Evening star., 1932-10-23

/ UDeTdl. tdlHtI IL 10 slON
extinction under bureaucracy of libel
crease over 1927 in public works and
vessel construction to relieve unemploy-
ment of s337 100000 They include
S243, 10000 OF emergency relief to
farmers. Beyond this they include
$1l2000,000 of emergency relief to the
Postal Department because Of falling
off of receipts from the depression itself
They include a special payment to vet
Grams on the bonus and other items OF
S124 100000 as depression relief.
Thus we have a sum of emergency
expenditures in relief OF the depression
of S815, 100000 and If We adopt the
Governors own definition of ordinary
routine expenditures and deduct this
sum, then the ordinary routine costs of
than those Of l927-not one billion
greater, as he states.
Should Have Chosen 1929.
The year 1927 was an especially low
and national defense, and II the Cover
nor wanted to be fair. he could have
adopted the year 1929, the last year
before my administration, in which you
can be sure there was no waste under
President Coolidge. He not only prac-
ticed economy. but gave the most prac-
tical demonstration ever seen in gov
ernment Had the Governor adopted
that year, with its total expenditures OF
$3.848, ,000, 900. and deducted from 1881
the extraordinary expenditures due to
relief, he would find there was an actual
decrease in expenditures of upward OF
$500, 000, 900 in the ordinary conduct OF
government during my administration.
But of more importance, the Governor
promises that he will reduce Federal
expenditures a billion year.
And now / would like to examine the
record of the last session of Congress
in its relation to economy as compared
with the efforts of the administration
for it is Illuminating upon both the
Democratic platform and the Governor {
promises.
Prepared Cut Year Ago.
In October a year ago We prepared
the budget formulated before the crisis
became completely acute, reducing ex
penditures by 1869 100000 over th'
previous year. The situation having
grown more tense you will recollec'
that in a message to the Congress or
December I pointed out that revenues
were falling steadily and then fore
cast a drop of $500, 100000. and thai
we must have even more definite ane
actual reduction in Government eX
penditures than was possible by exec
utive action, and again repeated m,
oft made recommendations for legis
lative authority to effect furthe
economies by consolidation, elimina
ton Of bureaus, etc AS the situation
became daily more tense you will recol
lect that 1 again, on January 4, ad
dressed the Congress and urged tn
growing seriousness Of the situation
demanded that we must have "furthe
and more drastic economy in expendl
lures On February II, you will recol
lect 1 urged upon Congress again "th
absolute necessity for most drasti
economy" and proposed methods b.
which further economies could b.
brought about. The reply to this urgin'
for economy was not economy, but tn
passage by the Democratic House OF
March 4 Of the Gasque omnibus pen
sion bill. I vetoed that bill. On Apri
adequate action not yet having beel
taken by the Congress to reduce ex
penditures. you will recollect that
again addressed them, stating that tn
s369. 900, 900 of cuts originally recon-
mended in the executive budget wer
entirely inadequate to the growing stu
alton and proposed further saving
which must have legislative authority
I pointed out the gravity of the situation
and asked that a national committe
on economy representing the Senat
and the House and the Executive shoul'
be appointed to review the entire ques
ton. The Democratic leaders de
nounced this suggestion as dictatorship
The House did appoint a committee
The administration at once recon-
mended that legislative authority b
given to effect certain positive economic
amounting to $3.50, 100000 and certain
indirect economies amounting to $50,
100000. The same time we asked TO
more cuts by the Appropriation Com
mittees. BY the time these recon-
mendations had filtered through tn
Democratic Committee and the Demo
cratic House the economy bill ha'
dwindled to savings Of 40,000,000. al
though the Senate eventually restoret
part of them. Again as If in reply t
my request for economies Of April /
bill which was not economy wa
passed by the Democratic House settin
up a train of large Indiana claim
which had been settled IS years age
which I was compelled to veto.
Addressed Senate in Person.
| On May 81 I addressed the Senate il
person, pointing out the disastrous ef
| feet of the failures of the Congress IL
efiecting economies and to balance tn
budget without the shocks to the Fed
eral credit and its responsibility TO
degeneration in the economic system
and stated 1.-The probable decrease IL
revenues by 81 100000 necessitate
absolute reduction in Government ex
penditures," and demanded as a frs
consideration that still more drasti
economy be practiced. I asked for
| total reduction of $400, ,000, 900 In addi
ton to my original proposal, the pre-
vious December, of $369, ,000, 900, maxim
a sum Of nearly $500, 900. 900 of econ
omies, and I pointed out where the
could be obtained.
Despite the desperate situation Of tn
country. the helpful reply Of the Demo
cratic House eight days later was NO
economy but the passage of the Garner
Rainey pork barrel bill, one portion Q
which called for increased expenditure
of s., 200 ,000, 600. I appealed for publ
support In protest and I am glad to sa
that the public so rallied that the bi
practically died. Again showing thei
utter disregard of the Nations pheh
on June Is the Democratic House pass
"a the PatmAn hlll for the cash prepay