Conservation Corps Legislation Doomed By Alabama Crisis

The Youth Conservation Corps Bill will apparently be killed by the House Rules Committee this month, as an indirect consequence of the President's sending federal troops to Birmingham.

Supporters of the bill, who previously believed that 8 of the 15 committee members favored the measure, now say that Rep. Carl Elliott (D-Ala.), a member of the Committee and usually an administration supporter, will probably be forced to oppose the bill because of anti-Kennedy sentiment in Alabama.

YCC Integrated

It seems especially likely that Elliott will oppose the measure since the YCC, and presumably its Southern units, would be integrated. Since the Corps volunteers would work only on federal projects, they could go to work in the South without the invitation of state or local officials.

Five Republicans, along with Rep. William Colmer (D-Miss.) and Rep. Howard W. Smith (D-Va.), chairman of the committee, are known to oppose the YCC bill. If Elliott votes with them, the proposal will be defeated by an 8-7 margin.

Change of Forecast

One Congressman, who said last month that the bill "seems almost certain to pass," told the CRIMSON yesterday that "it will in all likelihood never get to the House floor. It would be an act of political suicide for Elliott to vote for this bill, and I don't think Carl wants to commit suicide."

He went on to say that he did not believe Elliott would oppose all administration bills that come to the Committee. "It's really the integration angle on this one that makes it tough for Carl to support it. When it comes to the mass transit bill, or the school aid bill, I think he can vote for it without getting into too much trouble."

The YCC bill was defeated in the Rules Committee last year by an undisclosed vote.