Evening star., 1954-08-21


three-year $182 million program
for hospital construction, and an
improved program Of vocational
rehabilitation for physically
handicapped. The two that died
would have provided for Federal
grants to improve public health
services, and would have estab-
lished a Government fund for
the Reinsurance of private
health plans.
2. Extended the Governments
various housing insurance pro-
grams. but with a watered-down
authorization for continuing the
low-rent public housing program.
SOCIAL SECURITY.
/. Extended coverage of the
old-age pension plan to 10 mil
lion persons and increased the
monthly benefit payments.
2. Broadened the >Unemploy-
ment Compensation system to
cover Federal employees and
workers in thousands of small
business establishments. After
December 81, 1855, the law
would apply to employers of 4 or
more workers. The old law ap-
piled to employers Of 8 or more.
SUBvERSIXEs CONTROLS.
/. Passed q Bill to- outlaw the
Communist Party and crack
down on Red-dominated Labor
unions, after modifying a Demo-
cratic proposal to make it a
crime to be a Communist.
2. Passed the bill to permit
the death penalty for espionage
in time Of peace as well as war.
3. Completed action on anoth-
er administration request to
withdraw citizenship rights from
persons convicted of advocating
overthrow of the Government by
force.
4. Passed a bill to let district
attorneys or Congressional Com
mittees offer immunity to wit
nesses in national security cases
who otherwise would refuse to
testify on the ground they might
incriminate themselves. A Fed
eral judge would have to approve
the granting of immunity.
S. A bill to increase the pen
alties for harboring fugitives.
6. A bill to deter persons from
jumping bail on felony charges
or pending appeal after convic-
ton, which was aimed partly at
Subversive cases.
z. A bill to require organiza-
tions which must register under
the Internal Security Law to
register any printing facilities
they may have.
The administrations request
for authority to resort to wire
tapping in national security in
veStigationS, and q bill designed
to protect defense facilities from
subversive inf1ltration were side
tracked.
FOREIGN POLICY.
/. Extended the mutual secur-
ity program for another year and
made available for that purpose
$2.7 billion of new money. plus
authority to spend $2.4 billion of
unobligated balances from last
year.
2. Ratified a mutual security
pact with South Korea.
3. Approved a one-year ex-
tension of the authority of the
President to make reciprocal
trade agreements, under which
tariffs are lowered on imports
Of specified articles from other
countries, in exchange for con-
cession on American exports.
AGRICULTURE.
l. Approved new flexible farm
price supports. The admins
tration asked supports ranging
from rs to 80 per cent Of parity.
The farm bloc fought for re-
tention Of present 80 per cent
rigid supports. Congress accepted
the flexible principle. but mar
rowed the range from 82.5 to
80 per cent.
2. Increased borrowing power
Of the Commodity Credit Cor
poration from $8.5 billion to
SO billion.
ATOMIC ENERGY.
The bitterest fight of the ses-
sion was over the revision of
the original 1916 Atomic Energy
Control Act. to pave the way
for private development Of cleo
trio power from atomic energy.
and to exchange information
with cooperating countries. The
fight centered around Demo-
cratic efforts to prevent monop-
olieS from developing in the
granting of Government licenses
for private atomic plants, and TO
make sure that public bodies and
co-operatives would get q pref
erence for any surplus atomic
power generated by the Atonlic
Energy Commission for its nNn
use or In carrying out research
As one safeguard against mo-