Evening star., 1953-07-31
Congress Passes Bill
To Speed Disposal
OF Rubber Plants
By the Asseeintsd Pres.

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on compromise bill designed to
speed the sale to private oper-
ators of the Governments "a
synthetic rubber plants.
The proposal provides for ex-
ecution of sales contracts by
January 81, 1855. to private
operators. with Congress having
power to veto any or all of the
proposed sales.
The rubber plants. built dur
ing World War II, have cost
the Government about $70O mil
lion. Representative Durham,
Democrat. North Carolina. told
the House earlier this week he
expected they would be sold for
between $500 million to $400 mil
lion.
Other late legislative and
White House action included:
CONTINENTAL SHELF-The
Senate last night passed, 45-43,
and sent to the President a
House-approved bill authoriz-
ing mineral development in sub
merged lands beyond the States
Seaward boundaries. Senate
House conference deleted Senate
provision to earmark Federal
revenues for education.
RFC President Eisenhower
signed legislation abolishing the
Reconstruction Finance Corp.
and setting up in its place a
Small Business Administration.
After so days the depression
born RFC will be barred from
making any more loans. The
new agency will be authorized
to make loans on much smaller
scale than its predecessor. It
will have a lending authority
of $275 million and can grant
loans of up to $150,000. William
D. Mitchell Of Lakewood, Colo,
was nominated to head the new
agency.
Judgeships - The House
passed by voice vote and sent to
the Senate a bill creating 26 new
Federal judgeships. A similar
bill, to create 80 new seats, has
been passed by the Senate. The
two measures will go to confer
ence.
Relief-The Senate voted to
earmark 5000 million for relief
and rehabilitation of the Repub-
lie of Korea. The money would
come from military funds already
appropriated.
SchOOIs-The Senate voted
$84.5 million for Federal aid to
school construction in areas
which have had heavy popula-
tioL increases due to defense
work. 1t was part of about $95
million added to a catch-an
money bill, swelling the total to
approximately STA million. The
measure goes to cor ference.
HISTORY-The House passed
and sent to the Senate a bill to
set UP a 14-member congress
Sional committee to assist in
observing the 200th anniversary
of the first Congress held in the
United States at Albany, N. Y,
in 1854.
UTILITIES-The House passed
and sent to the White House to-
day a bill to permit intraState
utilities to sell power across an
international border without
coming under the jurisdiction of
the Federal Power Commission.
NATURAL GAS-House pass
age sent to the Senate a bill ex-
empting from Federal regulation
gas companies engaged in local
distribution of natural gas re-
ceived from outside the State.
PIPELINES-The House ap-
proved a conference committee
report on a bill which would
relieve interstate pipelines cross
ing public domain of the obliga-
ton of serving as common car
riers.
COINS-The Senate and House
Banking Committees approved a
bill authorizing coinage of 5 mil
lion special 50-cent pieces COM
memorating New York City's
Booth anniversary. The Senate
committee also approved bills
calling for issuance of these
other commemorative coins: Up
to 2.5 million commemorating
the Louisiana purchase, and up
to / million marking the 300th
anniversary of Northampton,
Mass.
FIREWORKS-The Senate Ju-
dietary Committee approved a
House-passed bill making it il
legal to use the channels of in
terstate commerce to ship fire
works into a State contrary to
State law.