Evening star., 1950-05-18
New Attacks Possible
In Senate Today on
Reorganization Plans
by the Assoeiofsd Press

Reorganization Plans
by the Assoeiofsd Press
New reorganization headaches
piled up today for President Tru-
mans Senate forces. already four
time losers in efforts to ward of
attacks on his plans for revising
Federal agencies.
Senator Holland. Democrat, Of
Florida, disclosed that he might
call up for a vote during the day
a resolution to kill the contro-
versial plan giving the Secretary
Of Agriculture power to reorgan-
ize his department.
And Senator Edwin C. johnson,
Democrat, Of Colorado, who has
led successful fights against two
administration re or g ganiz alton
plans, indicated he might ask the
Senate to disapprove two more,
affecting the Federal Trade and
Power Commissions.
Another plan calling for changes
in the Labor Department was up
for action in the House.
Senator johnson rolled up his
double triumph late yesterday
when the Senate killed the Inter-
state Commerce and Federal Com
munications Commission plans.
The votes were 66 to 13 and so to
%, respectively.
Two Other Plans Junked.
Two other plans-to eliminate
the office of National Labor Rela-
tions Board general counsel and
to place the Controller of Cur
rency under the Secretary of the
Treasury-were junked by the
Senate last week.
Congress is required to vote only
on those reorganization proposals
against which resolutions of dis
approval have been introduced.
Forty-nine votes are required in
the Senate to kill a plan, and 218
in the House. Plans go into effect
automatically unless disapproved
by either house. The 60-day dead
line for the 81 plans is up next
Tuesday.
The two killed yesterday would
have vested in the chairmen Of
the two commissions authority
over the administration and purse
strings of the agencies. The ICC
plan would also have permitted
the President to name the chair
man. The same general provisions
apply to the FTC and FPC.
One-Man Agencies Seen.
Senator Johnson has opposed
all of the plans for the four regu-
latory agencies on grounds they
would turn the commissions into
"one-man agencies" and shift
control from Congress to the
President.
He mustered 80 votes from each
party against the ICC plan, while
two Republicans and II Demo-
Gratis went along with the admin
istration.
The FEC disapproval squeaked
through with the vote of "a Dem
ocrats and 26 Republicans, with
Is Democrats and eight Republi-
cans backing the administration.
Opponents Of the agriculture
plan apparently have mustered
strong Senate support.
Senator Holland and others
argue the plan does not follow
the Hoover Commission recon-
mendations but, instead, gives the
Secretary virtually unlimited au-
thority to reorganize in his own
way. e
House opposition to the Labor
Department plan stems from the
fact that it would transfer to the
Secretary of Labor the powers of
the wage-hour administrator.
Under the present law. the ad-
ministration is not answerable to
the Secretary.
During the debate which pre-
ceded yesterdays votes. Senator
Bricker. Republican, of Ohio
spoke out against all four Of the
plans. He said Mr.. Truman's
program for the agencies was a
long step toward authoritarian
government"
Lucas Replies.
Majority Leader Lucas replied
that if Congress accepted Senator
Bricker's arguments there never
will be any reorganization of the
Government to the end that we
will have some economy and ef-
ficiency in the Federal agencies. "
Senator Lucas argued that this
was the question before the Sen
ate: Are you going to have re-
organization or not have reorgan-
ization?"