Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-01-29

DuuSets Inc freSlUent anu Hc1Hu<ES
ministrators into action, to work an
other transformatiOn-to convert that
S94, 900, 900 indicated deficit into an as
sured surplus. BY his direction the ex-
penditure program for the year was
radically modified. The pruning knife
fell here and there and everywhere in
the grim fight for balanced budget
Proposed expenditures of doubtful i'm
mediate necessity went under the guillo-
tine. Every year since the installation
of the budget system has been a fight
ing year, but this year We are making
the supreme fight Of our history.
"A man and his wife were brought
before the judge for disturbing the
peace. In response to the judges in
quiry the man explained:
1T was thiS-a-way, Jedge. Me and
the wife was quarreling over the wash
money. She called me a lazy loafer
and hit me over the head with a kittle.
I knocks her down. Up she comes and
knocks me down and kicks me in the
neck
well, what then? asked the Judge
We'll. then we gets mad and starts
to fight"
And we have started to fight. We
have not had deficit since the inaug-
uration of the Budget. We think it too
late to begin now. We realize the
seriousness Of the deficit threat, and
are calling out all our reserves to meet
it. If we fail and June 80 finds the
balance on the wrong side of the Treas
ury ledger we propose that the Federal
service be able to say with clear con-
science
1--WE made an honest fight for a
balanced budget, we husbanded our
supplies. We conserved our funds, We
made every endeavor to increase our
receipts and reduce our expenditures,
we have done all we could.
Devotion Of Personnel
zone of the greatest assets Of this
great Government is the devotion of its
personnel to the Federal service and
their whole hearted commitment to the
particular projects with which they
are charged. It Is therefore q radical
departure from the usual to call upon
these administrators and ask them to
modify their plans for the purpose OF
saving money with which to balance
the National budget. The quite gem
eral ready and sympathetic response
to the Presidents appeal emphasizes
the splendid morale of the service and
shows its realization that the fmpor-
lance of q balanced budget outweighs
the Importance of their especial prof.
ects.
"One able Federal administrator who
disburses millions was greatly concern
ed when it was suggested that he re-
duce his spending program by q con-
siderable amount. Said he: If re-
duce my expenditures by that amount
1t viii seriously interfere with my
plans. What am going to do?' He
was told the story Of the woman on an
Atlantic steamship. The sea got a
little rough, and she sent for the color
ed steward.
what am going to do II I am
taken sick?' she asked.
said the steward: Lady, it's no use
telling you what you'Se goin' to do II
you'se taken sick. You'se going to do
it anyhow
1.-THE money Is being saved!
'As result of this drastic action
and an improvement in the revenue
outlook, the budget for 1890 as sub
mitted to Congress showed possible
surplus for the current year Of $685.
990,192. And while the flush Of victory
still mantled our cheeks unexpected
and unheralded demands rudely wiped
out our $37,000,000 surplus and put in
its place an apparent deficit OF about
the same amount. But We are still
fighting. <''
Federal Casualty Club.
1--WE haven't organized a new service
club since the advent of the much dis
cussed Woodpecker Club. The time is
ripe and need urgent for the installation
of a new saving organization, and so !
present for your approval the Federal
Casualty Club. To acquire membership
you will from now on up to and includ-
ing June 80 next, let all vacancies re-
main untitled. thereby contributing to-
ward a balanced budget the far from
negligible sum of $12 100000. This does
not contemplate the withholding of pro-
motions. It directs itself only to the
filling Of vacancies by new appoint
ments.
1.-THE Bureau Of the Budget makes
first application for membership.
And am confident this can be done
without much trouble or sacrifice. You
should take for your model the mem
Der of the country band which was re-
turning on midnight train from a
celebration in neighboring town. The
train conductor asked one of the some
what inebriated members of the organ
ization for his ticket. The man said he
had lost it. The conductor said:
"'Oh. no, my man. you couldn't do
that. You couldn't lose your ticket
ct couldn't lose my ticket?' replied
the man, in an aggrieved tone of voice
I've lost the bass drum
You have accomplished much more
difficult things than the one you are
now asked to do-to save us that
$12,500,0 900.
Cut on Estimates. .r
"The estimates sent to Congress for
1880 call for $280,777 ,61733 less than
the departments originally asked Cuts
in estimates made by the Budget Bureau
during the entire budget period-reduc-
tions made by direction of the President
before submission to Congress-totaled
$l,961 .681 ,076.49. This, however, does
not tell the whole story, for budget
boards organized In the various depart
ments take their toll before the esti-
mates are sent to the Budget Bureau.
The Treasury Department Budget Board
for example, reduced estimates by $751;
1926 :085.5 while the War Department
authorities shaved $500, 56O,O46 from
estimates before sending them to the
Bureau OF the Budget. Exclusive of re-
auctions made by other budget boards,
we have total reduction under budget
procedure of $2.613, 766,2O7.54. These
major operations were not performed
without protests and prophecies of dire
calamity as a result of such reductions.
But the disasters and fatalities predicted
have not materialized and we have to-
day a more efficient organization than