Evening star., 1924-12-11
NEW BUDGET FATE
RESTS IN CONGRESS
House and Senate Can Easily
! Undo All Efforts to OBJ
J tain Economy.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

Now that Congress has settled down
TO an examination of the various ap-
Dropriation bills some of the inside
difficulties between the Budget Blu
reau and the heads of the Govern
ment departments are coming to the
surface.
President Coolidge has made his
pledge for economy, but at a price
which means controversy. Nearly all
of the cabinet officers endeavored to
"ut down their departmental expenses,
but in many Of the annual reports
will be seen the true desires of these
departments.
The Army wants to maintain a GER
tain efficiency. The Navy people are
talking about the necessity of bring
ing the strength of that force to the
ratio Of 5-5-3. Some of the talk is IN
justification of appropriations re-
Uuested, and some of it is in eXpec-
t1ton of increases by Congress itself
u the readjustment or rearrange-
mont of appropriations.
The public knows only about the
total sums recommended by the de-
partments, with the approval Of the
president. The controversies preced-
ing those recommendations are nat
llral sequels TO the effort of the
Budget Bureau to WELD the ak.
In one instance there came a direct
conflict on a certain item between the
Budget Bureau and a cabinet officer.
The latter took the natter to the
president personally
IF YOU approve that cut" said the
"Ihinet officer good-naturedly, you
''"n't need me or any one in my place.
Either the Budget Bureau runs my
department or do"
Tho item stayed in the estimate Of
eSHenses ot that department.
Tho foregoing incident illustrates
"W economy and efficiency may clash.
The Budget Bureau offers its ideas
~ what may be cut, but the cabinet
officers feel they are responsible for
1le proper operation of their depart
inents and that any cut which touches
their organizations yitally should be
eliminated. The President becomes
the arbiter in such disputes, and
usually when a cabinet officer has
made a good argument his opinion
has been accepted by the Chief
Executive.
This process of using the Budget
bureau as a check on the Government
departments is relatively new. The
budget system hasn't been in opera
ton long enough to determine
whether in time cabinet secretaries
will resent what they consider to be
outside suggestions or rather out
side decisions on matters of policy
affecting their departments.
Problem of Economy.
From the viewpoint Of the Budget
Bureau there Is much to be said about
the reIatiYlty of various economies.
The problem Of the Budget Bureau is
10 cut expenses everywhere to achieve
a. certain goal. The problem of the
individual department Is TO maintain
:, certain efficiency. Yet there will
be items viewed as important by n
cabinet Secretary. but which in the
Eyes of q budget officer may be less
necessary tnan an expenditure in
another Government department The
Budget Bureau looks at Government
expenses as a whole. The cabinet
"tHcer sees only the necessities OF his
own apartment
The general public has little idea
of how important in this connection
has become the decidiug power of
the Chief Executive. He is loaded
with a great deal more detail than
ever before. And when his task is
done and the estimates are submitted
70 Congress the Senate and House
begin to exercise their Judgment
Members of the various committees
are urged from the outside to insert
this or that item or to cut here and
there. Again the budget officers
opinion can be sought and there is
opportunity for the revival of con-
troversies previously aired between
the Budget Bureau and the Depart
ment heads.
Congress has shown a disposition
TO respect the recommendations of the
Budget Bureau. To the extent Con-
gress continues to hold its appropria-
tions within the budget will the long
hours of debate inside the executive
branch of the Government be worth
while, but if Congress should add a
few appropriations of its own, as IT
suggests every session, the whole