Evening star., 1921-02-16
REC0RDF0RSP
IS HOUSES BOAST
ON APPROPRIATIONS
MondeI| Makes Comparison
With Other Sessions in
Past Twenty Years.
CLOSELY SCRUTINlZED
ALSO, LEADER ASSERTS
Mark Made Despite New Provision
Consolidating Work on Bills in
Single Committee.

How the House has established a
record for speed and economy in
handling the appropriation bills at
this short session was emphasized by
House Leader Mondell in a statement
today.
He called attention to the fortifica-
tions bill. which was presented yes
terday as the last of the regular an
nual appropriation bills. Its passage
by the House, he said, will establish
a record for the prompt passage Of
the federal budget.
I'm my investigation of the date of
the passage of the last appropriation
bills I have gone back twenty years,
and 1 find the earliest date during
that period for the passage of the last
appropriation bill to be February 20. In
the last fifteen years we have not
succeeded in getting the last of the
appropriation bills through the House
earlier than February %, and from
that to March 2.
Consolidation Under New Rule.
This record of promptness and ef-
fciency." Representative Mondell in
sacrifice of careful consideration of
the appropriation bills. AS matter
OF fact, they have never been more
closely scrutinized, and when we
take into consideration the fact that
we have been operating for the first
ing the appropriations in one COM
mittee, with the resultant thorough
Investigation and close scrutiny of
the bills, members of the House may
well take pride in the record that
has been made-a record creditable
to both sides of the chamber"
In showing the savings that have
been made in cutting the estimates
and reducing the appropriations be-
low those for the current year Rep
resentativs Mondeu said:
I'm the passages of these appropria-
reduction below the estimates of H.
210,416.2sS.59, and q reduction below
the appropriations for the current
fiscal year, not. taking into account
the post Office bill. OF $l68, 68,748.882. So
II from these reductions we take the
Office bill. due to the increased bust
ness and salaries in that department,
We have a total net decrease below
current appropriations of $100.46S,-
861.69. These stupendous reductions
below the estimate, and very consider
dUlc IcouCtlOuS UciOW tuc DlllS LOT
the current year. were not made
hastily or carelessly. nor are they OF
the character Which will hamper the
public service. They have been made
with due consideration of the needs
of the public service and make prop
er provision for It.
Largest Decreases.
''The largest decreases have been
made in the military and naval es-
toh h Itch IN ~ Ann
follows: Military. $s3.707.242: naval,
$37,27S, ,324.77: Notifications, s1O,775,-
425. This amounts to a total de.
crease of $111,760.991.77. This very
considerable decrease in one year on
the cost Of our. our defense establish
the case Of the Navy. we might,
without reducing the real effective
strength of our establishment, re-
duce the amount still further. The
Navy is costing too much. even from
the standpoint Of the necessary up
lishment we have, and the building
program which has been entered
upon.
IT congratulate the Congress on the
record thus far made. 1t is our duty
to bend every energy and exert all Of
the appropriations program this ses-
sion. 1t would be a calamity il this
were not done. Important as other
matters are. or may be considered,
there are few. IL any, Of the legisla-
tive questions before the Congress
the enactment of which at this ses.
sion is as essential as the enactment
of the appropriations program.
after today, but thirteen full legis-
lative days remain in this Congress.
It will require most earnest, con-
slant and continuous efforts on the
part Of the two branches of Congress
to pass all of our appropriation bills
It is vital to do it. have every con-
f1dence we will"