Defeat, Victory

THE ADMINISTRATION

The House made Henry Wallace's confirmation as Secretary of Commerce just about sure. After a certain amount of parliamentary skirmishing, it passed the George bill, severing RFC and its billions from the Commerce Department.

Ordinarily, such a bill would have had an easier time. But the George bill, originally designed to take the great loan funds safely out of Wallace's control, had been turned by pro-Wallace Senators into a bill which would make Henry Wallace acceptable to the Senate as Commerce Secretary. Now, if the anti-Wallaceites in the House could tie the bill up in committee (or amend or reject it, thereby returning it to the Senate), the Senate might have to vote on confirming Wallace as both Commerce Secretary and loan administrator. Then, for the first time since the Coolidge Administration, the Senate might refuse to confirm a Cabinet appointment.

The bill lay in the Rules Committee for five days, was finally shoehorned out onto the floor by Speaker Sam Rayburn. It squeaked through its first test (a resolution to make the bill in order) by ten votes (202-to-192). The anti-Wallace men tried again: a motion to recommit the bill. It was beaten by eight votes (204-to-196), and the opposition folded. House Republicans, who regard Wallace as an economic madman or worse, and Southern Democrats, who feel the same way, then joined the pro-Wallace-men. The George bill was passed, 399-to-2.

Now the Senate, assured that Franklin Roosevelt would sign the bill, could consider Henry Wallace's qualifications as Commerce Secretary and nothing more.

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