pass a bill reviving some Of
President Humans World War II
powers to reShuffle Government
bureaus and to modify defense
contracts.
4. Act on the final terms of the
bill under which the Federal and
State governments will embark on
a joint civilian defense program.
The Senate will take the holi-
day tomorrow, but will be in ses-
sion Tuesday to put the finishing
touches on all of these measures
except the tax bill, which it has
approved.
The Democrats will retain num-
erical control of both houses in
the new Congress, but by such
reduced margins that the out
come of controversial issues fire.
quently will be in doubt until the
roll is called.
Rules Fight Expected.
AS the old Congress closes, the
Senate stands at SO Democrats
and 43 Republicans. After new
members are sworn in Wednesday
the standing will be 49 Democrats
and Al Republicans.
In the present House there are
259 Democrats, 169 Republicans
and / American-Laborite, with 6
seats vacant. In the new House the
division will be 235 Democrats, 199
Republicans and ! independent.
The new House may get off to
a fighting start Wednesday over
its rules. From two reliable sources
it was learned yesterday that a
conservative Democratic move may
develop on opening day to repeal
the rule sponsored by administra-
ton leaders two years ago which
curbed the power of the Rules
Committee in regulating the flow
of legislation from standing COM
mittees to the floor.
May Ask for Repeal.
The controversial rule provides
that when bill approved by the
appropriate standing committee
is kept in the Rules Committee
for more than 81 days. the chair
man of the standing committee
may move to bring it before the
House on the second or fourth
Monday of any month.
Ordinarily, the first few days Of
a new Congress are confined to
routine organization ceremonies.
In the House, however, one of
these early formalities is the
adoption of a resolution re-en-
acting the existing book of rules.
When that resolution is presented
Wednesday or Thursday, the op-
ponents of the 21-day rule may
offer an amendment to repeal it.
Administration Democrats had
no difficulty putting the 21-day
rule through in January. 1949.
They were anxious to clear the
road for the program President
Truman had promised in his 1948
campaign. With the help of 49
the new rule carried,
275 to 142. How the House would
line up on the issue in the 82d
Congress is unpredictable, with so
many new incoming members.
To Move Back to Chamber.
The House for many years has
had a means of forcing a bill to
the floor whenever a majority Of
the entire membership-218-sign
(See CONGRESS- Paoe A-51