The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-12-30
CONGRESS TRIMS
 TOTALS ADVISED
 BY DEPARTMENTS
Democratic Leaders Call At- tention to Fact That $17,- 100000 Is Added to Cost
 of Running Government
By Associnted Press

Washington December 29.-~Two of the t5 bills carrying appropriations to run the government during the year. beginning next July r. reached the House today and were given more than the usual plenary hearing before an- nounced intention Of republican lead-f CTS to cut government expenditures. The sundry civil bil which contains the miscellaneous appropriations, IS re- ported, carries a total of S3SS,6tt, 292. This total reports a slashing of $t20,- 914192 from the estimates submitted by the government departments. and q reduction of s52.237,514 from the amount appropriated through the same bill last year.
 $l7,0C0,000 INCREASE
 The cut fin estimates for the post- office bill the other appropriation measure submitted. however. was not so great and the expenditure commit- tee reported a considerable increase over this years appropria ton. The measure, as reported. carried S573,964, 721 d reduction of Sft442.13t from ths amount asked by the postoffce de- partment, but an increase of $69. 9.530.02t over the appropriations for the current ear.
 Democratic lsadcrs were prompt to point out that the sum total carried by both bills. If passed. as submitted by the appropriations committee wuold adI about $l7000, ,000 to the cost of running the government next year Republican leaders wero equally prompt in de- elarnS that there was abundant ground for qualification on their part, tinasmuch as they had used the pruning knife on estimates Of democratic de- partment heads without mercy
 OTHER MILLIONS outside of the s22S,ooo,ooo provided for the care of the disabled servicd men and dependents Of those Killed, l the sundry civil measure lef. onlv.. ] $l6O,6l l,292 for all other purposes. as compared with Sla60o01oo tho amount appropriated for 1918
 The committee reported that the tn. crease in the postoffioe appropriation | was dae principally to the S1O.o0a o9a | Increase In the pay of city letter eas. l riers; the $360o0, GOO increase aIE~e4 1 tho railroads for mail trapsport8.iaa aa ! and tho Sl2,5o1.G0p ucrease in p n clerks and employees.
 Although SI0000,00o was askI ct | Congress for flood control oh ias l MissiHsippi river, the sundry civil ap- 1 propriation bill. reported today, car ried only Sb'f7oGoo, the same amount 1 as last wear.
 of the appropriation last year at lotments were s3,o25000 for revet ] ments. $2SSS,00o for levees and S757 l Voo Tor dredging and mscellcauous Gen. Harris Taylor of the office Of chief of engineers. testified at hear ingss before the committee. The levees. he testified, were approximately 76 per 1 cent completed, while the percentage off reVetment work was smaller.
 SHARP DIFFERENCES Genera Taylor declared u would not | be possible 10 complete the work with r in the S45,oO0, 900 limit fixed by the flood control law.
 sharp differences of opinion devel oped among the members or the Hons. appropriation committee when the sub l committee today reported the sundry CIVIL appropriation bin without an ap- 1 propriatton for the completion of the dam and other or, Jccts of the Musc,~ Shoals nitrate plant in Alabama. Representative Byrnes democrat of l Tennessee objected to the subcomnit- | tees action in elimina ting the slO.- | ooo. poo appropriation recommended for 1 completion of the dam by the chief of army engineers. He asked that if be | incorporated by the whole committee
 but his motion WIS voted down. An | other request for St00O, 900 for the l same purpose also was defeated. | Tight will be made on the floor of the l House to include the St0. OOO. 900 ap
 propriation, but little hope is felt that
 it will be successful.