Evening star., 1951-08-21
House Approves Bill
With 8So6 Slash in
Civil Defense Funds

A $1,586. .387,316 supplemental
money bill that cut funds sought
for civil defense 88 per cent but
left most other defense agencies
untouched was passed by the
House last night and sent to the
Senate.
The overall total is about one
third less than President Truman
asked to help finance score of
Government agencies for the fis-
cal year beginning July l.
Although funds for the Inter
ior, Agriculture, Labor and JUS
tice department. the Federal Com
munications Commission and the
General Services Administration
were cut, those recommended for
stock-piling, the Atomic Energy
Commission, Selective Service and
others were left untouched.
Bitter Protest Made.
The most dramtic slice was in
reducing civil defense funds from
$535 million to $65 5,255, 900. This
sum included $234,000 for Civil
Defense in the District Another
District item in the bill was
$136,650 for the Administration
of Rent Control.
The National Civil Defense Ad-
visory Council protested bitterly,
and accused Congress and the
Defense Department of showing
little concern" over the defense
program.
The Army Engineers were criti-
cized and defended during House
debate on a provision in the bill
requiring a new system of reports
to Congress on civil works such as
rivers and harborS projects.
On motion by Representative
Larcade, Democrat, of Louisiana,
the House by a vote of 113 to 81
struck from the bill the proviso.
1t would have required the en-
gineers to present to Congress
planning reports on river and har-
Dor and flood control projects.
with an up-to-date estimate of
construction COSTS"
Cannon Favored ProvisO.
Furthermore the Chief of En-
gineers would have been directed
to make a comprehensive report
to Congress by December 81. 1852,
on all river and harbor projects
and flood control projects author
lied since March 3, 1925.
The proviso was strongly urged
by Chairman Cannon and some
other members of the House Ap-
preparations committee. It was
attacked by spokesmen for the
House Public Works Committee,
which had authorized the move
made by Representative Larcade.
Several other members of the
House praised the engineers highly
for their efficiency.
Senate Passes 3 Big Bills.
Earlier the Senate approved and
sent to the White House three big
appropriations bills totaling So
826 857.336. or $500 million under
Mr.. Truman's budget requests.
These included $2.512,o04, 900 for
the Labor Department and Federal
Security Administration, $780,
$4,000 for Agriculture and $511,-I
865,336 for the Interior Depart
ment.
They were the fourth, fifth and
sixth money bills on which Con-
gresS has completed action. Five
still must be acted on.
Other Reductions.
The big supplemental money
Dill passed by the House last night
made these reductions, in addi-
ion to the big civil defense slash 4
Four million dollars from Immi-
ration and Naturalization Serv-
ce; 81 million from the Fed
raj Communications Commission;
'21 $4,000 from General Services
Administration emergency operat-
ng expense; $9,640, 900 from In
erior. Agriculture, Labor and JUS
ice Departments, Federal Security
md the housing and home finance
Igencies, and $52.6 million from
he Economic Sterilization Admin
stration.