Evening star., 1932-03-08
Hoover Takes Position Little
Else Remains to Reduce
Cost of Conducting Govern
ment Business.
PREVIOUS ECONOMIES
CITED IN STATEMENT
Executive Says Ways and Means
Committee Requires Further Saw
ings in Budget Amounting to
$125, 100000 in Order to Balance
Figures for Year.

President Hoover took the posi-
ton today that the best remain
ing means of slicing Federal ex-
penses is for Congress to help cut
down or suspend duties and
functions of various Government
branches.
In stating this today at his BIZ
weekly press conference, President
Hoover said the administration
officials were cooperating with
the Special Economy Committee
of the House in general drive
to cut down expenses and bring
about further economies SO as to
make the. budget balance.
Other Means Sought.
Due to the trimming of the budget
for the next fiscal year resorted to by
the Budget Bureau and subsequently
by the House Appropriations Commit
tee, there is very little left to be cut.
Therefore ways and means of effect
ing further economies are now being
studied.
You will recollect," Mr. Hoover ex-
planned, that the budget sent to Con-
gress represented reductions in expen-
ditures for the next fiscal year of about
1865 100000 below the present fiscal
year. The House Appropriations Com
mittee has reduced the amounts OF
bills SO far reported out by about
SIP ,0O0, goo. OF this, however, between
60 and 20 million dollars Is defer
ment until Congress meets next De-
cember when they will be compelled
to meet positive obligations by de-
ficiency bills. To this extent, there
fore, the reductions do not help next
years expenditures.
In order to meet the requirements
of the Ways and Means Committee"
Mr.. Hoover continued to explain, that
expenditures must be reduced by s125,-
o00, 900 in order to balance the budget,
it is necessary that further cuts be
made. There is very little room left
for reductions by administrative action
and the House Appropriations Commit
tee has passed upon the major supply
bills except the Army and Navy. Fur
ther economies must be brought about
by authorization of Congress, either by
reorganization of the Federal machinery
or change in the legal requirements
as to expenditure by the various
services.
Economies Recommended.
"The director of Veterans affairs
has proposed to the special House Com
mittee on economy changes in the laws
relating to pensions and other allow
anceS which would produce economies
of between $50.000,000 and 100000, 900
| per annum. The Postmaster General
| is placing before the committee changes
. in the legal requirements of post Office
expenditures. The Secretary Of Agri-
culture has suggested changes in the
law requiring expenditures in the De-
partment of Agriculture, and the other
departments are engaged in prepara-
ton of similar drastic recommended
tions.
Il believe the Committee on Economy
through administrative reorganization
and such methods as have mentioned
will be able to find a large area Of
ECONOMY.
Nothing is more important" Mr.
Hoover declared with emphasis, than
balancing the budget with the least in
crease in taxes. The Federal Govern
ment should be in such position that
1t will need issue no securities, which
increase the public debt, after the be-
ginning Of the next fiscal year, July /.
That is vital to the still further pro-
motion of employment and agriculture.
1t gives positive assurance to business
and industry that the Government will
keep out of the money market and al
low industry and agriculture to borrow
the moneys required for the conduct Of
business. 1 cannot overemphasiZe the
importance of the able non-partisan
effort being made by the Ways and
Means Committee and the Economy
Committee of the House, whose work
are complementary to each other"