The Washington times., 1920-12-01
PROTEST CU[S
'|NU.S.BUDGETS
Civilian Departments Fear De-
moralization II Congress
SIashes Estimates.

An undercurrent OF CONSERVATION
is chilling Federal officials over the
announced program OF Congress to
cut all departmental estimates ito
the quick"
Decentralization OF the scientific
bureaus, accompanied by a desertion
of some OF the experienced workers
who have grown sick OF their studied
neglect by the legislative authorities,
Is predicted as an inevitable after
math OF further delay OF relief.
CONFUSION IS FEARED.
Ofcials fear the confusion OF es-
sehtials with non-essentials in the
necessarily rapid work done by the
Appropriations committees and the
chopping OF certain programs before
the administrative officers have been
granted an adequate hearing by Con-
gress.
The departments are not fighting a
policy OF economy and retrenchment
on the part of the Government, but
they show il-disguised indignation
over the fact that the present dis
parity between budgets for the mill
ton threatens to become still great
er.
Their belief is that sufficient waste
and indefensible extravaganza could
be cut out of the army and navy bills
to pay for whatever development IL
required in the civilian departments
many times. They may even appeal
to President Wilson to point out in
his annual message the danger OF
neglecting the constructive, peace
time work OF the nation-particularl
during an era of reconstructton-be-
couse OF the unprecedented require
ments OF the military establishment.
"The resentment OF Congress
toward the civilian departments is
almost incomprehensible," said one
OF these officials today. "All dur
Nng the war period the peace-time
activities of the Government were
subordtnated; they were the Cinde-
rella of the establishment. None Of
the inflated wartime salaries over
which so much bother was raised
were paid in our departments; our
people were on statutory rolls. and
they bore the brunt OF the increased
cost OF living with no further aid
than the bonus that Congress
granted. Now our departments are
seeking to catch up with the needs
of the nation. and we are bitterly
criticised
SEE WORK IN COLLAPSE.
When DIR. Edward &. Rosa, of the
Bureau Of Standards, analyzed the
national budget with the astonish-
ing revelation that o. per cent OF
the annual appropriations for the
current fiscal year went either to pay
the cost of past wars or to. proVlde
for future wars. 1t was cohftdentiy
believed by the Federal club mat II
would be easy for the civilian de-
partments to win their night Tor
greater recognition from Congress. 1t
now appears that Congress believes
all appropriations for the national
defense" are sacred and the whole
burden of the policy of retrenchment
must be borne by the civilian de-
partments.
( What is to become OF the govern
nient's scientific work II our men arc
10 he rcbuffed once morc?" is the cry
coming from the Agricultural and
other departments. Officials do not
hesitate to say a collapse OF import
ant scientific beureaus Is almost in
eyitable IL the estimates for them are
to be slashed practically without even
tho slightest investigation as to the
present menacing conditions in the
service. designations OF scientific
workers are steadily increasing; a
costly labor turnover has been stem
med: and all the various construc.
tive plans for the relief of an intol-
erable situation, including reclassifi-
cation, seem to be further away than
ever.