The citizen., 1919-12-25

OSthi yehT Uekinnluk tue hfSt uhy VI
next July must be cut TO the bone.
rhus there are good Intentions every
where.
The difficulty Is to locate the spots
where the cuts are 10 be made. This
II primarily the business Of the house
and the senate committees on appro-
priations. These committees are TAX
ing hold Of the task in earnest, and IL
seems reasonable to assume that II
congress a. a whole will stand by the
committees. expenditures will actually
he reduced As nearly as the geYern-
ment experts can estimate the reve-
nues for the coming fiscal year they
will amount 10 $500 100000. This
estimate Is based on the existing tax
laws. The revenues from the postal
service for the coming year are estf-
mated to be something over S415,OOO.-
900, which, added to the revenues from
taxation sources. will give the govern
ment little over s6,OOO,O0O.O00 In rev.
enue Congress has thus far during
this fiscal year appropriated s7.2I2.-
559,41 II is evident, therefore, that
II the appropriations for the coming
fiscal year shall approach the appro-
priations for the present year there
win be a large gap between the money
available and the money appropriated.
On a War Basis This Year.
The estimates for the regular an
nual supply bills and the permanent an
nual appropriations exceed the appro-
priations of last year by nearly a
half billion dollars. The estimate for
every one of the 13 appropriation bills.
excepting the post office and naval
bills. is In excess OF the appropria-
tions for 1920. The estimate for the
post office appropriation bill is less
by something over 100000 900 and the
estimate for the naval appropriation
bill is less than that of year ago by
$40, 100000. The governments busf-
ness for the present fiscal year was
by the very nature Of things on war
basis.
The war machine was going 70
strong when the armlstlce was signed
that II was impossible for the govern
ment authorities to put a sudden
check on expenditures. There was not
very much complaint about the appro-
priations for the present fiscal year.
but the prevailing view In congress Is
that the time has come TO get away
from the war basis. The war added
enormous sums to the permanent APP
proprlations of the government. BY
this are meant appropriations that are
fixed by statute, for which congress
must provide each year, whether 1t de
sires to do Il or not, so long as the
laws that call for the money stand.
These annual permanent appropria-
tIons last year reached the enormous
sum of $1,000, 100000.
Hope for Treaty After Holidays.
II seems reasonably certain that
the treaty Of peace with Germany
will be taken up by the senate
after the Christmas holidays and
eventually ratified with reservations
AS time goes on there are indications
of better feeling In the senate with
respect TO the treaty situation. The
three or four factions into which the
senate divided over the treaty still
exist, and each faction Is inclined to
stand its ground. but there is more
and more talk among senator's repre-,
sentlng the various factions that real
statesmanship must eventually have
its way, and that when It does the
treaty will be disposed Of: Everybody
realizes that the existing situation
cannot be allowed to run on inden.
nitely * ....e u. i II. 2 ~.
In connection with the treaty situ'
alton some things are obvious. One
is that congress Is not willing to adop,
resolution declaring that q state Of
peace now exists between the United
States and Germany. The adoption
: of that sort of resolution, Il Is pointed
out. would mean that the United
States had deserted the allies with
whom she fought and the legIslators
are not willing to put their Country 81
record as doing that sort Of thing. II
rs also obvious that neither congress
nor the public IS anxious % have The
treaty become an issue In next years
, presidential campaign. Even party
men. who would be willing to have
the controverted questions raised BY
the treaty submitted to the people,
realize, so they say, that the world
waits on the establishment Of peace,
and this being the case, they doubt II
the public Would be willing to delay
the establishment of peace long enough
to have the treaty made political is-
sue I'm this country. The fact is that
between 20 and so senator's are anx-
ious TO see the treaty ratified. II re-
qulyss only q votes g ratify. ~
Must Have Some Reservations. =
Any ratification resolution that does
not embrace reservations cannot com
mand votes needed to adopt 1t. The
prevailing view among senator's who
are best informed as TO what is in the
minds of the friends OF the treaty IL
that the Lodge reservations which
went down with the first ratification
resolution will be made the basis for