Evening star., 1932-12-29
Merger Authority to
Effect Economy Is
Planned.
GARNER AND RAINEY
BACK BYRNS' BILL
Proposal Would Be Made
to Amend General
Deficiency Bill.

the House has tentatively agreed
upon a proposal to give President
elect Roosevelt broad authority to
reorganize the Government to
effect economies as major step
toward balancing the Federal
budget.
The proposal is to be offered by
Chairman Byrns of the Appropri-
ations Committee probably as an
amendment to the general detl-
cheney bill late in the present ses-
sion if it is not put on another
supply bill by the Senate.
The President-e elect will begin
an intensive study of the govern
mental structure when he goes
to Warm Springs, Ga, next
month. Various experts will be
summoned there to supply the
information he needs in tackling
the job of reorganization.
The study was planned by Mr.. Roose-
welt before he returned to Albany from
his recent trip to the Georgia health
resort. At that time, he contemplated
devoting 10 days of his Warm Springs
stay to the departmental study.
Garner Backs Plan.
Speaker Garner today expressed the
n1jOht see CQe
proposal for executive authority as
step toward reducing Government eA-
penditures. : 49,,
Representative Rainey Of Illinois, the
Democratic floor leader, also Is
sponsor of the movement
In making known the details OF the
plan. Representative Byrns said: :.
Il have given the subject OF conson-
dating and abolishing Federal agencies
considerable thought and l have cen
cluded that Congress cannot effect such
reorganization.
THE President has the machinery at
hand to do it and by giving him
authority to place economies into effect
we can EXPECT to be able to rely upon
It that they will be put into effect"
Both Garner and Byrns said Con-
gress would have power to pass upon
any consultations made by the mccm-
ing President. ~ :.
"Congress would have the right, in
the last analysis, to pass upon the
Presidents budgetary estimates" Byrns
said.
Hoover Changes Automatic.
Garner, asked whether this proposal
would mean the blocking OF the reor-
ganization of more than SO agencies
recommended by President Hoover un-
Act naSSed last
Spring, replied: Not necessarily.
The Hoover proposals, which go INTO
effect automatically in February unless
CONGRESS takes action to prevent it,
could 20 into effect and then the new
President, Garner said, could reofganlze
them as he saw fit.
1t has already been forecast oy
Chairman Cochran of the House Ex-
penditures Committee, however, that a
resolution to prohibit the Hoover recon-
mendationS from going into effect.
would be offered. It requires action OF
but one branch to stop the executive
orders.
Discussing revenue earlier in the day
Rainey and Byrns said that along with
the beer tax and continuation OF the
Federal gasoline levy, it might be pos
sible to bring the budget into balance
if this proposed reorganization au-
thority is granted to Mr.. Roosevelt.
Rainey said the Democrats hoped
that it will not be necessary to impose
any irritating taxes" and that the House
Ways and Means Committee would sur
yey the situation next week.
Rainey said Representative Smell OF
New York, the Republican floor leader,
has indicated the Republicans attl-
tude on economies through his fight for
the S46OO00 for heating plant for
Howard University. which was not ap-
proved by the Budget Bureau nor by
the Appropriations Committee. How
ever. the Republicans, almost by solid
vote. forced that item into the Interior
Departments supply bill.
Hits Treasury Raids.
In proposing blanket authority for
the President-elect, Rainey said the
present Government is being controlled
bv organized minorities including So
600 to 10000 Federal employees who
have been leading the raids on the
Treasury for their own benefits.
Every time Congress tries to erect
economies these people send telegrams
to their folks at home and within a
few days members of Congress begin
to hear from home and the movement
is blocked before it actually gets
started
Asked about the refusal of the Demo-
cratic House to give President Hoover
blanket authority to reorganlze the
Government last Spring, Rainey said
Enormous expenditures have been
made under President Hoover, the larg-
est of any administration since the
World War period. The reason he die
not get the authority was because the
country lost confidence in Mr.. Hoover
Rainey also assailed the Treasury 1ol
its estimates on revenue.
I'VE can't trust the estimates OF the
present Treasury Department as to the
income of the Federal Government" he
said.
THE Republican Treasury Depart
ment will have to be cleaned out SO We
can get some reliable information"
AssaiIs G. O. p. Policy.
Byrns said that by giving Mr.. Roose-
welt blanket authority to place econ.
omies In effect, the control minorltles
have been holding over members o.
Congress that has blocked moves to re-
duce expenditures, would be averted.
Rainey argued that the policy OF
the present administration and the Re-
publican leaders is apparent" and thai
''they intend to block every effort ol
the Democrats for economy at the short
session"
Already the House has effected $425,-
100000 in economies on the first three
appropriation bills, including S40,000,-
900 cut off the budget estimates Rainey
said. I'VE plan to continue the same
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