San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1924-04-13
Proposed Measures Would
Eat Up $300,O00,00O
Surplus in Treasury.
WERE NOT CONSIDERED
Four Bills Not Included in
Treasury Experts
Report. =
\ Washington, d. c.. April 12.-Bloc

eacec az NhN bNACoA VI COl tam lHAtAtsls
or combinations Of interests threatens
to wipe out the estimated surplus in
the United States Treasury upon
which tax reduction contemplated IN
der either the Mellon or Garner plans
is based. Appropriation bills not con-
templated when the budget was draft
ed and which will call for expenditures
far in excess of 100000. 900 surplus
estimated by Secretary Mellon either
have passed one House or the other. or
are pending and have generated enough
support to warrant the belief that they
will be enacted before adjournment of
this session Of Congress.
These are:
= Adjusted compensation for ex-
service men, passed the House, pending
in Senate; S135, 100000.
Pensions, Civil War veterans and
widows, passed Senate, pending in the
House; 55,000,000.
s Relief of disabled veterans, pending
in the House, minimum requirement;
800, 100000.
Increased salaries in Postoffice De-
partment, pending in both Houses. es-
timated at from $4s,0O0,O00 to $685.
100000.
Eats Up Surplus.
This gives a total minimum Of
$685., 900 600, or S3S, OOO, 900 more than
experts of the treasury estimated
would be available as a surplus at the
end of this fiscal year. But it by no
means represents al the big appropri-
atoms not contemplated by the bureau
of the budget and which appear like
ly to pass. Little more than a week
ago the House, by an overwhelming
vote. passed a bill appropriating S10.-
100000 for German relief and it is
fairly certain that the Haugen-Mc-
Nary farm relief bill will pass before
the close of this session and even il
the requirements under this are pared
down to the irreducible minimum, it
will necessitate an appropriation run
ming into the hundreds of millions of
dollars to provide the requisite revolv-
ing fund.
However, Congress might sidetrack
the German relief bill and it might gel
in such a jam over the Haugen-Mc-
May measure as to block its enact
ment but no such contingency appears
probable with those listed. The modi.
fication OF the bonus or adjusted COM
pensation bill made 1t appear so in
nocuous that all save the most bitter
opponents of this form of legislation
fell into line for it. The fact that the
ultimate cost to the government runs
all the way from two TO five billion
dollars, depending on whether figures
of friends or foes are taken, was
swept aside in the belief that it
would satisfy the demands Of the ex-
service men and that the immediate
cost would be only a little more than
one-third of the estimated savings eff
fected this year.
Would Increase Pensions.
The Bursum pension bill, adding
$55,000,O0 more to governmental ex-
penditures next year, passed the SEN
ate in response to a generous impulse.
There is no doubt that viewed BY pres
ent-day living demands, Civil War
pension standards are low, particular
ly when compared with payments be-
ing made under the war risk insurance
act. Thus there is every reason to be-
ieve that similar spirit will pre-
vail in the House when the bill is
taken up by that body.
The veterans committee, which has
VudISc VI lteloldllNc udLItTe IOE eX-
service men in the House. has been
considering the needs of the disabled
soldiers. 1t has had under discus
sion a variety of bills for their relief
which would aggregate from $3.50 ,0OO,-
600 to 5000, OOO, 900 but the better in
formed members Of this committee be-
lieve the measure, when reported. will
be cut down to approximately $780,
l. I,.N - .@
If any sort of bonafide showing can
be made that such a sum is requisite
1t will be voted. Congress is con-
WINGED that the people Of the United
States would spare no expense neces-
sary to provide adequate care for the
sick and disabled.
Finally, there is the Kelly Edge bill
Increasing the salaries Of postal EN-.
ployes. Postmaster General New has
estimated this will require not les.
than S135, 000,0 900 and even IL reduced
in accordance with some suggestions Il
will increase postoffice expenditure,
by at least $4S,000,000.
Must Revise Taxes.
This Is a bill which has been NOR,
generously endorsed throughout tn,
nation than any other now before Con
gress, the amount Of propaganda ex
ceeding even that in behalf of tn,
bonus bill. Congressman have BEEF
astounded at the volume Of request
coming to them urging that they vot
for this bill and. since there is larg
measure of justice in the demand ri
certain increases, Wholesale commit
ments have been made. The belief i
that these are sufficient to insur
adoption of the BILL.
The adoption Of any or all OF thes
bills necessitates a revision OF tn
estimated requirements by the fisca
agencies of the government. Being i
addition to the regular budget est
mates they were not taken into &C
count by Secretary Mellon in recon
mending tax reduction nor allowanc
made for them in drafting either tn
Mellon or Garner bills.
Since this is an election year Cor
gress may dodge the responsible
which adoption Of these several bill
imposes. The country is thorough
sold on the idea that it is to get ia
reduction and neither Republicans nc
Democrats relish the idea of revealin
the true condition. BY a conspirac
~ silence they may permit the averag
poter TO think that he can eat his cak
bnd have il, too. Then next yea
whichever party has won will blame
on the other when new forms of taxa
ton must be devised to meet the in
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