The Washington times., 1915-11-10
SEEKS WILSON'S AID
FOR BUDGET PLAN
Members Of Special Committee
to Appeal for Pressure in
House Caucus.

President Wilson will be appealed
to next week to bring pressure to
bear on the Democratic House caucus
10 adopt the budget plan to be pro-
posed by the special budget commit
tee now meeting here. Denying that
this committee was split up to any
extent on the kind Of budget scheme
clared today that the real split Is
likely to develop In the caucus unless
the President gets behind the com
mittee plan.
made by the committee at a conference
which II will have with the President
and members OF his Cabinet next week.
Chairman Swagar Sherley called at the
White House today to make the ap-
pointment. He did not see the Presi-
dent. but left his request with Secre-
tary Tumulty.
Hope For Definite Plan.
The House caucus will meet here the
saturday before Congress opens. BY
that time. Mr.. ShcrIey said. he hoped
that the committee would have a def
mite plan to propose, so that at this
or the country. something approaching
budget system will be inaugurated.
Before the committee now are two
plans; one known az the sherley plan.
tie OtHeT tnt pTOuuCt OF
John J. Fitzgerald, Of the Appropria-
lions Committee. 1t was stated today
ny member OF the committee that vir-
iually all except Mr.. Fitzgerald were
inclined to believe that the Fitzgerald
plan was impractical. and that Fitzger-
aid himself might come around. His
Plan provides that the Appropriations
Committee alone should consider all
money bills. after the other committees,
such as Military Affairs. Naval Affairs.
l'OgtemiCe etc hQ M eaed their
spective bills. and the conclusions OF
the Appropriations Committee submitted
10 the House as whole.
Committee of Thirty.
The sherley plan provides for the Gre
alton of a standing budget committee OF
thirty men made up OF the chairmen
md ranking Republican members Of the
various other committees concerned
with appropriations and three addition
al Democratic members. each from the
Ways and Means and the Appropria-
tions committees.
All departmental estimates. on being
received In the House. would be SUBJ
mitted to the budget committee, which
would get from department heads the
prospective revenues Of the Government
and the policy upon which each depart
msnt has built its estimates. The bud
get committee: considering only total
amounts. would present its report
probably ma aJority and minority re-
ports-in the form Of a balance sheet or
sheets to the House as a Committee Of
the Whole.
Would Mean General Debate.
After arriving at a conclusion on to-
tails. the committee Of the whole would
refer the separate estimates back to
the respective subcommittees dealing
with the several matters. limiting these
subcommittees only to the maximum
totals agreed on. In this way. Mr.
sherley thinks. the county at the very
outset Of the session would be treat ted
to q general debate on fiscal matters
and would know Just what to expect
1t Is conceded BY the friends OF the
Sherley plan that strong opposition
will develop In the Democratic caucus
from members who will be disposed to
criticise the scheme on the ground that
1t provides too great a concentration OF
power In the proposed budget commit
tee. and would prevent a general share
IN the benefits from the bills passed.
For this reason It is deemed absolutely
necessary that the Democratic caucus
shall be made to get behind the plan
and pledge reluctant members to sup
port II.