The New York herald., 1922-05-09
DEMOCRATS ATTACK
FIGURES OF DAWES
MOndell Retorts That Charge
of Budget Deception Is
Based on Quibbles.
CREDIT GIVEN CONGRESS-
Byrns of Tennessee Asserts
Effort Has Been Made to
Mislead Public.

wAsHINdroN, May S.--Sharp Demo-
cratic attempts were made in the House
to-day on the report made by Director
Dawes of the Budget Bureau. trans
nitted to the Appropriations Committee
by President Harding setting forth re-
ductions In Government expenditures.
Representative Byrns (Tenn). ranking
Democrat OF the committee. who had
asked for specific information in
resolution, charged that careful analysis
Of the report showed that the figures
were plainly deceptive" and that they
had been manipulated in an effort to
mislead the public into the belief that
some economy has been effected by the
Administration"
Joining in the attack Representative
Byrnes, Democrat Is. CO.. also mem
Der OF the Appropriations Committee.
declared that IL the President had had
opportunity TO examine "the itemized
statement OF alleged savings constituting
the total OF s136,000.o00 he would dis
cover that 1t is pure bunk"
Defended by MondelI.
Defending the report. Representative
Mondell (Wyo.), the Republican leader.
asserted that Mr.. Byrns (Tenn.) was
"quibbling'' as to details of savings
effected and that ''some of the economies
had resulted quite as much from the
vigilance of Congress as from the activ-
tiles of the Budget Bureau Director"
Chairman Madden of the Appropria-
tions Committee said somebody had
raised the question of veracity," and
| III \ h a mo n
toned deficiency estimates for this year
of S447,O0O,O00 II was fact that only
| S12.000.000 of this total could be at
tributed to the Harding Administration,
the balance being a hangover.
Mr. Byrnes enlivened the proceedings
by informing the House that Director
Dawes had claimed a saving of S25,OO0
on ''the salaries Of Congressman" and
then asked If they could say where.
Here's an illustration Of what Gen.
Dawes saved the taxpayers" the South
Carolina member shouted. He claims
a saving of $500 authorized to be paid
the widow of Senator Proctor. who died
in 1908. Mrs. Proctor declined to accept
it. She died some years ago. There is
no one to whom it could be paid-and
yet he saved It,"
In the same fashion. Mr.. Byrnes con-
tinued, Director Dawes claimed to have
saved $4,000 "in building a canal from
the Atlantic to the Pacific" and $780,
600, authorized some years ago. and
which cannot now be used, for enlarging
the Capitol grounds.
Characterizing alleged savings as
budget bunk" Mr.. Byrns said 1t was
| regrettable that the President should
be misled by claims of savings "of the
Japer variety and that II he believed
| Al h,,d d0at H,,ra ha N
to the taxpayers. urge Congress to de-
| clare a dividend"
| Presidential ONCE Expenses.
THE report shows" Mr. Byrns OF
! Tennessee added. that the President
has increased the expenditures OF his
| own office ever what they were in 1921.
1t has been said that figures will not
lie. but every one knows that they may
| be juggled with and even q casual ex-
animation OF the immense array OF
figures submitted by the very large ac-
counting force Of the bureau OF the
budget and which II took three months
to compile shows that the figures have
been manipulated in an effort to mis-
| lead the public into the belief that
some economy has been effected by the
| Administration. In this connection, II
should not be forgotten that the ap-
propriations for the expenditures in 1921
were made by a Republican Congress.
"The Administration banks heavily
or the credulity of the American people,
for a reduction OF taxes Is the only test
as to whether or not there has been a
reduction in expenditures. The plain
fact is that there has been no reduction
of taxes py the Congress except that
OF the big trusts and the multi-million-
aires of the country. The vast body OF
whatever"