Omaha daily bee., 1919-08-01
BUDGET SYSTEM
REPORT ASKED
FOR BY MARCH
Speaker of House Authorized
to Appoint Special Commit
tee; Andrews Explains
Situation.
By E. c. SNYDER.
(Staff Correspondent Of Omaha Bee.)

Washington, July 3l,-(Special
Telegram.)-The house Thursday
adopted the resolution authorizing
the speaker to appoint special
committee of II members to report
on a budget system not later than
March, 1920. Representative An
drews in support of the resolution,
said on the floor:
Some years ago distinguished
statesman said that if the govern
ment were directed along business
lines it could reduce federal expenses
$300,0O0.000 a year. That was a
very unfortunate, and very inaccu-
rate, statement. For a considera-
bic period of time after | heard it
studied affairs in the expenditure of
the government with reference to
that suggestion. We were then
paying out of the general fund of
the treasury about $700,000-00O a
year. That did not touch the postal
expenses. Reduction of $700,000,000
annual expenditures by $300,000,0 1000,
nearly one-half was an absolute i'm
possibility. If we cannot save $780,
100000 even under existing condi-
tons we might save $500, 100000.
That would be quite worth while.
If we could save $50,0000O or $25,-
100000, even that would be some
thing.
Way Cleared for Potash Bill.
The ways and means committee
decided to report favorably a bill
licensing dyestuffs two years, which
has given the Nebraska members,
particularly Judge Kinkaid, hopes
that the committee will see its way
clear 10 report a similar bill with
reference to domestic potash, not
withstandlng the opposition of
southern members and several east
ern members of the committee, in
GLIDING Representative Moore, re-
publican, of Pennsylvania, and Rep
resentative Kitchen of North Caro-
lima. democrat.
Uncle Nose" Kinkaid announced
that he would call a meeting of the
republican members of the Nebraska
delegation to meet in the cloak room
of the house after adjournment Fri
day for the purpose of selecting
member of the delegation to rep
resent the state on the national con-
gressional committee. Judge Kin
kaid, who has been the Nebraska
member on the committee for a
number of years, said he would not
accept a reelection as he was chair
man of irrigation of arid lands and
other committee arrangements
would not permit him to give the
time to the position it ought to have.
1t is possible that one of the new
members will be selected.
Andrews to Conduct Inquiry.
The biggest investigation yet
attempted by the present con-
gress will be under way within
the next 10 days, according to melu-
bers of the house committee on ex-
penditures in the Treasury depart
ment, of which Congressman An
drews is a moving figure by reason
of his years as auditor for that de-
partment under Mckinley, Roose
welt and Taft.
This investigation will have for
its principal object the determina-
ton whether or not the government
should remain in the insurance busi-
ness and whether there should be
changes in the administration Of the
war risk bureau, a $40000,000,000
concern.
The investigation, Mr.. Andrews
says, will be conducted along. two
lines. One investigation will have
to do with the marine and seamen's
insurance and the other with the
war risk insurance bureau, which
came into being a little over two
years ago.
ITO those who oppose the govern
mcnt going into the insurance bust
ness l would say that since we are
in it is up to us to see it through in
the interest of our boys who went
to war;" Mr.. Andrews says. Many
soldiers met with misfortune during
the war; lost leg or an arm or were
otherwise incapacitated. 1t is up to
the government to stick to them for
the remainder of their lives. In this
investigation we shall aim at getting
maximum assistance toward placing
the bureau on a sound economical
has -