The Washington herald., 1920-10-24
CLERKSFEAR
OFFICIAL AXE
Further Cuts in Department
Appropriations Expected
By Congress.

Stanley Reynolds. writing in the
Baltimore Evening Sun, says:
"BraCing themselves for further
shocks in the way of emasculated
appropriation estimates, the various
departments of the Federal Govern
ment are directing their efforts
these days to the preparation of
their budgets in anticipation of the
December meeting of Congress.
The problem is 4 far more serious
one for the subordinates than for
the Cabinet officers concerned.
Whether Harding or Cox is elected.
all. of the latter are expecting to be
out Of the Government service after
March 4 next. 1t is among the sub
ordinates-the experts on the civil
service list who stay on from ad-
ministration to administration-th
one finds the real concern. Upon
the liberality or parsimony of Con-
gress depends not only their indi-
vidual livelihood, but the nOurish-
ment or starvation of the dreams
and schemes of public service about
which their daily work revolves.
Congress swung the AK with tre-
mendous effect at the last session
and the country as a whole ap-
plauded. But with the new esti-
mates coming on it is well to con-
slider whether in all cases it was
sensible; whether here and there
Congress was not penny-wise and
pound foolish.
Agriculture a sample.
Take the case of the Department
of Agriculture. Most city people
are inclined to think the affairs of
the Department of Agriculture deal
only with the interests of farmers
As matter of fact its activities ell
bow the city dweIler at every turn.
1t has to do with promoting the ma
tion's basic industry from which the
man in the city draws all that he
eats, all that he wears and many
of the things that go into his home
All of which emphasizes the fact,
that essential as it is for Congress
to use the pairing knife on the De-
partment of Agriculture as we'll as
other departments the city taxpayer
has an interest in seeing to it that
the pairing is not done in such way
as to impair disastrously the aCtrvf
ties that are vital. while permitting
and encouraging those that are
'wasteful
Seed Appropriation stays.
In its pruning last spring Con-
gress cut to the bone the items Of
appropriation for many bureaus of
the department, which, in a single
year have added to the national
wealth many times the amount Of
the appropriations eliminated. Ye,
with all its economy in this direc-
ton' Congress, much against the
Will OF the department. insisted on
retaining an item of $500, 900 for tn,
purchase of seed to be distributed
Iree by members of Congress to
their constituents.
one OF the functions OF the de-
partment is to carry on a campaign
OF education among the farmers by
pamphlets and circulars. The de-
partment suggested economies that
could be effected If Congress would
let 1t do the distributing. Congress
refused. Each member is entitled to
draw on the stock of department
literature and mail it out under
government frank. Knowing the
needs of each locality, the DEPART
ment thought it could handle II
more intelligently and with less
waste.
Different In His own Case.
day or 50 after Congress TUNED
down this suggestion. one of the
members who had fought the pro-
posai on the floor of the House
called the department and asked
for 5000 pamphlets to distribute
among his farmer constituents. He
was asked what pamphlets he
wanted.
oh, any kind" he said; Just so
they're pamphlets"