Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1919-05-24
Congressman Good
Tells CT Budget Plan

! shington May st.-ln an inter
,itw Noagressman James Good. OF the
, Flah Iowa district and chairman OF
IN mouse preparations committees
tou. l,A,s his objects in urging the
adop.ol of \ budget system for gov
r.rnlcnt expenditures, "a follows
I That this congress VII enact oudg-
yinrt / slsla'ion is assured. Both po-
Ii,.cal parties have promised IT, ana
/ thu PRESIDENT is in favor OF II. There
! never was dine in the history OF the
! country when so many forces were
working for LEGISLATION of this kind
Furdcnsomc laxcs 10 meet eNtraordi-
nary cxpenditurcs will prompt congress
/ To enact legislation TO eliminate waste
ma extravaSencc in the government s
| financial operations
THE bill which | have introduced
radically changes our *. stem OF max
ing estimates for appropriations. ana
the audit and control Of funds appro-
l,riated. IL preserves all that Is goou
in this system. BY centralizing re-
sponsibiHty FOR the estimates in the
president and giving congress an in
dependent audit and control. II pro-
vides for more scientific and work
able system OF checks and balances.
To understand the bill we must first
/ be familiar with the details of our
present system. Under the Law IL Is
the duty OF the heads of the several
executive departments and officers OF
independent government establish
ments 10 furnish the secretary of the
treasury. on or before the 18th day of
October of earh year, their annual est
mates OF the funds necessary for their
respective departments. for insertion
in the book Of estimates. Under this
law II is the practice ioS the head oil
each executive department 20 deSis-
nate the head of each bureau under
him 10 make ihc estimate OF the en-
penses of his bureau. When all the
estimates from the various bureau
chiefs under a given department are
in. the head OF that department sub
miis his estimate TO the secretary OF
the treasury. who has no power 20 in :
crease or diminish il. II bears no re-
.a.tion TO the estimates made in the
same manner by the other cabinet Of
fice-s. BUREAUS under different oxecu-
tive departments. doing similar work,
are thus stimulated 10 q rivalry, and
so far as the estimates go, no one CO.
ordinaIes or attempts TO coordinate
;he activities OF the several depart
r,cnts. and IN practice this plan has
resulted in extravaganza and ineffl-
cheney. and Implications in the service.
The defect IN this plan must be APP
study OF It's practical operations. Prac-
tically everyone familiar with its
workings agrees that the failure of the
plan lies in the fact that no one Is re-
spCnsible for the estimate They are a
PATCHWORK and not a structure. AS
result great deal Of the time of the
committees Of congress Is taken UP in
exploding the visionary schemes Of bu-
reau chiefs Tor which no administra-
ton would be willing 10 stand sponsor.
They provide fer building Up rival ou-
Ieaus. and no one is responsible for
bringing about their coordination. or
limiting their activities.
The bill provides for the creation OF
! bureau Of the budget, in the office
Of the president II provides for the
appointment Of director OF the bu-
reau and the necessary working force.
! so that the president MAJ De furnished
1 all the information needed by him TO
( prepare q budget. 70 present TO con-
gress al the beginning Of each session.
| This budget will show the necessary
expenditures OF the government on the
| one hand. and -he source of revenue on
| me other. IL makes the president re-
sponsible for the budget Under the
: present law no one is responsible for
| the estimates. II duplication, waste, ex-
! t.avasance and inefficiency exist in
/ the service. which are purely admin
! stratiye failures the president will be
responsible fo- them, il he includes in
! hLs budget an estimate for their con-
| situation The functions that are now
/ performed by -he members Of the pres
| dents cabinet acting separately would
/ in practice be reformed by their act
/ ing as unit IN assisting the presiden,
| 10 present a budget by which his ad
! rninistration Is willing TO De judged
: II substitutes team Work in the execu-
! tive departments for the unorganized
| Individual WORK Of each of the ten
1 members Of the cabinet.
The bill also creates an accounting
| department. which is TO DC under con-
| troll Of the comptroller general of the
| United States. This department IS t.