The Washington times., 1916-02-24
REDUCTION IN FORCE.

kEDOOIlOl
In asserting that the government will
save 81. .000O 600 annually under his amendA
nent Mr. Borland did not state how
this saving is to be effected. although
IL Ia assumed that he meant there may
be reductions in the force of employees
and curtailment Of per diem employ
ment.
The Borland amendment was offered
SO unexpectedly that several members
OF the committee who were on the floor
were sent for to come to the committee
rooms to vote upon IT, When the APP
proprlations Committee met It was pre-
sunled there would be only n routine
session to approve of the legislative bill
as drafted by the Byrns subcommittee.
Congressman Borland's amendment
was adopted by rising vote In the
committee. which met in executive ses-
sion to pass upon the legislative budget.
The bill appropriates about Sb65.00O
more than a similar measure last
year. but the estimates submitted
were cut more than S2,G00.000.
That the Government believes 70
cents per thousand feet is a fair price
for gas is evidenced by one of the
legislative riders in the bill. This
stipulates that hereafter gas used In
the public buildings within the Dis
trict OF Columbia shall not exceed
in cost 10 cents.
Salary Changes Liberal.
The salary changes authorized are
listed below. On the whole the COM
mittee has been reasonably liberal,
although by no means so large a
number of additional salaries have
been authorized as were requested In
the estimates.
The reductions ordered. as a rule.
are in pursuance of office .reorganiza-
tions which have already taken place
-as in the Census office. where the
work dropped off some time ago.
Salaries carried in the legislative.
executive and judicial bill range from
those earned by charwomen and tani-
tors to the compensation of the Pres
!dent OF the United states.
The bill carries the usual authorize
tion for mileage at 20 cents per mile
for members Of Congress. This will
cause the annual fght to reduce the
mileage to cents per mile-or actual
travelling expenses-a fight that invari-
ably ends in the retention of the old
order OF things.
\ remarkably complete report was
ilikd by the Appropriations Confuittee.
This report, giving every change car
'ied IN the bill. was prepared by the
Joseph Byrns OF Tennessee is chairman.
.Iurnes e. Courts, clerk of the Appro-
priatiors Committee. and Marcellus
Shield. assistant clerk. aiued in the
preparation OF an unusually illuminat-
ing reoort.
Some Important Riders.
Tho important legislative riders con-
tained in the bill are as follows:
Seventy-cent gas for all Government
departments.
A provision authorizing the superin.
tendent Of the State. War and Navy De-
partment building to make all appoint
ments OF employees directly under hin.
Authorization for a reapportionmen'
OF the space among the department.
now occupying the State. War and Navy
Department building.
Provision that the Attorney Genera
may rent a hre-proof building for tn,
use of his department, at an annua
rental OF not exceeding $4,000.
A similar provision for the Depart
ment of Labor at a rental not exceed
Legislation for the Standardization o
prices paid for typewriting machines b!
the Government departments.
Legislation prohibiting an employ,
attached to one of the departments her,
from being assigned for long period
OF time to duties outside of the Dis
trict of Columbia at a greater salary
situation where, II Is claimed, severa
employees have been attached to tn,
regular rolls here and have also drawn
per diem salaries in the foreign servic
elsewhere.
Items Cut and DisallOwed.
In the pruning process the Hous
committee eliminated, or materially re
duced, several items in the estimate
relating to the expansion of the foreigl
trade of the. United States. Amoni
the items cut and disallowed by tn
House committee were the following
Statistics OF internal commerce. $50.
(eliminated).
Commercial attaches, estimates Gu
from S22S. go to 500. 0O0
Investigating cost of production-esti
mates cut from 100000 to $4,000
Promotion of foreign and domesti
commerce. estimates pruned from $3.50,
900 20 $4,000.
Collection of statistics, Census Onice
reduced from S650,OO0 to $4,000.
Estimates for office force. Civil Serv
ice Commission, cut from $3l2,0O I
$z1S,OOo
Increase of the Congressional Library
cut $1,000.
Purchase OF files. auditor for tn
l'ostoffice Department, 5000. not al
lowed.
New elevators, state, War. and Nav
Building, $4,000. not allowed.
Filing appliances, General Ian
Office. $SGO, eliminated
Educational Items Not Allowed.
Weekly issue of patents. Patent OF
flee, cut from $4,000 to S12500O.
United States Bureau of Education
fnvoctigatlon of city schools. $40 5OO, nc
~"owed