The New York herald., 1922-10-22
HARDING HALTS THE .
PORK BARREL BILL
Public Building Outlay Is
Stopped After Confer
ence With Lord.
IT'S HACKERS STUNNED
Republican Leaders Ap-
prove Presidents New
Move for Economy.
VETO ALSO THREATENED
This Will Come if Congress
Manages to Jam the Meas
ure Through.
VETO ALSO THREATENED

special Dispatoh to THE NEw YoRs HEzALp.
New York Herald Bureau.
Washington. ID. C.. Oct. 81.
President Harding has set his foot
down on the Congressional proposal
for a s100, 1000, 900 pork barrel" bill to
provide publice buildings in remote
sections He believes the Government
cannot afford to embark on such an
Improbable enterprise at this time
and is confident the cities and towns
which would like to have ornate
Federal buildings can wait until the
Treasury condition is improved.
Mr. Harding's attitude on the "pork
barrel proposal became known to-day
when he gave tentative approval to
the 1923 estimate for appropriations
now being worked out by Gen. Lord,
Director of the Budget. The esti-
mates, which limit the expenses of
running the Government to the
amount of the income, contain no
mention Of a pork barrel" bill.
The decision will be blow to Repre-
sentative Langley (Ky). chairman of the
House Committee on Public Buildings
and Grounds, and many of his colleagues,
who had expected a great hail in the
proposed measure. Many Of the mem
bers already have promised public build
ings to their home communities. Their
appetites for public buildings have been
whetted by the fact that there has been
no such bill for almost ten years
Postma aster-General Work says many
new post office buildings are needed, as
well as additions to existing structures,
thus giving his moral if not active sup
port TO the pork bill. But Administra-
tjon leaders say such a measure at the
coming session would be i'll advised, II
not suicidal. for the Republican party,
which is committed to an economic pro-
gram.
Reaction Is UnfnvOrabIc.
Some of the republican leaders are
criticizing Representative Langley for
sponsoring the bill at this time. They
say It is causing unfavorable reaction
throughout the country
There Is growing belief at the Capitol
that President Harding will veto the
pork barrel bill if il Is forced through
Congress by one of the many log rolling
the heavy drains OH the Treasury for
necessary expenses of the Government
one Of the leading Senators pointed out
that il viii be absolutely necessary for
Congress to kill all pork barrel pro-
posals.
The supervising architect Of the
Treasury Department is going ahead on
the assumption that the appropriation
will be available and plans are being
made for erection OF the buildings 10
be agreed upon by the House Appropria-
tions committee and the Post Office De-
partmcnt
The essential items Of the 1923 esti-
mates for appropriations now being
compiled by the Budget Bureau have the
approval of President Harding. The
estimates will be completed next week
for the final approval and then viii be
sent to the printer This viii insure
Congress getting flying start with .the
appropriation bills and indicates strong
ly that the job of providing funds for
the next fiscal year will be completed.
as Mr. Harding desires, by March ..
so that an extra session will not be
n scessary. The Appropriations Com
mittec OF the House will start going
over the figures about November 10
or soon after the elections.
Cuts Must He Made.
Cen. Lord in his conference with the
President outlined cuts, that will have
to be made In the estimates IL the pro-
gram OF keeping the estimates of en-
penditures within the estimates of re-
ceipts Is followed. This of course means
that the Government will not spend
more than $3.19S.00o in tho next fiscal
year. an amount 100000 less than the
expenditures of the current year.
The reductions arc 10 be felt in all
Forty-five Government departments and
independent agencies such as the Fed
eraI Trade Commission. the 7. G.. G.
and others. The United states Tariff
Commission will be about the only
agency which will receive an increase
That is necessary because OF the. pro-
vision in the new Fordney-M McCumber
tariff law bestowing on the Tariff
Commission the power OF making
sweeping Investigations OF tariff mat.
ters as the basis for Presidential super
vision of the tariff. In order 10 ac-
compIish this the commission will be
enlarged and branch offices established.
including one in New York city. The