Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1951-01-29
Sing|e-Bi|I Appropriation Killed;
Cannon Beaten, BIB, in Split
With Party Leaders in House
Chairman Stripped
Of Power to Select
His subcommittee
By J. A. OLeoN

Inc Mouse APPROPRIATIONS CON-
merce touched off a split in the
Democratic high command today
when it voted to kill the single
package appropriation bill tried
for the first time last year.
The vote was 81 to 10.
The committee also voted to
strip it's chairman, Representa-
tives Cannon, Democrat, of Mis-
souri,, of his power to name, the
subcommittee that will now go
back to the old system of draft
ing dozen separate departmental
money bills. This vote was 25
to %.
This double barrelled defeat
brought from Mr.. Cannon the
angry charge that Speaker Ray
burn and House Democratic Lead
er Mccormack had joined hands
with Republican Leader Martin to
end the single-package budget ex-
pertinent.
Raps House Leadership.
Pointing out that a majority of
the Democrats on the committee
stood with him to keep the omni-
bus bill system, Mr.. Cannon told
reporters the Leadership up
stairs" pointing toward the House
chamber, does not represent the
Democrat leadership on the COM
mittee.
eve could have carried it
against Sam (Rayburn) alone or
John (McCormack) alone, but we
couldn't win against both of
Them" Mr.. Cannon declared.
A few minutes later, at his regu-
lar noon press conference, Speaker
Rayburn replied:
IT told him where I stood. I
never was for the one-package ap-
preparation bill. I didn't say any,
thing about trying it out last year,
but it proved to be a mistake"
When a newsman asked him if
he felt the single-package bill had
saved any money, the Speaker an
swered:
IT didn't see it if it did"
Plan Backed by Byrd.
Earlier, Mr.. Cannon had been
asked what he thought going
back to the old system would cost
the taxpayers, and he answered,
Plenty"
Senator Byrd, Democrat, of Vir-
ginia, chairman of joint economy
committee, has contended that the
one-package bill saved about 50
billion last year. Part of this
saving was in the form of fiat
reduction of $3.50 million Congress
directed the Budget Bureau to
make.
The first move~this year to get
rid of the omnibus plan came two
weeks ago from Democratic lead
ers in the Senate. Some of the
influential Democrats on the Sen
ate Appropriations Committee
were cool toward the experiment
last year. although the Senate it.
self had voted for a resolution
approving the omnibus system.
Cannon Took Lead.
The House never adopted the
Senate resolution, but Mr.. Cannon
took the lead last year in per-
suading his committee to try the
plan. After the one experience
with it, Mr.. Cannon decided it
was an improvement in the inter-
est of economy, and fought to
keep it when his 50-member COM
mittee met this morning to settle
the issue.
The breakdown by parties of the
81 to 10 vote against the omnibus
system is as follows:
Eighteen Republicans and 10
Democrats, for the old system; Is
Democrats and two Republicans,
for keeping the single-package
plan.
Mr.. Cannon suffered his second
defeat when the committee adopt
ed motion requiring him to bring
his list of new subcommittee
back to the full committee for
approval.
Delay Likely This Year.
Today's decision probably means
that Congress will be late in clean
ing up the appropriation bills this
year, because it will be February
before the subcommittee get
down to separate hearings on the
old list of separate money bills.
Before last year, the committee
frequently had one or two of the
departmental bills through the
House in January.
It is also possible that the rift
between Mr.. Cannon and House
leaders will be reflected in House
debate on the appropriation bills
throughout the session.
Senator Bridges of New Hamp-
shire, ranking Republican on the
Senate Appropriations Committee,
said last week that the Republicans
on the committee favor the single
package plan. Since all appropria-
ton bills start in the House, how
ever, it is difficult to see how the
Senate could upset today's deci-
sion even If majority of that
body were so disposed.
Bevin Condifion Snfisfnetorv