The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1920-05-03
SENATE BUDGET
BILL PLEASES
ITS ADVOCATES
National Committee Believes
Its Passage Will Save the
People and Eliminate Waste
and Pork Barrel Methods.

'N 00' " "StIONos
NEW YORK May 3.-The National
budget committee today announced it's
approval of the executive budget bill
which has just been reported out of
committee by Senator Medill McCor-
mick, or Illinois, chairman of the SEN
ate select committee on budget. For
the past five months this committee
mas been considering measures tend
Ing toward more economical and eff
IlcIent administration of federal fl
hdnces. Members of the senate com
mlttee estimate that the measure will
insure an annual saving of hundreds of
millions of dollars.
John T. Pratt chairman of the Ma
uonai Budget committee declared that
the most important constructive
achleyement accomplished in Washing
ton since the war"
=, simultaneously with announcing the
National Budget committees attitude
toward the senate bill, Mr.. Pratt made
public a statement from Senator Mo
Cormlck, who said that the new meas
ure establishes the political and con-
sututlonal responsibility of the presi-
uent Tor appropriations sought by the
hhui,tnn l and fixes the RESPONSE
plilty OF congress for the sum Of the
expenditures authorized by law.
MT. Pratt said, in part:
~ is very gratifying to the members
OF the National Budget committee that
e the Mccormick bill has been mani.
mously reported out BY the commit tn
be1ore congratulating ourselves too
haStlly, however we should bear in
mind that the bill has yet to pass
the senate and the house and be signed
9y the president before it becomes law.
EVen tnen, 1t will not accomplish for
the nation all that we expect of 1t. un
less the public understands ii. watches
It's operation, and insists upon its Sc
Tlous and genuine application by both
OF government"
Mccormick Explains.
In summing up what his bill is ex-
P m to accomplish, Senator Nc
Tnr oil! represents not only tne
Judgment Of the senate committee. lut
OF those other public men who have
oeeh at once the most successful and
me most experienced in the appro
Nikauon and in the expenditure of
+too study of the experience Of of the he
american states which have adopted
budget systems, and Of those foreign
countries which have devised the most
etrectiye machinery for the control
OF public expenditures.
1t establishes beyond dispute tbe
poIltlcai as well as the constitutional
responsibility of the president for tha
sum OF the appropriations sought from
ttonhsress by the administration. 1t es-
e1ihUiiiisnes no less clearly the respon-
slplnty of congress for the sum Of
expenditures authorized by law. II
does not infringe the constitution ali
prerogatlves of the legislature or the
executive, but it does make clear
e zach ttn ~ sI the responsibility of
edCn TO the taxpayer
The bill creates in the treasur,, do
pdFtment a budget bureau eouiDned
WIN the machinery to detect duplIca-
iloh' waste and inefficiency, and No
IeSs 70 check the appetite for appro-
pflations which characterizes the most
devoted and able bureau chiefs what.
ever may have been true of the mast
~ IS not the so-called pork bills which
today constitute the bulk of current
appropriations. | do not believe that
me present congress will aDproDriata
all told, hundred million dollars for
poslottlces and river and harbor work
o9t OF a total Of five billions or moro
1 mnich VIII be appropriated before we
IeaVe Washington in June.
10 Comb Out Waste.
The commissioner Of the budget
ana MS starr must comb the waste 0t,t
VI ine departments and discover those
n lirlt, PllcatiohS and anomalies the eli
i itilfa 'l sa, OF which is one Of the OBJ
JeclS sought in creation of the Joint
c1IllnIttee on reorganization conTem-
Pidttd ny Senator Shoots resolution
, we nave put the budget bureau in
ne treasury because the secretary of
tle treasury is no less the presidents
aseIt man would be a budget CHER
III the otilce of the president himself,
because me president has no time for
tne details of budget making, hnca,Sa
MS principal financial agent must he
4 q MEMBER OF the cabinet conference. as
lhe secretary OF the treasury is and
as a mere budget officer could NOT he.
ana finally, because the nrenaratiop,
OF budget of expenditure should ha
uI.ueF me eyes of the officer collect
ing ana estimating the revenue Tha
secretary or the treasury. through fhe
commissioner Of revenue and thn COW
missioner of the budget, will survey and
/ dlrect the whole field of reyenHe anG
expenditure ''Fiue ana
Under the bill the comptroller would
ne aple TO revise, modernize and raIfa
UNIFORM the old and inconsistent an
counting systems of the government As
an independent officer. the comntroIiaT
would report both to the president ana
10 congress any Wasteful. inefficient
ana uhbuslncsslike methods or nrnt
VISIONS or law which he might discover
tinaiiy the bill provides for tho
couIllcatlon of the many existing
statutes touching the preparation of
etstlhlateS, the keeping of accounts, and
me making of audits of goyernnnentai
expenditure 1t is not a perfect hiit
put believe that it's defects are d.
tects OF detail which may be cured in
the nght Of future experience. r. IL
r pTfTfmes law It will save hundreds of