The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1920-12-17
'21 APPROPRIATION :
SHOULD. Be SLICED

ESTIMATES OF WAR AND
NAVY DEPARTMENTS TO BE
NECESSARY,
Washington, Dec. 16.-Urging
"rigid economy" in appropriations
for government expenses during the
next fiscal year in order to frighten
the tax burden. Representative
Mondell of Wyoming, republican
leader, declared in the house today
that the total estimate of $4,653,-
100000 submitted by the secretary
of the treasury should be reduced
by approximately s1,400,00o,ooG.
This reduction, he said, must be
effected chiefly by a drastic scaling
down in estimates for the army and
navy and also sundry civil expenses
all of which, he pointed out, ex-
ceeded current appropriations by
more than $914,000,000.
Criticising the administration fo'
the unfathonable Inconsistency in
the estimates submitted to con-
gress and the "pleas" for economy
made by the president and the Sec
retary of the treasury, Mr.. Mon
dell declared he would leave it to
others to properly characterize
these estimates"
1.-TWO years after the war;" the
republican leader added, "when the
world outside our borders is large
ly bankrupt and everybody is pray
ing for reduction or armaments, the
administration asks for an .appro-
piation of more than $1,414,000,-
900 for the army, navy and fortifi-
cations, or five and a half times
the highest peace time appropria-
ton of 1916"
. Pointing out that current defcien=
cies were. not included in this total,
Mr.. Mondelf declared "these may
be swollen indefinitely" if the war
department continued its policy of
recruiting the army up to full
strength, contrary to- the under
standing that it should not be in
creased above the total of 178,000
men contemplated by the appropria-
tions."
Declaring this action "was in en-
tire harmony" with the attitude
which the "war and some other de-
partmenrs had assumed toward con-
gress in this administration" Mr..
Mondell said it had become the duty
of congress to take action that
would prevent such squandering of
the peoples money by beating def
ciencles despite of laws"
Asserting that if economy in ap-
preparations advocated by him was
carried out the tax burden for the
calendar year 1921 might be "sub-
stantially lightened," Mr.. Mondell
said he Observation-Disclosures Of a
tax program designed to raise a
minimum revenue Of $4,000,000,-
900 for two years, as recommended
by tba secretary Of the treasury,
was "unjustified.na It is not justi-
1ded, lie aded,, "even for one year"
: The republican leader. 4 lie
was opposed to Secretary Housson's
plan for retiring with current reve-
nues more than 0o,000,ooo Of
the eountry's floating and bonded
war debt, including a half billion Of
victory notes, by January 30, 1928,
as placing an unnecessary burden
upon the people and bus,ness.' With
A per cent Of the net cost of the
war, excluding foreign loans, al
ready paid, he said, it was unneces-
sary to "keep up war rates Of taxa
ton for the purpose Of reducing the
public debt at a rate greatly in ex-
cess Of the sinking fund rate ap-
piled to the entire debt"
"By the end Of the fiscal year."
Mr.. Mondell added, 1--WE shall have
reached a point in the reduction of
our war debt where further reduc-
tions, except through the sinking
fund operations, should not con-
Time to impose war time burdens" "
While he favored repeal Of the
excess profits tax and reduction of