Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-01-05

postal workers and CLASSIFIED
civil service employees. vetoed
last year. win be brought up
again. In order to pave the
way for the postal pay raises.
the Senate Is expected to pass
the House-approved boost In
postal rates. including q accent
rate for first-class letter mail
And II the postal pay bill passes,
some increase for other Govern
ment employees Is likely to fol-
low.
3. II the number Of unem-
ployed continues TO grow dur
ing the early part Of 1858, there
win be demands In Congress
for some Federal action to
stimulate jobs In depressed
areas.
Tax Cut Hopes Dim
When Congress adjourned
last August, and the Russian
satellites had not yet scared
into space. there was q strong
belief the 1858 session would
vote q tax cut.
With this In view. the House
Ways and Means Committee
scheduled comprehensive hear
ings on tax revision. which will
start Immediately. But In
formed sources on the House
side. where any tax bills must
originate. do not see q tax cut
In the ofiing now.
One influential Hou4e Demo-
crat said this outlook could
change II. by June. the num-
Der Of unemployed is still grow
ing and 1t appears that some
tax reduction Is advisable to
stimulate the economy.
The battle 10 renew the Re-
ciprocal Trade Agreement Act.
which expires this year. will
start in the Ways and Means
Committee In mid February.
The administration Is re-
ported ready TO ask for b i've
year extension. but will prob
ably have to settle for one or
two years. The decline in en-
ployment In recent months has
strengthened the ranks Of the
opposition TO tariff reductions
in both houses. This viii not
be a party fight. 50 much as
q contest between members
from areas affected In different
ways by the now Of imports
and exports.
Benson Faces Trouble
Democrats. hoping TO gain
seats in both houses next fall
in usually Republican farm
States. can be counted on TO
cater to the complaints Of the
farmers.
Even some Republicans from
dairy States viii join in efforts
70 head OF the announced plan
lof Agriculture Secretary Ben
son TO reduce dairy price sup
ports on April l. But one lead
ing Democrat. Chairman Ellen
der Of the Senate Agriculture
Committee. indicated he would
not be q party to this move.
Senator Ellender takes the
position that the existing laws.
as approved by Congress. re-
ouires Mr.. Benson to make this
decision il he deems II neces-
sary.
This Democratic controlled
Congress probably will termi-
nate the emergency phase OF
the Eisenhower soil-bank pro-
gram-probably on the sugges-
ton Of the administration Itself
but Democratic members Of
the farm bloc will be pushing
for new panaceas for the trou-
bles Of the farmers. Senate
Democratic Leader johnson
told reporters he already has
had two different farm bills
presented to him BY Senators
for his study.
II has also become customary
In election years to think Of
the old folks by proposing
changes In the Social Security
program. and this year probably
viii be no exception. Social
Security changes are not af-
fected by the tight budget Sc
tuation as directly as other
programs. because they are
financed from q separate en-
ployer-employe payroll tax.
Immigration Fight Looms
Another drive to liberalize
immigration quotas likewise is
inevitable, because II appeals
70 large blocs Of foreign-born
voters in the big cities.
The disclosures before the
Senate committee investigating
| q b or-management relations
will spur q drive for new con-
trols over unions. Here again
there will be sharp differences
between conservatives and lib
erals over how far the new laws
should go.
The House will have before
1t a SIS billion omnibus river
harbor-fiood control program
already approved by the Sen
ate. Election year will make
this q popular measure. and It
could pass without having too
much immediate effect on the