Perth Amboy evening news., 1923-08-08
PLANS RELIEF
FORPRES|DENT
Would Lessen Pressure on
Him by Making Vive PreSi-
dent Finance Officer
BY GEORGE II. MANNING
Washington Correspondent of The
Perth AmbOy Evening News)

AAA1 ~
WASHINGTON, Aug. s. Making
the Vice-President the financial Of
hcer of the Government, with SUI
pervision of the preparation of the
Budget, is one method which should
be adopted to relieve future Presi-
dents of some of the enormous
weight of routine which has played
SO large a part in the collapses of
our last two Executives, according
to Senator Walter Edge, of New
Jersey.
In a statement issued today, Sem
ator Edge, who is in full agreement
with all that has recently been said
concerning the necessity of taking
off the presidents shoulders part of
the rapidly growing pressure which
now goes with the office, makes one
IL the first practical suggestions of
finite methods by which this enc
be brought about.
THE finances of the government
are now administered under the bud
get system, Senator Edge points
out. This has only been brought
about after years of effort. While
this modern plan was much to be
desired, at the same time, it added
a great and continuous responsible
ity to the presidents burdens. No
important decision is made until
passed upon by the President, and
every proposed change is more or
less brought to his attention. No
one but the President himself, knows
how much of his time is given under
the present system to conferences
with Cabinet officers, budget Off
GERS, and even heads of minor de-
partments on the subject of enlarg-
ing, curtailing, consolidating, or
separating departmental work.
by a simple amendment all this
detail-important as it is, could be
passed to the Vice-President. The
public has been clamoring for many
years for a more practical business
government in Washington. 1t can not
be practiced if the President is 'ex-
pected to pass on even the minutest
financial question. No living man
can successfully handle international
relations, domestic politics, and at
the same time administer the purse
strings, not to speak of the thou
sand and one social and other re-
sponsibilities of the President, not
to be transferred.
"Withall due regard and reverence
of the office of Vice-President, it
has today less Constitutional respon-
sibility than any other high office Of
the government, or any member of
Congress. The Vice-President alone
presides over the deliberations of the
Senate and even divides that task
with a President pro tempore, elect
ed by the Senators, and other Sena-
tors called frequently to the chair.
He is not a member of any commit
tee and his duties begin and end
HAlth the above. True, President
Harding very wisely enlarged the re-
sponsibilities of the office by inviting
the Vice-President to attend Cabinet
sessions twice a week. The wisdom
of this departure is now most man
ifest.
IF through legislation the Vice
President was made the financial Of
ficer of the government, to him the
Budget Bureau and Department
heads, and even cabinet officers,
would come to discuss the financial
affairs of the government and their
departments. When the Budget
was ready for Congressional consid-
Grafton, it would be transmitted by
the President, after a few hours, or
days at the most, study and con-
sideration on the part of the chief
executive. His general policy, of
course, could and naturally would
be carried out by the V~ice-Presi-
dent"