Salt Lake Telegram | 1937-08-06 | Page 1 | Sugar Amendment Defeated in House

LAW MAKERS DEFY THREAT OF PRESIDENT Proposed Change in Bill Voted Down, 135 to 92 WASHINGTON, Aug. C CT1 The house passed today and sent to the senate a sugar control Mil President Roosevelt has warned ho would veto. WASHINGTON, Aug. 8 VP) Defying the threat of a presidential presi-dential veto, the house today defeated an amendment to the gugjbv aoarjieting act to eliminate allegedly discriminatory provisions provi-sions against Hawaiian and Puerto Rican refiners. The vote was 1S5 te at. Representative Jones (D.. Tex.), chsirmsn of ths house agriculture committee. . had sponsored the amendment as meeting administration adminis-tration objections to the measure. Mr. Roosevelt, In telephone conversations con-versations with house leaders, was reported to have said hs would veto the measure If passed without an amendment which would give Island refiners the right to import refined sugar into the United States. The vote followed an appeal by Majority Leader Sam Rayburn to adopt the amendment. "I am a friend of the augar Industry In-dustry and I want sugar legislation this session.1' Rayburn said. He said the proposed amendment would not have seriously injured continental refining industries and that "there is a principls of equality equal-ity for Americans" involved in the proposal. Rayburn emphasised that defeat of the amendment might mean that no sugsr legislation could be snact-ed snact-ed this session. "I believe the true friends of this legislation. If they are wise, will agree to my amendment," - Jones said. "I hope that those who want to obtain legislation will not permit their pride or feelings to overcome their Judgment. If we are to have legislation this session, I believe these amendments must be adopted." Jones emphasised that the amendments amend-ments probably would not make much difference In the amount of refined sugar which would be shipped ro the mainland from the island possessions. Hs pointed out they probably could not expand their refining industries greatly during dur-ing the life of the present bill, which would remsin in effect for two and a half years. Representative Richard Kleberg (D Texas), member of the agriculture agri-culture committee, opposed the amendment and ssid Chairman Jones had offered It "merely out of courtesy" to the stats, interior and agriculture departments which had charged discrimination in ths original orig-inal bill. Representative John McCormack (D, Mass said the Jones amendment amend-ment would eventually lead to the complete destruction of the continental con-tinental refining industry with consequent con-sequent unemployment of 18,000 workers. The labor issue was minimised by Representative Hope R., Kan.), ranking minority member of the agriculture ag-riculture committee. Hope challenged chal-lenged the members from beet growing grow-ing areas to Justify their position before the voters on grounds that they "went along" with' the "sugar trust" Hs charged that for 40 years the continental cans refiners havs attempted at-tempted to destroy ths beet growing industry. Hope said competition from the Insular refining industries would promote a more healthful condition in the American sugsr market and urged the house to adopt the amendment amend-ment as "labor is an inconsequential issue in this matter." ,