Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-05-09
BY TAFT TRUSsELL


money for school construction
| is about to get a new lease on
life.
Though the measure has been
dormant in the House Rules
Committee since last July. Con-
gressional leaders now predict
the bill will be revived Gin the
next few weeks" Some law
makers believe it has a good
chance of being enacted.
Speaker Rayburn, of Texas,
says he will recommend Rules
committee action in a few
weeks. 81 think the bill will be
up this session." he added. Dem
ocratic House Leader McCor-
mack. of Massachusetts agrees.
The bills sponsor, Representa-
tive Kelley, Democrat of Penn
lsylvania. says fatty the legisla-
ton will be debated next month.
Segregation Dispute
The sudden surge of strength
behind the measure represents
an apparent new confidence
among its hackers that enough
votes can be mustered to lick
an anti-segregation amendment.
4Up to now the prospect of such
an amendment has spelled defeat
for the bill to many lawmakers.
| When the House Committee on
Education and labor approved
the Kelley bill last July, Repre-
sentative Powell, Democrat of
New York, promised he would
loffer a provision to block FEDERAL
payments to build schools in
States which segregated white
land Negro pupils.
Fears of many Southern Con-
Igressmen that this amendment
might be adopted helped to keep
1.-THE bill penned up in the Rules
COMMITTEE, headed by Repre-
sentative Smith, Democrat, of
Virginia.
Some members also believe the
Federal government should keep
out Of the education field.
See Defeat for Powell
National Education Association
lobbyists. who have surveyed the
Ileanings of House members, now
Isay the Powell amendment can
Ibe beaten.
The lobbyists say there is a.
growing realization in Congress
THAT the only way legislation can
be enacted is to keep the segre-
cation issue separated from the
,Ischool construction plan. There
is also more feeling that Federal
laid is necessary to eliminate the
national shortage Of clasSrooms,
these lobbyists say. The legisla-
ton also is politically appealing.
The Kelley bill would provide
$3.50 million a year for the next
four years for school construc-
ton. The money would be dis
tributed on the basis of the
number of Sabotage children
in each state.
Under this plan, the District
Of Columbia would get $1,524, 908|
a year from Uncle Sam. The bill
also provides for purchases by
the Federal government of school
bonds and credit assistance to
school-f1nanced agencies.
Eisenhower Proposal
A different form of school con-
struction legislation is being
sponsored by the Eisenhower ad-
ministration. It would provide
$3.50 million in Federal money
over the next five years. The
funds would be apportioned on
the basis of financial need Of the
various States. Under this pro-
posal, the District of Columbia
would get $4,000 in Federal
money annually.
Representative Powell said last
week the school construction bill
will be brought before the House
in the next few days. He charged
that the House leadership will
try to beat his amendment by
keeping off the floor those mem
bers who would be in favor of
it." He added, ION a teller vote
which, of course, would not be
recorded, the amendment then
would be defeated"
Representative Smith termed
the charge fantastic. Rep. Nc
Cormack said II have no knowl-
edge" of the reasoning behind
Representative Powell's charge.
Senate Prospects Poorer
Though Mr.. Smith is against
the bill and many members Of