Evening star., 1915-01-28
$6O,00O,OO0DEF|C|
CONFRONTS THEU.S.
President, Cabinet and Con-
gressionaI Leaders Seek to
ForestaII Situation.

A threatened deficit in the govern
ment's revenues presented at problem
that President Wilson, his cabinet and
congressional leaders had before them
today for solution at White House
conference. The question was gone
into deeply at cabinet conference yes
terday, and the outcome OF todays
meeting was awaited with tense inter
est both in administration and congress
sional circles.
With estimates of expenditures for
the coming fiscal year far IN excess OF
prospective revenues, administration
leaders are convinced of the imperative g
necessity of taking steps to forestaii
the deficit that confronts them present
estimates for expenditures exceeo esoi- eso -
mated revenues by approximately $o"'-
000,0 700.
Plans Suggested.
One relief plan which may be laid be-
fore Congress Is the abandonment OF the
thirty ty-four-milliou-dollar river ana mar
Dor appropriation bill and the aooptloh
of Postmaster General Burleson's sugges-
ton for reducing the cost OF rural free
delivery service from s52,o0o.O00 to
sa5.oo6. 900 by putting carriers on M. coz con, n
4 @St Would S's save sSi.5oo,ooo. and. it is be-
lieved, would avert all possible en-
barrassment for the present.
If Congress also could be induced to
reduce all appropriation bills SO as not
to impair the efficiency of the govern
ment it is believed a possible exten-
sion of the time limit on the war tax
law could be avoided
Other plans under consideration are
to cut the army and navy appropria-
tion bills and lower the income tax ex-
emption below $4,000.
Those in Conference.
Participants in today's conference in
addition to the President include Secre-
tary McAdoo. Postmaster General
Burleson, Majority Leader Underwood
and Representative Fitzgerald. chair
man of the appropriation committee.
Result of Conference.
The conference resulted in no definite
plan, and the announcement that it
only had been decided to exercise rigid
economy wherever possible.
McAdoo Optimistic.
Secretary McAdoo presented an op-
timistic view of the situation, pointing
out that while the daily Treasury
statement shows big deficit for The
fiscal year, the corporation and income
taxes. which are collected in June, are
Whether Congress will be asked to
forego a river and harbor bill, or whether
put s basis Sss left Saa for fus
ther determination.
hese , is no 70 occasion f,. for unfay1rabIe tha &
ury." said Secretary McAdoo in formal
statement given out this afternoon.
Senator Gallinger's Record.
For seven hours and twenty minutes
continuously Senator Gallinger. the re-
publican leader. held the floor yester-
day in opposition to the ship purchase
bill. He undoubtedly established a.
record, for Senator Gallinger will be
seventy -eight years old in March. and
other senator of that age ever gave
such evidence of endurance as did the
senior senator from New Hampshire
yesterday. When he finished Senator
than earlier in the day. and declared
that he would be good for seven hours
more. His record Is still more remark
able when it is remembered that for
three and a half hours he addressed
the Senate Monday afternoon.
The democrats forced the Senate to
remain in session until o'clock last
night as they had promised to do. But
the ship bill is concerned. was nil Sem
ator Gallinger yielded the floor soon
after Z: 30 o'clock, and the remaining
two hours and q half were devoted
wholly to parliamentary diminishing.
minority members resorting to every
possible device to block proceedings.
Struggle to Keep Quorum.
On Senator Kerns motion, early in
the evening. that the Senate recess not
later than o'clock until II o'clock
today, the first roll call failed to show
q quorum, the republicans, with the
exception of Senator Smoot, having re-
tired to the minority cloakroom. Sena-
tor Smoot Immediately made the point
of no quorum and the minority MEM
bers came back one by one. On the
succeeding roll call they trooped back
into the cloakroom again, leaving SEN
ator Smoot on guard. Again there was
no quorum present and another quorum
call followed.
The republicans repeated this pro-
cess three times and were preparing
to continue it indefinitely, when Sena-
precedent from the Sixty-second Con-
ruled that II a quorum was shown to
rum call majority vote on the pend
Senator Overman declared the recess
motion carried, 81 to 3.
Then followed a series of motions to
recess. to adjourn, to take up pension
bills. etc, which used up the remain
time