According to the Senate committee report quoted in that letter, the apparent purpose of the dual benefit restriction is to reduce, to some extent at least, the burden which the railroad retirement system is carrying because of the untaxed service performed before 1937. That this burden is heavy can be seen from your own case. In the period from January 1, 1937, when railroad retirement taxes began, through February 28, 1947, when you last worked for a railroad, you paid in such taxes $910.35. In the period from March 1, 1947, when your annuity began, through April 1953, you have received in annuity payments $7,217.98. Mrs. Thompson's spouse's annuity payments for the period January 18, 1952 to April 30, 1953 have totalled $657.33. The present value of the probable future payments of these two annuities is about $11,060. The sum of these three amounts is $18,935.31, which appears to contrast favorably with your retirement tax payments of $910.35.

Yours very truly,

WILLIAM J. KENNEDY,

Chairman.

(Copy to the Honorable ROBERT CROSSER, House of Representatives, Washington, D. C.)

WIDOW'S BENEFITS UNDER
SOCIAL SECURITY

The SPEAKER.

Under the previous Under the previous order of the House, the gentleman from New York [Mr. FINO] is recognized for 5 minutes.

Mr. FINO. Mr. Speaker, no Member of this Congress-and, indeed, no American-would wish, I am sure, to exact a penalty against a widow because of the death of her husband. Yet, I suggest to you today, that is exactly what happens under our social-security law which, as it is presently constituted, pays to a widow only 75 percent of the benefit to which her husband was, or would have been entitled. Because I believe such a reduction is manifestly unfair, I have introduced a bill, H. R. 3839, which would pay to widows or widowers the same benefits that the wage earner would have enjoyed if he or she had lived to retire.

Let us look at some of the facts of our time which call for such legislation.

The principle of paying secondary benefits to dependent widows was introduced into the Social Security Act by the 1939 amendments, and payments to dependent widowers were authorized in the 1950 amendments.

Benefit payments to widows and widowers of insured workers are only three-fourths of the deceased spouse's primary insurance amount. The assumption upon which the lesser amount is paid is presumably that less is required to take care of the needs of 1 old person than of 2.

But what do we find in practice?

band's primary benefit. (The same ratios apply if the wife is the insured and the husband the dependent.) Now, upon his death the amount received by the survivor's is only one-half of the amount previously received by both, or three-fourths of the primary benefit of the insured.

Even more important, perhaps, is the fact that such a penalty is imposed on those young widows who, upon the untimely death of the husband, are left with young children. A major purpose in adding survivor protection to our social insurance system in 1939 was to make it possible for widowed mothers to remain in the home and care for the children until they were grown. Thus, in spite of the tragedy of loss, the home could be maintained, and the wife and children could be protected against the loss of income growing out of the death of the husband and father.

But here, unfortunately, the law went only part of the way-allowing only three-fourths of the benefit to which the husband would have been entitled for his widow. I, therefore, call upon the Congress to enact my bill so that the average widow's benefit can be increased to a full primary benefit. And remember, that even this increase would average only about $10 a month-raising the average widow's benefit from around $40 to $50 a month.

Can this small amount be expected to maintain the survivor on even the most minimium American standard of living? Except for a small reduction in the food budget, practically all the widow's expenses continue as heretofore. Rent is the same and going up; the utilities and other services are mostly the same and going up. The general overhead can hardly be reduced much after 1 of the 2 passes away. Certainly a 50-percent decline in benefit payments will cause majority of cases. and has caused genuine hardship in the

relieve some of this severe and undue My bill corrects this inequity and will hardship. It merely represents a small amount in our national economy and our national budget. Increasing the payments to widows and widowers of the insured by one-third of the present small benefits will not go into riotous living but will help the survivor to live his or her last years without the overwhelming fear and skimping which under present conditions becomes inevitable.

I, therefore, sincerely urge this Congress to give serious and favorable consideration to my bill.

about $50 a month or about $1.75 a day, it is exceedingly difficult for anyone to sustain himself, particularly in any urban area like New York City. As a result, much too often, these payments have to be supplemented by public assistance and other forms of relief.

When the husband was living and they had both passed 65, the wife's monthly insurance benefit, which was one-half her husband's primary insurance amount, was in addition to the benefits paid to her husband. Altogether they received one and a half times the hus

OVER INSTALLMENT CREDIT TO REIMPOSE REGULATION W

The SPEAKER. Under the previous order of the House, the gentleman from Texas [Mr. PATMAN] is recognized for 15 minutes.

Mr. PATMAN. Mr. Speaker, a few months ago Mr. Martin, chairman of the Federal Reserve Board, was very much opposed to the administration in power having anything to do with the Federal Reserve System. He was insisting that the System was independent of the executive.

Just this afternoon, July 22, 1953, I am informed that this same Mr. Martin appeared before a luncheon group at the Statler Hotel that was sponsored by certain automobile dealers and very large finance companies in behalf of himself and the administration in power-by making it plain that he was speaking for himself and the Secretary of the Treasury, Mr. Humphrey, in favor of the Federal Reserve Board having permanent authority to control installment credit. It was proposed that this authority be given to the Board by an amendment to the Federal Reserve Act. He addressed the meeting and answered questions for almost 3 hours.

I expect to discuss this proposal more fully within the next few days. It is another attempt by big interests to regulate and control the credit that is extended to the lower- and middle-income groups; they want charge of it; they do not have charge of it now; Congress took it away from them; they want it back. They want to reimpose regulation W.

THE NEW ACCORD

Although the new Federal ReserveTreasury accord against the interest of the little man will be hard to beat, I can assure them now they may expect a real fight.

IS IT NECESSARY TO RAISE INTER

EST RATES TO ATTAIN NATIONAL
SECURITY?

Mr. PATMAN. Mr. Speaker, in the Boston Post, Saturday, July 4, 1953, there is an article by Washington Waters on Making Money in the Stock Mar

ket, in which it was stated:

A few weeks ago, when the market was slightly higher than the present level, we made the observation that the influence of

peace negotiations could be pretty largely ignored as being anything more than a temporary and minor market influence since they actually meant nothing, and that armament spending would continue to go right on. We said further that, in our opinion, the rate charged for the hiring of money was a much more important market influence and that the Government's policy of forcing money rates higher was one of the primary reasons for the decline of the market.

At that time, we made the observation that

the new administration was going to have

to decide whether it would have the cour

age to stick to its guns in the matter of tirely within its control, and that if it did,

it would mark a reversal of Government policy of 20 years' standing, which would be a real step on the road to national financial integrity.

Since then, the Government has reduced Federal Reserve requirements, thus loosening credit by making more of the bank's assets

available for private lending. This was a complete reversal of the new policy which had been so bravely embarked upon only a few months earlier.

DAMAGE DONE

Although as Mr. Waters has stated, the administration has completely reversed its hard money policy, the damage has been done. The wartime pattern of interest rates, which was fair to all concerned and caused a stable market upon which people could rely, has been changed to an unstable market, resulting in confusion; and the people do not know what to depend upon.

ALL BUDGETS UNBALANCED THROUGH ONE ACTION The present administration, in breaking the pattern for long-term bonds by increasing it three-fourths of 1 percent, will result in the Government's eventually paying at least $2 billion more a year interest charges on the present debt. This unbalances all budgets in the United States. It makes income tax payers pay more taxes to the Federal Government. State governments that borrow money must also pay increased interest rates, and taxes in the States will be increased. Every city now borrowing money is paying a much higher rate. So are the school districts and all improvement districts. This means that taxpayers in these cities and political subdivisions, including the 3070 counties in the United States, will all have to pay higher taxes because the Federal Government has increased in

terest rates.

The sordid story does not stop there. Every utility, like gas, water, electricity, and telephone, must pay increased interest rates, which necessitates increased charges to their consumers. In addition, all the transportation companies, including railroads, buses, streetcars, and other forms of transportation, must pay higher interest rates; soon these higher rates will be reflected in higher charges to their patrons. These increases will cause rents to increase and cost of living generally to increase, including necessary transportation. This will cause wage increases which will increase the cost of production. All this trouble caused by increased interest rates principally for the benefit of the large lenders who create the money.

PRIZE WINNER

If the President's advisers had offered a valuable prize for a proposal that would do the greatest amount of injury and devastation to a prosperous economy, and at the same time unbalance every budget in the United States including individuals and corporations, the adviser who came up with the interest rate increase would have gotten the prize. That is the only way that could be devised to unbalance every budget in the United States by one single act or policy. At the same time, no other idea could cause as much havoc to a going, prosperous economy than interest rate increases.

MORE REQUIRED FOR INTEREST, LESS AVAILABLE FOR PRODUCTION

The end result is that people will be compelled to pay so much in extra interest charges that it will cripple their ability to secure comforts and necessities of life. This policy will cause more and more money to go into interest charges, which winds up with the big lenders, most of whom created the money on the books of the banks; less and less money will go for needed production from the farm and factory. It represents a big diversion of funds from the purchase of production to the sound hands of those who will not buy an extra loaf of bread or an extra suit of clothes or an extra automobile.

MAKINGS OF A DEPRESSION

The contraction of the currency preceded the depression of 1921, the depres

sion of 1931, and the dip, almost a desion of 1931, and the dip, almost a depression in 1937.

The Federal Reserve will determine whether the present policy will go that far. I do not believe the Federal Reserve will act contrary to the wishes of the present administration.

FREE MARKET

People who insist to Members of Congress that there is a free money market for the United States Treasury in its ef

forts to secure large sums of money for new financing or refunding issues must evidently presume that Members of Congress have not thought the question through or that they know absolutely nothing about it at all. To say that such a person who believes that there is a free market for the United States Treasury under the circumstances is naive is putting it too mildly-in fact, it is very much of an overstatement. Such a person should be referred to as downright stupid.

How can there be a free market in the United States for the United States Treasury on an issue involving $1 billion or several billion dollars when the Federal Reserve System determines whether or not a market is free or whether it is tight?

Preceding the issuance of the 34-percent bonds on May 1, 1953, the Federal Reserve System, through the Open Market Committee, permitted money to get ket Committee, permitted money to get real tight; and the money market being real tight justified in the minds of the Treasury officials a 34-percent interest rate, which was 34 percent higher than any bonds issued in 20 years in the United States by the Government. Then after the bonds were issued, the Federal Reserve, through the Open Market Com

mittee, eased the market and made it a lot freer-too late for the Government to get any benefit, however-by lowering the reserve requirements of banks. This permitted the banks to create $51⁄2 billion of new money, most of it by the 21 New York City banks, without being out 1 red penny or without putting up any collateral, or without any inconvenience

or trouble of any kind or nature whatsoever. So this is the way the market is made tight by the Federal Reserve System or free and easy by the Federal Reserve System.

FEDERAL RESERVE MAKES THE MARKET In the hearings before the House Banking and Currency Committee in March 1947 on H. R. 2233, Mr. Eccles, the Chairman of the Federal Reserve Board, and speaking for the Federal Reserve Board, on page 85 is recorded as stating:

Mr. MONRONEY.1 Do you mean to say that with your present open-market committee, it now stands, that, regardless of what the and the operation of the Federal Reserve, as national income is, or other economic factors, that you can guarantee to us that our interest rate will remain around 2.06 percent?

Mr. ECCLES. We certainly can. We can guarantee that the interest rate, so far as the public debt is concerned, is where the open market committee of the Federal Reserve desires to put it.

1 Now United States Senator from Oklahoma.

AMERICAN GROUP OF THE INTERPARLIAMENTARY UNION

Mr. VORYS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to address the House for 1 minute.

The SPEAKER. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Ohio? There was no objection.

Mr. VORYS. Mr. Speaker, I wish to announce a meeting of the American group of the Interparliamentary Union on Thursday morning, July 23, 9 a. m., room 318, caucus room, Senate Office Building.

The discussion will be on the program which is being planned for the meeting here this fall.

EXTENSION OF REMARKS

By unanimous consent, permission to extend remarks in the Appendix of the RECORD, or to revise and extend remarks, was granted to:

Mr. HOSMER and to include extraneous matter.

Mr. SEELY-BROWN and to include a series of articles.

Mr. FORRESTER and to include editorials and extraneous matter, notwithstanding the fact that it exceeds the limit and is estimated by the Public Printer to cost $273.

Mr. SELDEN, Mr. PERKINS, and Mr. BYRD and to include extraneous matter. Mr. DEMPSEY and to include an editorial appearing in the Times-Herald.

Mr. MULTER (at the request of Mr. BOLLING) in three instances and to include extraneous matter.

Mr. FINE (at the request of Mr. BOLLING).

Mr. MAGNUSON.

Mr. WHARTON.

Mr. FARRINGTON, notwithstanding the estimated cost will be $375.

Mr. TABER, notwithstanding the estimated cost will be $189.

include extraneous matter. Mr. ASPINALL in two instances and to

Mr. O'HARA of Illinois in two instances. Mr. BUCKLEY (at the request of Mr. MCCORMACK).

Mr. D'EWART.

Mr. CURTIS of Nebraska and to include a digest of bills and an announcement. Mr. ZABLOCKг in two instances and to include extraneous matter.

Mr. RABAUT and to include extraneous matter.

Mr. WIDNALL in two instances and to clude extraneous matter.

Mr. REES of Kansas and to include an editorial.

Mr. DORN of New York and to include extraneous matter.

Mr. WOLVERTON in five instances and to include extraneous matter.

Mr. CELLER and to include extraneous matter.

Mr. GATHINGS and to include extraneous matter.

Mr. DONOHUE in two instances and to include extraneous matter.

Mr. LANE in three instances and to include extraneous matter.

Mrs. ST. GEORGE (at the request of Mr. HALLECK) and to include an editorial.

LEAVE OF ABSENCE

By unanimous consent, leave of absence was granted to Mr. HELLER (at the request of Mr. MULTER), for the balance of the week, on account of official business.

ENROLLED BILLS SIGNED

Mr. LECOMPTE, from the Committee on House Administration, reported that that committee had examined and found truly enrolled bills of the House of the following titles, which were thereupon signed by the Speaker:

H. R. 5228. An act to amend section 303 of the Budget and Accounting Act, 1921 (42 Stat. 23); and

H. R. 5376. An act making appropriations for civil functions administered by the Department of the Army for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1954, and for other purposes.

The SPEAKER announced his signature to enrolled bills of the Senate of the following titles:

S. 67. An act for the relief of Anastasia John Tsamisis;

S. 69. An act for the relief of Dr. Peter C. T. Kao;

S. 143. An act for the relief of Hanni Marie Matuschke;

S. 196. An act for the relief of Alejandro de la Cruz Hernandez;

S. 486. An act for the relief of Che Kil Bok;

S. 556. An act for the relief of Marinella Taletti;

S. 615. An act for the relief of Altoon Saprichian;

S. 669. An act for the relief of Helene Olga Iwasenko; and

S. 2399. An act to amend the Atomic Energy Act of 1946, as amended.

BILLS PRESENTED TO THE
PRESIDENT

Mr. LECOMPTE, from the Committee on House Administration, reported that that committee did on this day present to the President, for his approval, bills of the House of the following titles:

On July 21, 1953:

H. R. 1991. An act relating to certain construction-cost adjustments in connection with the Greenfields division of the Sun River irrigation project, Montana; and

H. R. 5690. An act making appropriations for additional independent executive bureaus, boards, commissions, corporations, agencies, and offices, for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1954, and for other purposes.

On July 22, 1953:

H. R. 5228. An act to amend section 303 of the Budget and Accounting Act, 1921 (42 Stat. 23); and

H. R. 5376. An act making appropriations for civil functions administered by the Department of the Army for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1954, and for other purposes.

ADJOURNMENT

Mr. HALLECK. Mr. Speaker, I move that the House do now adjourn.

The motion was agreed to; accordingly (at 7 o'clock and 31 minutes p. m.) the House adjourned until Thursday, July 23, 1953, at 12 o'clock noon.

OATH OF OFFICE, MEMBERS AND DELEGATES

The oath of office required by the sixth article of the Constitution of the United States, and as provided by section 2 of the act of May 13, 1884 (23 Stat. 22), to be administered to Members and Delegates of the House of Representatives, the text of which is carried in section 1757 of title XIX of the Revised Statutes of the United States and being as follows:

I, A B, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion, and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter, so help me God.

has been subscribed to in person and filed in duplicate with the Clerk of the House of Representatives by the following of Representatives by the following Member of the 83d Congress, pursuant to Public Law 412 of the 80th Congress, entitled "An act to amend section 30 of the Revised Statutes of the United States" (U. S. C., title 2, sec. 25), approved February 18, 1948: JAMES B. BOWLER, Seventh District of Illinois.

EXECUTIVE COMMUNICATIONS, ETC.

Under clause 2 of rule XXIV, executive communications were taken from the Speaker's table and referred as follows:

865. A letter from the Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Air, Department of the Navy, transmitting a report showing the number of professors and instructors and the amount of compensation for each employed relative to the activity of the United States Naval Postgraduate School for fiscal year 1953, pursuant to section 3 of Public Law 303, 80th Congress; to the Committee on Armed Services.

866. A letter from the Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Air, Department of the Navy, transmitting a report covering the settlement of personnel claims of $2,500 or less for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1953, pursuant to section 1 (e) of Public Law 439, 82d Congress; to the Committee on the Judiciary.

867. A letter from the Acting Secretary of Agriculture, transmitting a report of tort claims paid for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1953, pursuant to the Federal Tort Claims Act as reenacted (28 U. S. C. 2671-2680); to the Committee on the Judiciary.

868. A letter from the Assistant Secretary of the Treasury, transmitting a draft of a proposed bill entitled "A bill to amend sections 4417 and 4418 of the Revised Statutes to authorize biennial inspection of the hulls and boilers of cargo vessels, and for other purposes"; to the Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries.

869. A letter from the Archivist of the United States, transmitting a report on records proposed for disposal and lists or schedules covering records proposed for disposal by certain Government agencies; to the Committee on House Administration.

REPORTS OF COMMITTEES ON PUBLIC BILLS AND RESOLUTIONS Under clause 2 of rule XIII, reports of committees were delivered to the Clerk for printing and reference to the proper calendar as follows:

Mr. MILLER of Nebraska: Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs. S. 1197. An

Mr. MILLER of Nebraska: Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs. House Joint Resolution 268. Joint resolution granting the consent of Congress to the negotiation of a compact relating to the establishment of a bi-State park and/or recreational area by the States of Kentucky and Virginia; without amendment (Rept. No. 897). Referred to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union.

Mr. HOPE: Committee on Agriculture. H. R. 4158. A bill to extend for 5 years the authority of the Secretary of Agriculture to make loans for the purpose of making available in any area or region credit formerly made available to such area or region by the Regional Agricultural Credit Corporation; without amendment (Rept. No. 898). Referred to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union.

Mr. HINSHAW: Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce. H. R. 5976. A bill to amend section 1 of the Natural Gas Act; with amendment (Rept. No. 899). Referred to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union.

Mr. H. CARL ANDERSEN: Committee of conference. H. R. 5227. A bill making appropriations for the Department of Agriculture for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1954, and for other purposes (Rept. No. 900). Ordered to be printed.

THURSDAY, JULY 23, 1953 (Legislative day of Monday, July 6, 1953)

The Senate met at 12 o'clock meridian, on the expiration of the recess.

Rev. F. Norman Van Brunt, associate minister, Foundry Methodist Church, Washington, D. C., offered the following prayer:

Almighty God, within the sanctuary of our hearts our inmost thoughts and desires are sobered by the immense imIn these days when our very thoughts plications of the commission that is ours. affect our fellow men, not only here and there but everywhere across the vast expanses of this earth, for today and tomorrow, yea, even the forever, we pause that our hearts may be in tune with Thine. Create within us those insights of loyalty and wisdom that every act be shaken. As we depend upon Thee, will portray those verities that cannot As we depend upon Thee, may there emanate from this historic place such confidence that no days of darkness nor conferences of confusion can incite fear in the hearts of men. We pray in the Redeemer's name. Amen.

DESIGNATION OF ACTING PRESI

DENT PRO TEMPORE

The legislative clerk read the following letter:

UNITED STATES SENATE, PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE, Washington, D. C., July 23, 1953.

To the Senate:

Being temporarily absent from the Senate, I appoint Hon. CHARLES E. POTTER, a Senator from the State of Michigan, to perform the duties of the Chair during my absence.

STYLES BRIDGES, President pro tempore.

Mr. POTTER thereupon took the chair as Acting President pro tempore.

THE JOURNAL

On request of Mr. KNOWLAND, and by unanimous consent, the reading of the Journal of the proceedings of Wednesday, July 22, 1953, was dispensed with.

MESSAGES FROM THE PRESIDENT

Messages in writing from the President of the United States submitting nominations were communicated to the Senate by Mr. Miller, one of his secretaries.

MESSAGE FROM THE HOUSE

A message from the House of Repreclerk, announced that the House had sentatives, by Mr. Maurer, its reading passed the following bills, in which it requested the concurrence of the Senate:

H. R. 6287. An act to extend and amend the Renegotiation Act of 1951;

H. R. 6391. An act making appropriations for mutual security for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1954, and for other purposes; and

H. R. 6426. An act to amend the Internal Revenue Code to extend the time during which certain provisions relating to income and estate taxes shall apply, and for other purposes.

ORDER FOR TRANSACTION OF
ROUTINE BUSINESS

Mr. KNOWLAND. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that immediately following the quorum call there may be the customary morning hour for the purpose of allowing Senators to introduce bills and joint resolutions, to make insertions in the RECORD, and to transact other routine business, with the usual limitation on speeches of 2 minutes.

The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so ordered.

CALL OF THE ROLL

Mr. KNOWLAND. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.

The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The clerk will call the roll. The Chief Clerk proceeded to call the roll.

Mr. KNOWLAND. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded and that further proceedings under the call be dispensed with.

The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Is there objection? The Chair hears none, and it is so ordered.

EXECUTIVE COMMUNICATIONS,

ETC.

The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore laid before the Senate the following communications and a letter, which were referred as indicated:

PROPOSED SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, EDUCATION, AND WELFARE (S. Doc. No. 66)

A communication from the President of the United States, transmitting proposed supplemental appropriations, in the amount of $84,763,000, for the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, for the fiscal year 1954 (with an accompanying paper); to the Committee on Appropriations and ordered to be printed.

PROPOSED PROVISION PERTAINING TO APPROPRIATIONS FOR MILITARY PUBLIC WORKS CONSTRUCTION, DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE (S. Doc. No. 64)

A communication from the President of the United States, transmitting a draft of a proposed provision pertaining to appropriations for military public work construction for the Department of Defense (with an accompanying paper); to the Committee on Appropriations and ordered to be printed. REVISION OF A PROPOSED SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATION FOR PAYMENT OF CLAIMS FOR DAMAGES, AUDITED CLAIMS, AND JUDGMENTS (S. Doc. No. 65)

A communication from the President of the United States, transmitting a revision of a proposed supplemental appropriation, involving an increase of $1,464,424.58 in the amount necessary for payments of claims for damages, audited claims, and judgments (with accompanying papers); to the Committee on Appropriations and ordered to be printed.

CLAIM OF WALTER P. GARDNER, SOLE SURVIVING TRUSTEE OF CENTRAL RAILROAD CO. OF NEW JERSEY

A letter from the clerk, United States Court of Claims, transmitting a corrected copy of the opinion of the Court of Claims in settlement of the claim of Walter P. Gardner, sole surviving trustee of the Central Railroad Co. of New Jersey against the United States, said corrected copy to take place of the copy transmitted to the Senate on July 15, 1953 (with an accompanying paper); to the Committee on the Judiciary.

PETITIONS AND MEMORIALS Petitions, etc., were laid before the Senate, and referred as indicated:

By the ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore:

A letter from the Secretary of State of Nebraska, transmitting a duly authenticated copy of an act ratifying a civil defense and disaster compact on behalf of that State (with an accompanying paper); to the Committee on Armed Services.

Two resolutions adopted by the American Legion, Department of Alaska, at Cordova, Alaska, relating to funds for the construction of a road between Cordova and Chitina, Alaska, and increased support for the Civil Air Patrol of Alaska; to the Committee on Appropriations.

A resolution adopted by the American Legion, Department of Alaska, at Cordova, Alaska, favoring the development of the power potential in Alaska; to the Committee on Public Works.

A resolution adopted by the American Legion, Department of Alaska, Cordova, Alaska, relating to the expansion of existing facilities of the five major ports of western Alaska, located at Anchorage, Cordova, Valdez, Seward, and Homer in lieu of the reconstruction of a dock at Whittier, Alaska, recently destroyed by fire; to the Committee on Armed Services.

REPORTS OF COMMITTEES

The following reports of committees were submitted:

By Mr. BARRETT, from the Committee on the District of Columbia:

S. 2413. A bill to provide an elected mayor, city council, school board, and nonvoting Delegate to the House of Representatives for the District of Columbia and for other purposes; without amendment (Rept. No. 612). By Mr. TOBEY, from the Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce:

S. 2434. A bill to amend the Northern Pacific Halibut Act of 1937; without amendment (Rept. No. 613).

By Mr. DIRKSEN, from the Committee on the Judiciary:

S. 373. A bill to extend the time for filing claims for the return of property under the Trading With the Enemy Act; without amendment (Rept. No. 615); and

S. 2231. A bill to amend the Trading With the Enemy Act relating to debt claims; without amendment (Rept. No. 616); and

S. 2315. A bill to authorize payment of certain war claims; with an amendment (Rept. No. 617).

By Mr. SALTONSTALL, from the Committee on Armed Services:

S. J. Res. 34. Joint resolution authorizing the Secretary of the Army to receive for instruction at the United States Military Academy at West Point two citizens and subjects of the Kingdom of Thailand; with an amendment (Rept. No. 618).

By Mr. CASE, from the Committee on Armed Services:

S. J. Res. 63. Joint resolution authorizing

the District of Columbia to enter into in

AUTHORITY FOR ADMINISTRATOR.. OF GENERAL SERVICES AND POSTMASTER GENERAL TO ENTER INTO BUILDINGS PURCHASE CONTRACTS-REPORT OF COMMITTEE — INDEFINITE POSTPONEMENT OF BILL

Mr. DIRKSEN. Mr. President, from the Committee on Government Operations, I report an original bill to authorize the Administrator of General Services and the Postmaster General to enter into buildings purchase contracts; to extend the authority of the Postmaster General to lease space for post-office purposes; and for other purposes, and I submit a report (No. 614) thereon.

The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The report will be received, and the bill will be placed on the calendar.

The bill (S. 2457) to authorize the Administrator of General Services and the Postmaster General to enter into

buildings purchase contracts; to extend the authority of the Postmaster General to lease space for post-office purposes; and for other purposes, reported by Mr. DIRKSEN from the Committee on Government Operations, was received, read twice by its title, and ordered to be placed on the calendar.

terstate civil-defense compacts; without amendment (Rept. No. 619).

S. 1243. A bill to amend the War Contractors Relief Act with respect to the definition of a request for relief, to authorize consideration and settlement of certain claims of subcontractors, to provide reasonable compensation for the services of partners and proprietors, and for other purposes; without amendment (Rept. No. 621);

H. R. 1329. A bill for the relief of Arthur Oppenheimer, Jr., and Mrs. Jane Oppenheimer; without amendment (Rept. No. 622);

H. R. 1806. A bill to amend further the

Federal Register Act, as amended; without amendment (Rept. No. 623); and

H. R. 2564. A bill to make the provisions of section 1362 of title 18 of the United States Code, relating to injury to or interference with communications systems operated or controlled by the United States, applicable to and within the Canal Zone; without amendment (Rept. No. 624).

H. R. 3429. A bill to amend clause (4) of section 35 of the Bankruptcy Act, as amended; with an amendment (Rept. No. 625).

By Mr. BUTLER of Maryland, from the Committee on the Judiciary:

H. R. 2561. A bill to further amend the Military Personnel Claims Act of 1945 by extending the time for filing certain claims thereunder, and for other purposes; without amendment (Rept. No. 626).

By Mr. JENNER, from the Committee on the Judiciary:

H. R. 1456. A bill for the relief of Susan Kay Burkhalter, a minor; with amendments (Rept. No. 627).

By Mr. DIRKSEN, from the Committee on Appropriations:

H. R. 5471. A bill making appropriations for the Government of the District of Columbia and other activities chargeable in whole or in part against the revenues of said District for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1954, and for other purposes; with amendments (Rept. No. 628).

lease to the United States of real property and structures for terms of more than 8 years, but not in excess of 25 years and for acquisition of title to such property and structures by the United States at or before the expiration of the lease terms, and for other purposes, be taken from the calendar and indefinitely postponed.

The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the Senator from Illinois? The Chair hears none, and it is so ordered.

CASH RELIEF FOR CERTAIN EMPLOYEES OF CANAL ZONE GOVERNMENT-REPORT OF A COM

MITTEE

Mr. CARLSON. Mr. President, from the Committee on Post Office and Civil Service, I report favorably, without additional amendment, the bill (S. 2038) to amend the act approved July 8, 1937, authorizing cash relief for certain employees of the Canal Zone Government.

On July 2, 1953, the Senator from Massachusetts [Mr. SALTONSTALL] reported the bill, from the Committee on Armed Services, with an amendment, and submitted a report (No. 494) thereon. After the bill was reported to the Senate with the recommendation that it pass, on July 8, 1953, it was referred to the Committee on Post Office and Civil Service.

The Post Office and Civil Service Committee after discussion of S. 2038 in executive session on July 21, 1953, voted to hold open hearings on the bill Thursday, July 23, 1953. Therefore, after due consideration was given to the testimony of various witnesses on Thursday, July 23,