The Washington herald., 1921-06-03
DEMOCRATS ASSAH
REPUBLICAN MEANS
OF CUTTING BUDGET
Opposition Leaders Deny
Economies Claimed in
Departments.

Senate democrats assailed repub-
lican methods of economy in the
government departments Wednesday
when Senator Harrison of MissippL
King of Utah, Glass of virginia.
Mckeliar of Tennessee. and even
Lenroot. republican, of wisconsin,
challenged figures of the approprta-
tions committee Of which Senator
Warren, Of Wyoming, is chairman.
Senator Warren had called up the
second deficiency bill. which carrie
s53.s50,ss1 more than s1eo.Ss1.o.
allowed by the house.
Question OF Salaries.
Harrison demanded TO know II the
bill provides for the payment Of
salaries during the fiscal year OF
1922. and IL SO. how much were the
salaries thus provided and why are
they provided for in q bill for den-
ciencies.
He was told by Sena tors warren
and Smoot of the appropriations
committee. that something like
100000 was provided for salaries
next year under the heading OF
emergencies. The explanation was
made that lump-sum appropriations
ran only until July and that the,
legislative appropriation bill dH not
provide for employees after that
date. Emergency items were placed
In the deficiency bill in order to
avoid confusion when the present
fiscal year expires and there would
otherwise be no money to take care
of the eytra
Explains Clerk Increase.
But why are there extra needs?"
Harrison demanded. why has the
majority party been adding en-
ployes to the government rolls
while pretending to be cutting down
employees"
He was told than on account of
the vast number of applications for
leases for oil lands and lands con-
tanning other deposits the land office
Of the department Of interior Is
facing an emergency which re-
quired. in spite of retrenchments
generally, the employment of extra
men. The government receives
many millions of dollars on these
leases and the employment of extra
forces for this purpose even though
increasing the appropriations some
$4,000 in the land office was eco
nomical.
Some increases were necessary in
the comptrollers Office. Harrison
was told, because 56 employees there
will go out of the service July 1.
when the increases become effective.
Attack by Harrison.
Harrison called of a list of new
positions that were provided for as
"emergencies" in the deficiency bill.
and said he was merely inquiring
whether the Republican party is
economizing or increasing the tax
burdens of the country.
He was told that some of the
positions, specifically that of the
commissioner of public debt at S6,-
900 a year, were not new, and that
the practice of providing for future
demands in a deficiency bill was
not new. The undersecretary of the
treasury at $4,000, he said. takes
the places of other employees who
are to go. Senator Warren charged
the Mississippi senator with using
the argument for political purposes.
Senator Smoot said the reductions
in government service made since
October averaged more than 200 a
month. On June 1, Senator Smoot
said, the war risk insurance bureau
had more than 400 less in number on
IT'S payrolls as a result of the prun-
ing, and that instead of $4,000 en-
ployes during the war, II has now
less than 5000. Senator Glass said
the employees in the war risk bureau
were sadly abused in regard to pay,
some of the very able men receiving
less than elevator boys. Mckellar
said the men there are getting more
than they are worth at that