The sun., 1919-07-30
HOUSE RULES BODY
BACKS BUDGET PLAN
Special Committee to Franc
Bills for New Appropria-
ton System.
BIG OPPOSITION FEARED
Committees Now Allotting
Sums Expected to Fight
Cut in Power.
spsetai pe.patcA % AM. sus.

WAbHiForONp July hts--Witn uhquah
Ned approval of national budget system
given by both Republican and Demo-
cratic leaders. the House Rules Commit
tee to-day decided to ask appointment OF
special committee Of twelve members
to investigate and frame budget legisla-
ton.
The committee unanimously reported
out resolution of Representative Good
(Iowa). chairman OF the Appropriations
Committee. authorizing the creation OF
committee by the Speaker of the House.
II will be composed Of seven Republicans
and i've Democrats. Tho resolution win
be brought UP In the House Thursday
under q special rule. also reported to-
day, and efforts will be made to have the
committee appointed before the recess
Saturday.
The plan Of having budget system
replace the work of several committees in
framing appropriation bills has been
urged IN Congress for several years. but
to-day's action - considered the most
definite step toward such legislation yet
taken. The general plan Is to form
budget for the Governments expenditures
each year and have this considered by a
large committee Of several sub-commit-
tees.
Approval Of the system was voiced
before the Rules Committee by Speaker
Gillette (Mass.). Republican Leader
Mondell (wyo.), Democratic Leader
Clark (Mo.), Mr.. Good and REPRESENTA-
tiveB Bymes (Tenn.). ranking Demo-
cratic member on the Appropriations
Committee. The necessity for the crea-
ton of such a committee was shown by
Mr.. Good, who emphasized the fact that
sine separate bills proposing budget re-
form are pending and have been referred
to four separate committees Of the
House. These reforms should obviously
all be considered by one committee he
said. .-.
Prepare for Opposition.
Mr.. Good said he realized a storm of
opposition would greet the budget sys-
tenn on the floor because now nine COM
mittees have power to frame appropria-
ton bills and members OF these will
naturally oppose any move to reduce
these powers. Practically all other speak,
ers made the same point.
But" Mr.. Good continued. you are
dealing with question. that cannot be
buried. The newspapers for years have
been advocating It. business men have
urged It and experts on legislative and
economic questions have approved II.
Congress should act speedily and time
limit should be placed on the committee
by which time 1t should report to Con-
gress." -..-
"Our present fiscal arrangements are
extremely crude and unsatisfactory
said Speaker Gillette. Everybody
wants change. Representatives Fftz-
gerald and Sherley. former chairmen OF
the, = Appropriations Committee, have
urged action in the House. Their eff.
forts illustrate the difficulties In the way.
Rivalries In other committees were the
chief obstacles.
Public sentiment has been concen-
trated so long on the problem that It is
clarifying somewhat, and I believe you
viii find there is large majority for
the budget system. 1t Is imperative that
action should be taken, and think the
resolution should be speedily passed"
step in Right Direction. ~
Former Speaker Clark warned that the
budget system would not prove a pan
acea for all Ills" but that II would be
"a big step forward In the right direc-
tion."
My own notion is," he said, "that we
should take advantage of all the infor-
nation England can furnish. She has
had a budget system for many years,
eAN IL WORKED there.
This resolution should be passed, al
though we must realize II will be a
monumental Job to change the habits
of the House developed through period
Of forty years.
Mr.. Clark pointed out that the men,
bership OF the committees with appro-
priating powers Is 147, and all of these
would probably vote against the plan.
He said that formerly all appropriations
were handled by one committee-Ways
and Means-but the work became too
heavy. That was in the days Of Thad-
deus Stevens. he said. What we need
first" said Mr.. Mondell, us an indepen-
dent audit OF all Government expendi-
lures by body of experts to determine
whether departments are properly CO.
operating In their work"
''At the present time" said Repre-
sentative Barnes in closing the hearing,
Committees are confronted with the
estimates prepared in a haphazard fash
ion usually by bureau chiefs who de-
sire to obtain all the money possible
for their divisions The result does
not always cooperate for the public
un,H