The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1920-06-15
APPROPRIATIONS
 CUT BUT TAXES
 ARE NOT REDUCED
Total Expenditures Are Greatest of Any Peace
 Time Year.

Time ' ear.
 Washington, D. C., June 15.-n the statement of the Republican floor leader in the House, Representative Mondel, that the Republican con- rress has saved the taxpayers more than a billion dollars. is true, then ''why have they not reduced taxes In a corresponding amountE asks Representative James F. Byrnes, Of South Carolina, Democratic memoer of the House Approprianons com ,nittee, in a statement given out to- day. ,}
 MT. Mondell has claimed, said MT Byrnes, that the appropriations by this Congress for the fiscal year commencing July 1 amount to $4.- S5e.Sso,sa7.2o. ''This is the truth, but not the whole truth As a mem ber of the appropriations committee, I want the people to know that in addition to the direct appropriation of the sum mentioned, this con- sress has by re-appropriations and authorizations made available for ex- renditure at least $54s, 100000 addi- tionnl. making the total amount available for expenditure $5. 403. 390,- sa7.S0-
 .-I'his Is almost five times as much as has ever been spent by the gov ernment in a single year in time or peace, the largest amount heretofore appropriated being $1,114, ,937. .012-0z for the fiscal year 1s16- This Repuo- .IIcan congress was in session exactly 1sO days and an authorized expendl- ture of s, 5,4o3, ,39o. .s27.3o means that the money of the people was appro- priated by the rate of $36,oo0,0oo a day and that to meet the expeno1- lures for next year 1t will be neceS- asry to levy an average tax or $5o upon every man, woman and child III America
 .Inasrnuch, as it is advisable that the public should know the total ex- penditures authorized by a Congress it is unfortunate that for political expediency this Republican Congress should have resorted to appropr1aEns money in indirect ways, making ao- soIufely misleading any statement or direct appropriations For instance of the $543, 3,50o,0o0 made available for expenditure over and above the direct appropriations, there are re- appropriations amounting to $156,- 500. coo. This means that of appro- priations heretofore made for expen- allure during the present fiscal year. s15s. .6oo00O was not expended and under the law should be turned back into the treasury July l. Congress. however, provided that this amount should be made available for ex- penditure next year and has made a corresponding reduction Tn the amount of direct appropriations
 Another plan by which the Re publican congress has endeavored to nnisIead the people is illustrated in the appropriations for the Shipping Board This year the Shipping Board asked for $225,ooo,oo0. The Congress did not make the direct ap- preparation, but directed that $Z29,- 100000 of the proceeds of the sale of ships should not be turned into the Treasury but should be made avail able for cxpeu allure during the next yenr. The Republican leaders include this amount in the total alleged re- duction of estimates and call it a saving but a blind man can see and a fool can understand that the money is going to be spent, and it matters little to the taxpayer which one or his pockets it comes out of
 'Another instance of this effort to rnisiead the people by this pretended reduction of appropriations is in the deficiency bill. where the Railway administration asked for $4zo,ooo,ooo to wind up it's affairs Congress ap- propriated directly $3oo,oo0.ooo and instead of appropriating the remain ing S13e,o00,000, directed that the Railway administration be allowed to use s30,00O,O00 out of the loan fund appropriated in the transportation act This money will be spent and the loan fund will be reimbursed after the election. The balance o' s9O,O0O, ,OGo was provided by directins the War Finance corporation to pur- chase at par s9O,O0O,00O of Liberty bonds held by the Railway admins tration. In this way, the $12O,O00,- 900 was provided without making g direct appropriation and the Repub- Iican leaders include this in the re- ductio- of estimates and call 1t 2 saving But the s9o,0O0,000 will be spent.
 ..It is impossible to tell how many more similar reductions have beer included in appropriation b1lls' bu the amount made available for ex penditure in these three items alon' total s471, 100000 which must b. added to the total direct appropria tions In addition, the expenditure O s725oOoCO has been authorized Il several bills, but no appropriation have been made to meet these ex penditures. These amounts adde' to the direct appropriations make total expenditure Dy lllS COllSA SSS U s5,403, ,390, ,327.3o-
 Confronted by their record of ex travagance, the Republican leader vainly e1deavor to excuse themselve by explaining that the estimates o the department were S1,512, ,417, $50, 3s in excess of appropriations, an that they therefore saved thi amount of money. No more ridicu lous statement has ever been mad by a public official
 'If such a reduction constitute a saving, the last Democratic con gress is entitled to special com mendation for that congress reduce
 the estimates of the departments fc
 the fiscal year 1918 in the sum [
 s5,554, ,161, ,59S.31.
 If, by reducing estimates, the
 have saved more than a billion do
 lars, why have they not reduced taxe
 in a corresponding amount?''
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