Evening star., 1932-11-27
By KARL w. MILLER

in a series of 1--WE daily dispatches. Of
which this is the first.
BY KARL w. MILLER
The session Of Congress this Winter
seems likely to witness an effort to re-
duce the size and expense of the Fed
eral Government on a scale and of a
sort unprecedented in the Nations his
tory. The approaching campaign OF
retrenchment, all the signs indicate,
will make the campaign for that pur-
pose last session seem feeble by com
parison, not necessarily in the results
accomplished but IN the noise ana
tumult accompanying the effort.
The reason is that the $500, ,000, 900
gross reduction in the budget Of certain
departments and bureaus that resulted
from last sessions attempt at retrench-
ment Just about exhausted the posi-
birties for economy in operation OF the
Government as it now exists. TINS
gross economy, siZable though 1t
seemed, at once was eaten up IN large
part by various emergency approprla-
tions for the fight against the depres-
sion, leaving the need for government
revenue not much reduced and the de-
mand for further economy correspond
ingly urgent. Yet, as result OF last
sessions reductions in the routine
budget, the Government really mas
been working on famine rations since
the beginning of the current fiscal year.
Many Strict Economies.
To fit the Federal establishment into
the revamped budget, necessary travel
allowances have been reduced, military
maneuvers and experiments with I'M
proved weapons have been curtalled,
officials have been encouraged to take
upper berths in Pullmans, obsolescent
equipment of many kinds has been
made to do" purchase of all but ordi-
nary supplies by the scientific bureaus
virtually was forbidden, documents ana
notices have been reduced in size and
printed in one color instead OF two,
salaries have been reduced and some
valued employees dismissed, valuable re-
ports on investigations already COM
pleted have been left imprinted, and In
thousand ways efforts have been
made to cut the corners and hold
down expenses.
Many a bureau is operating on
skeleton basis that actually nullnes
its usefulness.
In short, the economy drive last ses-
sion Just about went the limit in this
particular direction. With some minor
executions, it is obvious further re-
trenchment must come, not from more
reduction in the operating costs OF
existing government machinery, but
from a reduction of the machinery
itself. or Of its sphere Of action.
This Is where the economy shoe
really will begin to pinch, for it marks
the point where mere emergency
nickel-squeezing leaves off and the at
tempt begins to make a real retrench-
ment on a permanent basis. Not only
Federal bureaucrats but affected groups
Of citizens, such as war veterans,
farmers and others, this time will add
their protests to the general clamor.
Sentiment Nationwide.
Nevertheless, some reduction Of the
Government is almost bound to eyentu-
ate, for never before has there been
such popular feeling that the Federal
establishment, which cost 100000, 900
in 1918 and $4,000, 10000 in 1882, has
grown too big. Where such feeling
exists. Congress, in one way or another,
is certain to act.
Seldom before has there been such
national trnaninity on any subject what
ever. On the strength Of 1t, the Ma
tional Economy League, an infant or
ganization, headed by Rear Admiral
Richard z. Byrd, retired, and blessed
with an impressive advisory council,
including Calvin Coolidge and Alfred
E. Smith, has grown overnight to
rank with the country's leading propa-
ganda organizations.
With its definite program OF econo-.
~41 - t>A fFtyr14 a n
espoused, the league claims 1000, 900
members, many of them contributing.
The United States Chamber of Com
merce has encountered similar enthusi-
asm among business men for its pro-
posal in round numbers that 81 ,000, ,000,-
600 be Topped from the Federal budget.
Campaign Issue.
Among politicians economy has be-
come virtually a religious tenet. Con-
gressional candidates at the recent elec-
ton universally were committed to 1t.
Both major parties pledged themselves
eloquently to cut the cost of Govern
ment, the Democrats calling specifically
for a reduction of 25 per cent or
roughly $1,000. 100000, in annual Fed
eral expenditures.
This figure, it is true, has been chal-
lenged by the Republicans as impoSsi-
BILE of achievement 1t was pointed out
by President Hoover in his Detroit
campaign address that the routine out
lay of the Government this fiscal year,
after deducting emergency relief appro-
priations, Is only $3,647, 100000. After
subtracting from this the $3.50, 100000
set aside for public debt service and the
national defense, the President said,
only 81 ,667 000,000 is left, out OF which
to draw the proposed economy Of
81 900, 100000. Such a cut obviously Is
impracticable.
What the Democrats presumably
meant, however, and what the United
States Chamber Of Commerce also had
in mind was a cut Of 81 ZOO, ,000, 900
below the gross budget for the present
fiscal year. Such cut would include
the abandonment or curtailment of cur
rent emergency expenditures, some OF
which would cease in any case, and on
that basis 81 1000, 100000 reduction of
Federal expense is at least theoretically
possible. 1t would mean cut of about
S572 900 900 in the routine" annual
running cost Of the Government.
Hoover Proposals.
The scope of the impending economy
drive in Congress Is pretty well indi-
Gated In advance. Foremost in promise
of actual immediate reductions is the
plan of President Hoover to reduce this
Winters regular annual budget $780,
00o, 1000 below the current total. A de-
mand for this cut was made by the
President on all departments and
bureaus months ago, when first esti-
mates Of next years needs were being
submitted to the Budget Bureau. His
proposal, if carried out, would put in
effect at once a full half of the econo-
my program advocated by the United
States Chamber of Commerce and the
Democrats.
All of the Presidents proposed cut
however. must come from the operating
expenses Of the Government as it nov
exists, since actual elimination Of any
cogs from the Government machine car
| be accomplished only through specia
| legislation by Congress, which has nj
place in the budget message. AS alread.
| Indicated fbnva ic 1iffla rnny,1 fo