Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1920-01-31
oNoSf Is WATClIWOHD SAY
LEADER MONDELI..
,'!"ct System viii Mcan Nothin
tn."S* y | Supply Bills arc Cut
Billion or More.

Was hin&t"n. January.-Appcal f
$trlctcSt c"oncmy II rU!lir nNn
lures II order to carry the count.
rough the period of rcconstructic
demanded Of Congress by Rcprrs,
tive Frank w. Mondcll of Wyomiu
2''"r.ty leader IN the House. II
says:
There has been and is a very sc,
@ral ana Widespread public demand
for tho adoption Ivy Congress Of =
, budget system. Rcsronding TO thoi
demand the House has PASSED Il com
prchcnSivc bill provid ny for such y
system. and We anticipate the adopt
/ ION OIL Il budget system by the Con
&rcS9 ut Il reasonably carly date. But
we DO not have to wait for the adop,
ION OF budget system to practice thc
economies which such a system is in
! tended to promote. We have now n,,
lore us the facts and factors of y Ind
/ Sc'. 1t is true it has not been present
/ on III budg"tary form. but il IS here
| nevertheless. 1t is represented bv
| 'hrcc enormous and rather ap2alIin.
figures. nine billions of estimated
"hiiEations and expenditures. six bill
mons OF estimated come. three bill
lions Of estimated expenditures in OK
cess of incomc-3 billions of csti-
mated deficit ut the end of the rjsca,
Year.
I what arc we going 10 do about it?
Cut tho cstimatcs-trim them; lon
them off: reduce them by n b Hon nv
u billion and quarter Yes: this
~ ,ln. 1,,,t
nc II W" do this and then proceed to
meet every demand for now projects
ana enterprises; for extensions and
cnlarCcmCntS Of federal activities .
for the continuation of unnecessary
activities now being carried on: for
ln"f"hSr III salary. pay. and compcnSl
ton TO those in the military and civ
l. establishment of the Government
Let us not forget that in the nine
billion and moro of estimated obi -
TONS and expenditures for tho ncvt
cd for Increased compensation 70,
tn" employees i'll the civil establish.
m"ntS oi the Government above
what they arc now rccn.vng Let
IL remember that in the enormous
estimate Of more than Il billion do
lars for the Military Establishment
more than the total cost Of the Coy
eminent ut the outbreak of the World
War; not Il penny is estimated for In
creased pay to the officers and Nor
Of the military establishment, not q
penny is estimated for any kind OF
general military training. and that
: IN ln ~
is provided for increased pay or allow
ancc for men or officers. We cannot
afford to forget that the sum Of these
estimates. StupcndouS rs they arc
contain no provision for Il variety OF
purposes and enterprises, more or
less mcritor.Ous which are being urg
! cd and pressed upon the attention Of
Congress.
And having kept all Of these things
III mind, let me appeal to those who
voted for the budget to live up to
their budget record. to prove true to
;hc principles that they approved IN
their vote for the budget. \ budget
:'HMcm carries no compulsion to vote
the full sum Of the estimates, but
any budget system worth while is
either persuasive or ohibitory
against great increases and appropri
atoms IN excess Of. beyond and outside
Of the estimates and if Congress is
ever to operate under the restraints
of a budget system this is the time
to begin.
I shall enter into no controversy
with those who insist that proposals
of increased expenditures which
they advocate have merit; they must
prove that they are imperative.
shall not quarrel with gentlemen
who insist that certain river and hnr
Dor improvements are wise, useful
and OF a character that will eventual
ly DO essential If we are to care for
growing and expanding commerce
Tho conclusive answer is that unless
tho matter Is absolutely imperative
1t can not be undertaken, because
we have not the funds"