The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1921-12-05
ASK S3,5O5,754,72 TT
FOR GOVERNMENT
First Federal Budget Shows
Larger Expenditures
Than Receipts
APPARENT DEFICIT
$167,571,977 FOR 1923

Only $500, 100000 Required for Peace
Time Pursuits of Government - ST.
100000. 900 for Past Wars, Army and
Navy - Dawes Opposes Continuing
Appropriations.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 5.-The federal
budget for the fiscal year 1923-the first
to be cOmpiled-shows estimated expendl-
lures of S3,5O5, ,754, ,727, n decrease Of
S4G2. 1G7. $40 as compared to the esti-
mated outgo for the fiscal year 1922. end
ing June 30, and q reduction of $2,O32,-
2S5. .962 from the actual outlay in the hs-
cal year 1921.
Estimated receipts for 1923 are placed
at s.. .33S. 1872. 80, leaving an apparent
deficit of $167. 7.571, ,977. In transmitting
the budget to congress today. President
Harding says: Ways are provided for
the relatively easy adjustment" OF the
discrepancy between income and outgo
without added taxation" As one means
he recommends legislation directing the
reduction of the naval supply account by
500, 100000.
Enormous War Expense.
OF the total estimated expenditures for
1923. approximately S2,90O,0OO,OOo Is to
nay for past wars and to keep up the
fighting arms of the government, leaving
only about 5000. 100000 for the peace-time
pursuits of the federal establishment. The
estimate for the army and the navy Is
SSO1 .63G. .107. Il reduction of S66.300, ,2!D
as compared with this fiscal year and
S956.3J2. 741 as compared with the hscal
wear 1921.
The navy estimate of S431, ,754, 900. it
is explained, does not take into account
any DOsSibIe reductions that might be
brought about as result of the arms con-
ference. the total including funds for con-
tinuing work on the ships of the 1916
program, most of which would be scrapped
under the proposal made TO the conference
by the American government.
Accompanying the budget as sent to
congress is a detailed report from DIrec-
tor General Dawes as to the operation OF
the budget bureau since its establishment
five months ago and some pointed com
ments as to means of continuing its eff
cient operation.
Congress Should Repeal.
Reiterating his recommendation that
congress Immediately repeal all Outstand-
ing continuous appropriations and re
vO!ving funds" General Dawes says the
method of apprOpriating money heretofore
followed has resulted in a condition OF
things under which it is almost impossible
for either the executive, congress, or the
secretary of the treasury to have before
them a true picture of the fiscal condi-
tiOn of the government at any particular
time"
THE whole habit of making continuous
appropriations to which the government
has been committed in the past he adds,
lis only an encouragement to a lack OF
scrutiny of public work by the head of
the department under which it is carried
on and an announcement to ShiftleSSneSS
and carelessness on the part of the subor-
dinates more directly concerned in it.
This system of preparing the budget will
cGnfne the attention of the executive, of
congress, and of the public to the one
great important question. to wit, the re-
lation of the money actually to be spent
by the government to the money actually
to be received by the government in any
given year. all its outstanding obligations
and indefinite commitments, projects, and
enterprises considered. This will enable
congress, with more intelligence, to deter
mine at any time both the necessity for
retrenchment and the ability of the gov
ernment to engage in additional projects
to be initiated by congress outside of the
budgetary provisions.
Depends on President.
1T cannot be too often reiterated that
this most important reformation in the
governmental business system is depend
ent upon the President of the United
States himself, and upon his continued as
sumption of his responsibility as its busi-
ness head. The minute he relaXes his at
titude of attention to his duty there will
be felt the natural pull of the departments
and establishments toward the old system
of complete independence and decentral-
izatiOn."