Evening star., 1923-02-16
BUDGET BUREAUH|T
IN ECONOMY DRIVE
Gen. Lord Declares S78,OOO,-
600 Deficiency Estimate
Severe Setback.
STILL HOPEFUL, HOWEVER
Tells Washington Real Estate
Board of Difficulties in Carry
ing Out Program.

Characterizing it as a severe set
back in the efforts of the bureau of
the budget to cut down government
expenditures during the present fiscal
year, Brig. Gen. II. NJ. Lord director
OF the bureau. last night disclosed
that the Treasury Department con-
fronted him yesterday with a de-
hciency estimate of s78,000,00O, con-
Istituting tax refunds.
The announcement was made at the
monthly meeting of the Washington
Real Estate Board at Wardman Park
Hotel, in the course of a heart-tO-
heart talk by Gen. Lord on the diff
culties encountered by his bureau in
carrying out its program Of economy
Still Hopeful.
The large deficiency item. while
further swelling the total Of expen-
ditures estimated TO he made by the
forty-three federal departments and
independent establishments and cor
respondingly widening the breach
between receipts and expenses in the
face of fixed determination to close
1t. did not entirely dispell hope Of
the budget bureau that it will sue
ceed in balancing the governments
budget before the end of the fiscal
year Gen. Lord declared
! Adding the $4,000, 900 tax refund
estimate to the approximately S92-
0o0, 900 deficit estimated as Of January
~ the governments total estimated
'dencit to be incurred this year in run
nlng the federal establishments will
be Sl'O.00o,00o, it was pointed out.
l.,
the budget this year" the speaker
stated. Eventually we hope to get
the government on a profit making
: BASIS, and thus reduce the public debt
| and taxation
Warming Given.
Touching on lack of grace with
which some departments and terri
tories of the government receive the
bureaus economy program when it
happens to, affect themselves. Gen.
Lord warned that the purposes Of
the budget are imperiled by the local
clamoring in protest"
referring TO protests by citizens
of the District of Columbia over cuts
made by the budget bureau in the
District estimates. the general cX
ella imed. Il cut out not one penny
providing seats for school children
of the District
The District Comm missioners and the
residents of Washington would be
pleased with the District estimates.
in their general aspect. if they had
the opportunity of examining them
in full, Gen. Lord Indicated. asserting
emphatically that they are the fair
est estimates ever given the District
of Columbia
Gen. Lord asked if the people of
! Washington were going to approve
Of the budget bureaus work in Seat
tle," and be 'bolshevistic'' about it
in the District The budget director
went into detail regarding estimates
of receipts and expenditures of the
government during the present and
coming fiscal years, pointing out cX-
amples of the problems which daily
arise.
Services Offered.
Following the address William l..
Shannon, who returned yesterday
! from the south after being appointed
chairman of the federal cooperation
committee of the National Association
of Real Estate boards. offered the
services OF the realtors of the coun-
try in assisting the government 10
economiZe, especially in federal real
estate transactions. Mr.. shannon
pointed to recent instance OF ala
extended by the national association
to Col. Smithers, chief co-ordinator
in New York city. whereby saving
of thousands of dollars was effected
in connection with the New York city
post office project.
The local board adopted resolutions
!; inviting the National Association Of
Real Estate boards to make its head
| quarters in this city. and pledged the
cooperation of the local realtors in
locating suitable offices here. The
resolutions were introduced by John
A. Petty, executive secretary. at the
request of the executive committee OF
the WASHINGTON board.
J. Walter OBoyle. chairman of the
convention committee. announced pre-
liminary plans for the convention of
! the National Association of Real F:S-
| tate Boards in Cleveland next June.
Charles s. Shreve. president of the
( board. presided. a buffet supper and
a vaudeville sketch were included in
! an entertainment program.