New-York tribune., 1919-02-13
Finds $4,000, 100000 Is
Sought From Treasury
Above Regular Expenses
"Famine'' Law Specified
Time for Sanity in Expen-
ditures TO Assert Itself,
He Informs the Senate
By Theodore M. Knappen
Neto York Tribune
WASHINGTON Bureau

WASHING ON. Fep' 1-.--SpeaklnS
nth bitter humor in the Senate to-
s,v on the Revenue bill, Senator PEN
rose painted dismal picture of gov
eminent finances. declaring the pres
ont outlook to be hopeless, owing to
,omplete lack of anything approach
NO burget system, the levity with
which huge appropriation bills were
Introduced and passed and the incom
petence ineficiency ard eXtravagances
of the executive departments.
In casual review of miscellaneous
hills now before Congress he found
total of s100O0,0O0.0O0 demanded
from the public treasury. in addition
- the inevitable expenditures, and
expressed the belief that many of them
would pass "somc morning when there
are only few Senators present.
The responsibility for this chaotic
condition was laid by Mr. Penrose on
the Democratic majority in Congress,
and the only ray of hope he saw was
in the change of control of Congress
after March 4. By reason of the
frivolous manner in which public
moneys were dissipated the taxpayers
had become dsgusted and would well
come the defeat of the pending bill,
he said, though its passage was neces-
sary and it was in many respects an
excellent measure.
Rider Habit Criticised
Senator Penrose began his discus
sion OF the conference form of the
bill by denouncing the attaching of
extraneous riders" with a special
reference to the elimination of the
campaign contribution section, ia
thered by Senator Thomas of Colorado.
He said he had not found a Senator,
Democrat or Republican, who in private
conversation did not characterize the
proposal as a joke.
Senator Thomas retorted that it was
not the jocular nature of the measure
but the statement which it required
10 be made TO the Collector of Internal
Revenue that aroused the general op-
position.
The rider giving bonus of $50
10 discharged soldiers and officers met
with Senator Penrose's approval, al
though he acknowledged when pressed
by Senator Smoot there was some
question as to the rights of the con-
ferrees under the conference rules to
make such an amendment. This
brought on a general discussion of the
subject Of legislation in conference in
defiance Of the will of Congress, but
it was agreed that in this instance the
patriotic and beneficial motive offset
the technical error. AS rule, though,
Senator Penrose maintained that the
conferrees had been scrupulous not to
exceed their authority.
Relief Features Indorsed
The relief features of the bill re-
ceived special commendation from the
Senator, although he admitted they
would result in large losses of rev
enue. because they were a long step
toward justice and equity in taxation.
lie was sorry the net losses feature
proposed by the Senate had been
limited to the period from October 81,
1913, to December II, 1919. He ap-
proved Of the consolidated returns
loea and was not opposed to the limi-
iations placed upon it in conference,
"nereoy the mushroom war subsidiary
companies were not permitted to en-
Joy the advantages Of consolic ated re-
turns.
Much as he regretted the second
e'ass postal zone system its climna-
Noh meant there would have been no
revenue law. The defeat Of the SEN
s'c conierrees IN the insurance mat
.ef was a hard blow and the Senator
.aougnt 1t would result in more litga-
uon 'nan revenue, as the large com
panies contemplated refusing to nav
la3eS under the provisions now in the
0in although the revenues from in
saraEee companies would have been
~ucn larger Under the Senate chapter
On that subject.
oeylhg the taxpayers, no longer sub
lee' to the patriotic urge of the war.
ssie oeglnnlng TO complain of expen-
es.,'ures Tor every kind Of chimerical, /
n-adyised and ill-considered purpose"
NAY undertook to pour out the public
.anas IKE water from bucket" SEN
s'Os Penrose declared he was not dis
s"seo especially to criticise the ex-
sshotures during the war, as war bred
solt OF insanity and waste was then
itaole, .ai but the time had come TO
800 M hat on the tendency to spend
80 80 1or any sort Of purpose. A
,sissy OF the world from Washington
~. salis showed that "sanity had not
,ss returned, even 10 the Anglo Saxon
,nr rnst among the "foolish" expendi-
of s,an NE ooI mentioned the appropriation
,saVV'Voo,o00 for the relief of the
,srosS'o starving people" Of Europe,
,SsS.sn he an international commission,
Bs,l@-a ,rah l,cah representative on which,
e;s;.e'e mower, Was not an American
p' pro~s, ~as appointed without the ap-
H., ci me Senate and was not sub
a,e,nL. ~ tne oath OF Office and who
Sfs,s". Ssn' never return to the United
bssr one-thlrd Of this sum had
s,,... spent before il had been apDro-
ss,.' ,..V'ceeding to review special appro-
psas.oh pills before Congress Senstor
,ir'ose ,ios ~ .ook the bill for the appronria-
Na,. VI 10000 20 sink artegian wells IN
"a snn .s,, AZ type. The amount was
n S'l al TO be beneath the notice
,ysie.S "aIor IN these days. but AZ a
q representative It was wortbv
"a, few words. ""S "o''"y
b. & ~ns adyocates Of these freat bills -
ts,s,s' Know NJ party lines. hut hang
aasi.issl iof plunder." This bill would
lhsrs W. pasz some morning when
T. w. we're only a fen scnators present
lAs IN II, sneorsed ny the Department Of
asks. s."~,,,or, s,,. the Secretary Of which
ts So, I'm great favor upon any bill
Sr''pHate money"
Dsh'|s Widespread Idlenesz
ssossssie.lng u The Kenyon bill 10 an
snsmsl snsN <loo, 900 900 for the relief Of
tSsT9taaspyinent XII ard 70 lend anotber
a. snes snDssy''ov. Senator penrosc cited II
sses esnhef illustration Of the habIt of