Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-08-01
Funds Freeze
Eyed in Bid for
Adjournment
Congress Chiefs Act
To Wind Up Housing
And Pay Rise Rows
BY ROBERT X. WALSH

ny nO0Eh1 N. WALSH
A stubborn House-Senate dis
Ipute over proposals for congress
sional operating funds and en-
Iploye pay increases caused lead
ers today to consider breaking
the deadlock-and thus improv-
ling chances Of adjournment to-
nightly barring new outlays
and raises until January.
Such Stop-gap resolution
would not automatically assure
a quick end of this session of
Congress. Another major stun
bling block still existed because
Senate-Ho conferees were still
unable to compromise on the
public housing issue.
The impasse on the 500 mil
lion legislative appropriation bill
was practically unprecedented,
leaders declared. Ordinarily this
measure supplying money for
House and Senate "housekeep-
ing" expenses and salaries of
Legislative employees goes through
annually without much question
and without either branch in
terferfng with allotments sought
by the other.
Irate at Senate Stand
House leaders however, were
obviously angered today by Sen
ate insistence on various sums
land procedures affecting items
for the House. They indicated
they would press for passage Of
a simple resolution to continue
until January all congressional
Operating funds on the basis Of
expenditures during the 1884
l55 fiscal year.
/ This would prevent not only
any pay raises now, for House
and Senate committee stats and
other legislative employees but
also would delay appropriations
flor several projects. These in
clude S. million to start work
on an extension Of the east
front of the Capitol and SIS
million in additional money for
the $21.7 million second Senate
Once Building.
Besides the proposed pay
raises for employees. the Senate
and House bills would provide
increases in stationery allow
ances for members Of Congress
and a provision TO pay mileage
flor one round trip each year for
two employees OF each Senator
between Washington and the
Senator's home.
| Both sides set a go-home goal
for late tonight. But disputes
ION q handful Of remaining
must" measures and the am
Ibition of various members to
put through a variety of less
pressing or pet bills could pro-
long the session despite a pos
sible exodus Of many legislators.
Major Problems
Here are the main legislative
/ roadblccks and the prospects
,Ifor a break-through:
/. The housing controversy
centers on the number of public
housing units that would be al
lowed.
The House bill provides for
no new public housing. The Sem
ate bill would allow 1875, 900 units
a year for four years. President
Eisenhower originally requested
IS. 900 a year for two years. Sem
ate conferees repeatedly sug-
Egested $4,000 for one year but
House managers have insisted
on the 10000 total for two years.
2. Somewhat different bills for
extension Of the Defense Pro-
Iduction Act await ironing out by
the same set of House Senate
lconferees considering the hous-
ing issue. No great difficulty is
expected in arriving at an agree
J ment. The matter. however,
seemed likely to be held up UNI
It'll work on the housing bill is
completed. Continuance of the
! Defense Production Act, which
!. automatically expired last night,
is regarded as essential to MAIN
tain authority needed by the
President in the mobilization
program.
The Senate bill would extend
the act for two years and the
House bill for one. The Presi-
dent requested two years. The
law enacted five years ago gives
authority for priorities, alloca-
ltions, and stockpiling of critical
materials. The Senate bill con-
tains an amendment. adopted by
Continued ON PAGE AS, Col. 4