Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1921-12-06
u. S. BUDGET SENT TO
CONGRESS SHOWS BIG
SLASH In EXPENSES
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CONTINUED from rage One.)
service, $72,O00,O0O and salaries
and expenses, $26.521,702.
For prohibition enforcement
the budget bureau estimates $780,
600, 900, an increase of $4,000 0J
over this year. Expenses of the
internal revenue bureau are placed
at $66,206,190 as compared with
$58,032,790 for this year.
Estimates for Independent ager.
cies include:
Federal trade commission,
$94S,500; Interstate Commerce
commission, $4,995,240; housing
corporations, $1.267,453; railroad
labor board. sS9S,650; alien
property custodian, $390,4S0; civil
service commission, s595,595, and
sion and compensation fund,
$2,79S,000.
Operation of Plan.
Accompanying the budget as
sent to congress is a detailed report
from Director General Dawes as to
the operation of the budget bureau
since it's establishment five months
ago and some pointed comments as
to means OF continuing its efficient
operation. Discussing the reception
of the budget by congress, General
Dawes says
ut is to be expected that since
the preliminary estimates have
been made under pressure by the
executive for proper retrenchment,
where consistent with efficiency, 1t
will not be necessary, as hereto
fore, for congress to make radical
cuts upon the estimates of the
budget with any uncertainty as to
what will be the result as it effects
efficiency. The president of the
United States, when he sends the
budget to congress Is presumed to
send 1t with all the reductions In
expenditures which can be effected
without due impairment OF govern
mental business processes. In the
preparation Of the budget he has
had at work an authorized agency
in the bureau not only in ascertain
ing the reasonablaness of desired
appropriations, but in continually
imposing pressure upon the depart
ments for a reduction in the esti-
mates wherever proper and posi-
BILE"
General Dawes says he feels that
the estimate for expenditures Tor
1928, upon which the budget IS
based, will not be increased eX-
cept through appropriations initlat-
ed by congress or by the executive
as a result of emergency
Crlticiscs Old Method.
Reiterating his recommendation
that congress Immediately repeal
all outstanding continuous appro,,
priations and revolving funds,
General Dawes says the method oil
appropriating money heretofore
followed has resulted in condi-
ton of things under which 1t Is al
most impossible for either the ex-
ecutive or congress, or the secretary
of the treasury to have before them
q true picture of the fiscal cohal-
ton of the government at any par
ticular time"
THE whole habit of making con-
tinuous appropriations to when the
government has been committed III
The past" he adds, lis only an en-
co1ragement to a lack OF scrutiny
of public work by the heao OF tne
department under which 1t is car
ried on, and an encouragement 10
sbiftlessness and carelessness on
the mart of the subordinates more
directly concerned in II, This sys-
tenn OF preparing the budget VIII
confine the attention of the execu-
tive. OF congress, and of the pup
lie to the one great important queS
ton, to wit, the relatloh ol .no
money actually to be spent by lne
government to the money actuaily
10 be received by the goVernlieli'
in anv given year, all It's outstailo-
ing obligations and indefinite COM
mitments, projects, and enterprises
considered. This will enable CON
gress, with more intelligence "
determine at any time both the
necessity for retrenchment ana tne
ability OF the government to engage
in additional! projects to be initiated
h,, congress outside Of the puusel-
ary provisions"
Faults Pointed Out.
Ijkenine the federal government!
+o business corporation, Genera
Dawes points to these taults
which he says existed: .,
The president of the corporatlon
(the president Of the United states1
gave practically no attention 10 us
ordinary routine business.
The administrative vice presi-
dents members of the cabinet,
,yere allowed to run their several
denartments as IL each separate de-
nartment was an Independent au-
thoritv in all matters OF routine
because of lack Of any out
lined business plan, no system eH-
isted for making purchases or III
selling material along business
lines Under a unified policy.
No balance sheet Of the corpora
+,on as whole was ever prepared
THE treasurer kept no accurate
account of the contingent obllga-
lions of the various federal oepal
ments, thus resulting in money pc
ing drawn from him continuously
in excess of the estimated anhual
running expenses. - -,
THE corporation, In effect, sell
dom reconsidered an unWise proJect
entered into by any department.
THE administrative heads OF the
departments were selected as a rule
with little reference to their bust
ness qualifications and were COM
PEELED to rely largely upon the ad-
vice of subordinates welded to the