Omaha daily bee., 1919-06-29
MANY MILLIONS
SAvEDToPEOPL
BY REPUBLICANS
Army and Navy Estimates
Both Cut More Than Three
Hundred Million Dollars
Below Figures.
By John SNuRE.

! and department officials for more
money and still more money, con-
gress Is managing to make reduc-
lions In appropriation bills which
will mean lighter burdens for Amer
! lean taxpayers.
Although it will be impossible to
. give anything like specific and def
/. mite figures as to the total savings
effected until all the appropriations
! measures have been disposed of by
both houses, the house committees
and the house have already made
a good beginning. And they have
made it in the face of obstacles
which can hardly be appreciated by
anyone who has not come in init
mate contact with the tremendous
and insistent pressure of executive
officials for funds.
Enough has already been &C.
complished to indicate that the ap-
preparations which the new con-
gress hopes to complete by July
or soon after that date will be re-
duced below the level of demands
or OF bills which were formulated in
the last session by more than
$l,U00,000,0O0. In fact, that figure
may be largely exceeded. 1t is ap-
parent that if it is attained, when
the money bills for the new fiscal
year are completed, it will be
worth while achievement, especially
when it is recalled that a number of
the most important appropriations
were disposed of in the last con-
gress and hence are beyond mend
ing and out of reach OF the new con-
grcss.
To Force Economies.
Savings in army and navy appro-
priations have been effected by
large reductions in the size of the
army for next year and also in the
size of the navy as compared with
the recommendations of Secretary
Daniels.
1t is true that later on, the rail-
road administration, which is &C
cumulating a staggering deficit. will
have to be given more money, so
that the $450,000,000 which has been
Topped off cannot be regarded as if
all of it were permanently saved.
On the other hand, withholding of
this sum at this time, it is believed,
will tend to force economies on the
railroad administration which will
result in appreciate savings for the
taxpayers.
Must Justify Expenditures.
Great as are the demands of the
departments and bureaus of the gov
eminent for money, there is one re-
spcct in which the conditions this
session are decidedly more proms-
ing for the public. The last con-
gress, completely under the thumb
of the administration, scarcely ven
tured even after the war ended to
depart from the estimates sent to it
by officials.
1t became almost the rule that for
a high official to ask for a sum was
equivalent to getting it. Now and
then there was an exception to this
but the exceptions were not numer-
ous. The present congress does
not consider itself obliged, political
~ or otherwise, to regard an esti-
mate sent to the capitol by cabinet
! member or other official as equiva
lent to an appropriation and is en-
deavoring to exercise its own judg
ment on what amounts are needed
for the conduct Of the governmet.
Public Overwhelmed.
Recent meetings Of the house
steering committee and senate lead
. ers have considered possible econ
! omies in appropriations and strong
feeling has developed in favor Of
holding down the expenditures in
the face of many difficulties. The
easy thing. Is to appreciate what
the departments and bureaus de-
mand. To keep any sort of watch
over the treasury was never before
so difficult a thing as it is today.
when officials reckon their wants in
billions and seem to have an amaz-
ing lack Of appreciation of the fact
that the public is overwhelmed and
that no policy but one of stringent
economy can be justified.
Consider Budget Sytern.
Feeling that a budget system
must be evolved, is growing. The
senate rules committee lately re-
ported Senator McCormick's budget
measure.
Any budget system which
amounts to anything will have to
recognize that under the constitu-
/ ton congress has the power over
/ the purse strings and that congress