Evening star., 1924-12-03
Budget and Appropriations.

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Budget and Appropriations.
The budget system does not involve
any lessening OF the power of Con-
gress to determine in detail the man.
ner in which the public money shall
be spent. The appropriations commit
tees Of the House and Senate continue
to work as before in the examination
of items in the estimates, to ascertain
the reasons for requested expendi-
lures, to weigh one against another
various projects of Improvement
which are recommended, and all of
which cannot, perhaps, be authorized,
from reasons of economy.
The preparation Of the budget in
wolves practically the same procedure
by the bureau as that Of the appro-
priations committees and by the
houses themselves when the bills are
presented for action. Preliminary es-
Inmates have been sifted and sorted
and reduced. A basic figure of grand
total of expenditures for the Govern.
ment has been established, with lesser
basic figures for the various depart.
ments, bureaus and general lines of
work not susceptible Of department
are allotted, item by item, with care
to keep them proportionate.
In the preparation OF the budget by
the bureau more time is available than
is possibly at the disposal of the COM
mittees of Congress. The Budget Bu-
reau seeks to furnish the President
and Congress with a. complete and, in
detail, an adequate survey of the
Governments needs. 1t should be
considered by Congress as more than
an outline. 1t is, indeed, virtually
draft of the appropriation acts in
sequence.
Questions of policy naturally arise
as Congress deals with the budget
bills. Still, in the main, they are
simply alIotments of funds in accord
ance with fixed principles of Govern
ment maintenance. To depart mate
rally from them is to throw out of
gear the whole system of related dis
tributions.
In the case of the District, some
what different consideration prevails
than in the other measures which are
embraced in the budget. The major
part of the money proposed for appro-
priation comes not from the Federal
Treasury, but from the pockets of the
taxpayers of the Capital community.
If the definite ratio principle pre-
walls the amount of the Federal con-
tribution depends upon the total. The
Budget Bureau does not undertake to
determine that factor. The power to
do so lies wholly with Congress. Last
Spring it voted for a fixed sum, not
proportioned to the total. The sub
ciple. The Districts hope is that this
equitable principle will prevail in the
new appropriation act.
But whether the fixed ratio or the
lump sum is adopted to govern the
Federal contribution the budget fig
ures just submitted for District main
tenance and development in the next
fiscal year should be regarded by the
appropriations committees and the
houses as basic. the result of care
full, painstaking examination of the
whole question in full detail by an or
ganization qualified for this task, and
with the fullest consideration Of both
the Federal and the local equities.
The fact that the District budget as
thus prepared and presented is larger
than the current appropriations should
not challenge congressional criticism
and lead to downward revision. Every
item proposed in the budget is meri-
torious. Practically every large item
represents reduction Of the original
proposals of the Commissioners. The
District budget, as it now lies before
Congress. is, in fact, fundamentally
sound basis for action, and the prepa-
ration of the bill should proceed with
the fullest consideration Of this fact,
to the end of yielding a measure
which will as closely as possible meet
the needs of the District as they are
therein set forth.