The New York herald., 1921-06-16
SENATE FACES Fight
IN ATTEMPT TO END
COMMITTEE WASTE
Economy Adherents Insist
That Nine Bodies Must
Be Combined Under
One Group.
FUNCTIONS OVERLAP
Bureau Heads Go From
One Chairman to Another
When Refused Funds
for Pet Schemes.
HOUSE APPROVES PLAN
Many Members Oppose Change
Because 1t Takes Away Their
Power to Pass Upon
r., Appropriations.
HOUSE APPROVES PLAN
Special Despatch to THE NEW YORK HpsALp.
New York Herald Bureau,
Washington, ID. c., Juno Is.

New York Herald Bureau,
Washington, ID. G., June Is.
Consolidation into one committee OF
the nine or more Senate committees
now handling appropriations is an al
most certain development that Is to
follow the administration of the new
budget system, which is now a law
and which goes into effect July /. In
the opinion of many Congressional
leaders this action is necessary in or
der to effect the real economies prom
ised by the new fiscal system.
Congress has gone only half way on
this kind of consolidation. After the
hardest kind Of fight the House
abolished the function OF the various
committees in the lower branch so far
as aperopriating money is concerned,
concentrated all these activities in the
one Committee on Appropriations, en-
larged it's membership, and that sys-
tenn is, In vogue now In the House.
But it never has been done In the
Senate and the change will bring on
bitter struggle in which leaders OF the
opposition will be the chairmen and
members of the committees which now
have the power of passing on appropria-
tions. Nevertheless, the matter is be-
ing seriously considered by Senate lead
ers and is expected to mature into action
before the appropriations for the next
fiscal year are approved.
Opportunity for Waste.
IL .Hv ~
greatest opportunity for leaks and waste
of FUNDS was shown to THE NEW YORK
HERALD to-day by Senator Curtis
tKan.). assistant Republican leader in
the Senate. Without committing HIM
self on the question of consolidation of
committees. which must travel O. long
and probably "rocky" road before il be-
comes a fact. Senator Curtis pointed out
what happens under the present method.
II should be explained that there are
at least nine Senate committees now
handling appropriations - Agricultural.
Appropriations, Commerce. District OF
Columbia. Foreign Relations, Indian
Affairs, Military Affairs. Naval Affairs
and Post Offices and Post Roads.
Senator Curtis said items in the ap-
partment or bureau heads frequently will
be refused approval by the Appropria-
tions Committed. Failing in that COM
mittee, executive officials will ask
another Senate committee to consider 1t
and. in some instances, what one COM
mittce refuses to include in the bill 1t
has in charge viii be authorized by
some other Senate committee. and in
that way the money is spent in spite of
opposition.
Ought to Stop Practice.
This practice has been common"
Senator Curtis said. ''and IL is a bad
practice. which ought to be stopped. /
know at least four attempts of this
kind made IN this Congress where the
items were refused in one bill after an
other. Fortunately, all the committees
IN this instance agreed to deny the re-
quests for appropriations, but the op-
portunity is there and will continue so
long as committees are organized as
they are. The only way to stop II now
is for executive departments to put an
end to it,
Senator Curtis said the present ex-
ecutives had cooperated in some IN
stances in trying to end this evil He
mentioned one case in which an appro-
pration for work being done by the
Bureau OF Mines was asked for by the
Department OF Commerce for almos.
exactly the same kind OF work.
The item was referred to the head OF
the bureau and also to Secretary Hoover
with the result that they made an ar
rangement whereby the duplication of
work would be stopped.
But opportunity of this kind for leaks
in expenditure of public funds. Congress
sional leaders believe. would bo stopped
IL one committee in the Senate handled
all appropriation bills, and there is an
effort being started at this time, THE
NEW York HERALD was assured. to
bring about the change before the new
appropriation bills for another year are