Evening star., 1950-07-11
Appropriation Bill
! Starts Senate Debate
Over Office BuiIdinq

Uver UttIce Building !
A dispute over construction of a
new Senate Office Building marked
the beginning of Senate debate
this afternoon on the $34, ,688 ,000,-
600 one-package appropriation bill
to run this. entire Government.
Senator Ellender. Democrat, of
Louisiana took the floor to oppose
the amendment added in the Sen
ate Appropriations Committee,
making $40 million available to
start the new building.
Later in the week a strong BIZ
partisan move will be made for a
general cut in nearly all domestic
programs to leave more funds
available for national defense in
the present emergency.
Senate leaders hope to pass the
big money bill, more than half of
which is for defense and foreign
aid, before the end of the week.
Senator Ellender said survey
he made last year showed space
in the existing Office building could
be altered more equitably among
the 96 Senators.
Contending that smaller, less
expensive addition would meet the
needs, Senator Ellender offered a
substitute amendment callingI
merely for a further study of the
project. 1t will be voted on later
in the day.
Byrd Asks Caution on Tax Bill.
Meanwhile, Senator Byrd, Dem
ocrat, of Virginia. a leader of the
economy bloc, also advised the
Senate to go slow on the tax bill
to make sure there will be no
net loss in Federal revenue in view
of the international situation.
Among today's witnesses on the !
tax bill was Harold E. Stassen.
president of the University of |
Pennsylvania, opposing the House
plan to tax unrelated" business
activities of colleges. Mr.. Stassen
pleaded with Congress to give the
colleges an opportunity to set up a
code of ethics against going into
unrelated business ventures, and
argued that present law is ample
to reach the isolated cases that
may occur.
Senator Douglas, Democrat, of
Illinois announced he has an econ
omy program of his own that
would trim another 81 billion from
non-defense sections of the omni-
bus appropriation bill. Il
Since coming to the Senate two
years ago Senator Douglas has
established a reputation for inde-
pendence in fighting for things he '
believes in, including more econo-
my in Government. On the pend
ing money bill he is acting sepa- !
rately from the bipartisan Byrd II
Taft-Bridges group.
Chairman Taft of the Senate
Policy Committee has
called a meeting for pm. to talk I
over the economy issue. 4
Aims at Specific Items.
While the coalition is concen-
trating on a general percentage
cut, Senator Douglas expects to
aim his reductions at specific
items. Some of his amendments,
however, are similar to efforts the !,
House made to reduce personnel, Il
but which the Senate Appropria- I,
tions Committee rejected.
Senator Douglas said he will
try to save $500 million by direct
ing many agencies to fill only so
per cent of all vacancies that occur ,
during the year and by ordering a
fiat 2 per cent cut in the number !,
of jobs. The House already has :
voted to allow non military agen-
cies to fill only 10 per cent of
vacancies.
Senator Douglas hoped to save i
500 million by reducing the an t
nual leave of Government en- S
ployes. {
He would trim the annual leave
from 26 working days a year to t
20. He said that 26 working days E
leave including week-ends actu- {
ally give employees five and a half r
weeks leave a year. Twenty days :
with week ends, he points out, +
would give them a months leave.
The Senator would cut the sick
eave from Is working days to IL 9
which with week ends would =
amount to two and a half weeks =
'ick leave. :.
He aimed a $500 million reduc- =
ion at funds for rivers. harbors,
roads and dams. He proposed a .
s75 million cut in subsidies paid |
railroads, airlines, ship builders q
and operators. He added he I
would propose a postal rate in l
crease aimed at raising 5000 mil
lion new revenue.
Poison Death of Girl