Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-03-12

The specter of q deficit oyershadows
the Treasury. Much VIII depend on now
Uncle Sam fares In his collections Of the
March is installment Of the income tax.
In past years Treasury experts In their
advance estimates have erred on the
side of conservatism and tax receipts
have run ahead of the anticipated rev.
enues It remains TO be seen IL the same
holds true this time. When the budget
went to Congress In December, and on
the basis of estimated tax receipts this
March and next June, 1t was figured
that the Treasury might end up its MS
cal year on June 30 with q possible
surplus margin Of $225, 000,000 Since
December this prospective surplus has
dwindled almost to the vanishing point,
and forthcoming collections more than
ever hold the balance between surplus
and deficit. Now the Farm Board has
sent out an SOS for more funds, itS
initial allotment of $50, 100000 out Of
the promised billion dollar revolv-
ing fund having been exhausted In loan
and grain purchase commitments. The
President has called on Congress to put
another hundred million dollars at the
immediate disposal Of the board. This
makes q further dent In Uncle Sans
depleted bank roll.
In comparison with other drafts on
the Treasury, the paltry $4,000 add
tional, which Congress Is now asking
for, to see the American naval delega-
ton at London through the show there
and to bring them home at its conclu-
sion, is but q drop in the proverbial
bucket. But Congress in its present
mood is apt to talk more about the
hotel bills of the naval delegates than
about the Farm Boards extra hundred
million. At least congressional approval
Of a further appropriation for naval
parley expenses offers a plausible pre-
text for the knockers to get out their
hammers.
Former Gov. Pinchot of Pennsylvania,
after some months of watchful waiting,
convinced that the Republican primary
gubernatorial contest Is to be Q finish
tight between the Ware and the Grundy
factions, has finally SHE'D his hat into
the ring, in the hope that In q three
cornered contest he can bring home
convinced that the state Of Mr.. Wares
health Is going to keep Ware out Of the
senatorial contest, has finally concluded
to throw down the gauntlet to Mr.
Grundy and to battle him for the
Senatorship. Thus Is the stage set for
another Pennsylvania political drama
comparable in intensity and excitement,
and very likely in cost, too, to the 1925
show when Pepper, Pinchot, Ware,
Fisher and Beidleman came to grips.
Primary day Is May 20, so 1t will not
be long to wait. Presumably before
going on the stump in Pennsylvania,
Mr.. Davis will resign his place In the
cabinet which he has held for nine
years under three Presidents, though as
yet that Is simply presumptive.
The latest turn in affairs In the Sem
ate tariff tug Of war has led the phrase
makers to label the newly formed voting
combination the billion dollar bloc"
Its membership comprises the Old
Guard Republicans, who had taken such
beating in the earlier stages of the
contest, with recruits from the Young
Turks and from the farm bloc, plus q
handful from the Democratic section
Of the late lamented coalition. Like q
French ministry, the billion-dol bloc
legislative day, but as this Is written 1t
Is In control of the tariff bills destiny,
has rewritten upward the rate on
sugar, restored duty on cement, and
Is conniving to give to oil and lumber
and hides, and other free list conmodi-
ties, the benefits and bounties Of tarin
protection. "All for one and one for all"
Is the pledge and password Of this new
bipartisan East-West North-South vot-
ing combination.
The twentieth anniversary Of the
founding of the Boy Scouts OF America,
celebrated here this week, brought
President Hoover TO the banquet board