The New York herald., 1921-07-01
USE ROUGH STUFF IF
NEEDED, SAYS DAWES
Budget Director Asserts
System Will Be Guide
for Future.
HIS THREAT is HEEDED
Heads of Washington Divi-
siOns Rush to Cut EX-
penses Everywhere.
HIS THREAT is HEEDED
TO HOLD MEETING TO-DAY
Harding to Be in Chair When
Economy Chief Orders All
Estimates by July Is.

New York Herald Bureau.
Washington, ID. c., June 80.
Gen. Charles G. Dawes, director of
the budget, announced tonight that
the machine for the budget system
will be put into full speed operation
tomorrow. He called alf budget
officers in both executive departments
and Independent establishments of the
Government to assemble at his Office
for session. President Harding will
preside.
Things began to happen to-day after
Gen. Dawes's address yesterday to as
sembled bureau and division chiefs in
the executive and other branches.
When he reached his desk in the
Treasury building he found that his
warning that promptness must be OBJ
served in tackling the economy prob
lem had been scrupulously obeyed.
Cabinet members and other bureau
heads rushed in their names OF budget
had proceeded far had on his desk a
complete tabulation of the men who are
TO be charged with prime responsibility
in matters of Government spending.
Budget Bureau Ready for Job.
The budget chief lost no time in tell
ing the President that the budget bureau
was ready to function on the first day
when it became the law under the new
legislation. He asked the President to
authorize the calling together of the new
budget representatives in the different
establishments.
President Harding quickly approved
the suggestion, and at Gen. Dawes's
request consented to preside at the first
session of the budget officers group
meeting. President Harding is expected
to participate actively In the session
and back UP the budget chief in the
plans to be unfolded to the staff of
budget officers.
Gen. Dawes tonight was ready to tell
the budget officers that the estimates of
the various departments must be in his
hands by July 15. He will be insistens
that there be no faltering in any quarter.
To-morrow's meeting marks the start
of a day and night struggle between
the budget bureau and the various de-
partments, not only to slash to the bone |
on estimates for future expenses, but
to trim rigidly on appropriations that
Congress made available for the fiscal
year beginning tomorrow.
In brief. the budget director made
plain his purpose to draw down the cur
tain and 'go into retirement" to wrestle
with the big task he faces. He started
last night burning the midnight oil"
and declared that he is going to keep it !
up during several weeks to make a
good job OF expense cutting.
Must Retire to Work Hard.
I'VE men who have this job in hand
must now submerge for a few weeks"
he said. I'VE are going at this thing
right There is not to be any delay or
quibbling. You can bet on that We
are going to have this job done on time,
and that means work and lots of IT,
These estimates for the next fiscal
year must be in my hands by July Is
or l Will know the reason why. Then
the budget bureau looks them over and
must put them In completed form by
August /. So you will not hear much
from me for while as we struggle
with these problems"
THE ugly head of reckless waste must
not again show itself after this meeting
tomorrow" he said. What we do in
this start of the budget systems oper-
ations will be guide FOR all future
government officers. And it's going to
be done right. If 1t requires rough stuff
to iron out this situat'on there Is plenty
Of that In reserve 20 let loose Just re-
member that. We are In earnest about
this matter and the President is with
US"
Gen. Dawes said that the Presidents
interest, and aid In the present situation
and his willingness to throw the strength
OF his presence and participation behind
the moves now made and those contem-
plated had served to stimulate the en-
tire economy programme.
Bureau budget officers spent a busy
day to-day juggling figures, slashing
them or eliminating altogether some
items that exceeded the figures tenta-
lively prepared In view OF to-morrow's
meeting. They already have made them
selves ready to come forward with as
surances to the budget director of their
ability to make wholesale reductions in
the spending OF appropriations made by
Congress and which are available July /.
Heads Of divisions throughout the
Government service. catching the spirit
of the Dawes message, flooded the of.
fices OF their administrative chiefs with
proposals to cut down expenses where
expenditures can be reduced without
danger TO continued efficiency.