Evening star., 1932-01-31
BUDGET IS NEXT
JOB FOR CONGRESS
Republicans and Democrats
Intent on Balancing Book
by 1884.
gy the Associated Press

By the Associated Press
February's coming finds Congress in
tent on a big book, which the party
captains aim to transform from a story
Of Treasury deficits to one Of balanced
financing.
For weeks It lay on desks seldom no.
ticed by comparison with study given
the reconstruction program. But now
its thousand pages are being thumbed
its myraid figures scrutinized-becauSe
it would be both patriotic and good
politics to get Federal accounts even
again As soon as possible.
The Budget" as large black type on
the cover proclaims the 4-pound dOCu-
n1ent to be. caused people to pause last
month with the revelation that an ac-
cumulated deficit exceeding $4,000 000,
900 threatens for the end Of the next
fiscal year 1t wasn't long before IN
Sistent demands for retrenChment came.
BY this time it is clear both Repub-
licAn and Democratic chiefs have the
goal to get Federal books balanced be-
ginning with the 1884 fiscal year. Two
paths lead the way Unsparing eX-
penditure reduction and higher taxes.
Progress Has Been Made.
Progress has been made already.
Coming days will show the more how
iron-bound is the will to keep Federal
cash from going out except where Con-
Rress deems it imperative.
To date each appropriation bill has
been cut by millions below the estimates
President Hoover forwarded in the S4,-
600 600 900 budget for the year opening
next July lst. Even before that the
administration had the various depart
ments drasticslly reduce what they
planned to ask.
There can be no absolute assurance
of how it will end up, however, until
Congress has adjourned. Appropriations
sometimes are authorized and made
that are not included in the budgeting
At this session, for example, the
So25, 900, 900 made available for the Re-
construction Corporation and to bolster
the Federal land banks was not en-
braced by the budget.
Tsst session the millions Congress al
lowed for veterans loans was not an
ticipated in Federal accounting. Should
the legislators decide to approve Fed
eral unemployment relief, the funds
for that. too, would necessitate fiscal
realignment.
Best Use of Dollars.
An this may seem far removed to the
eitizen in Omaha or Miami, but it is
his tax dime or dollar that is the
subject of the tedious and complicated
adjusting. Just as with him, the prob
lem is how best to use the dimes and
dollars coming in.
But where he might have a rela-
lively simple time, 1t takes more than
q year and the concentration OF num-
bers Of experts and legislators TO ar
range the Federal budget. First, in
the Spring and Summer, every govern
mental agency has to take stock, eX-
anime what's been done that year,
what can be done in the coming year
under the laws governing the money
at hand and what it considers Con-
SreeS should provide for IN the next
nscal year after that.
It estimates the cost, and gradually
the executives go before the Budget Bu-
Yesu, which weighs each item and COM
r,Iles a comparison with the estimated
revenues.
Little by little, as weeks pass, that
huIreau-noW headed by j. ClaWSon
Poop-shaves this and that item,
makes a transfer here and an insertion
there Every Thursday when the CLOCK
strikes the director meets the Presi-
dent by appointment at the White
House
Nowadays he stays but a short time,
but last Fall when the drive to cut
expenses was gathering momentum Mr..
ROOD invariably conferred for long
time with Mr. Hoover.
$3.50, 1000, 900 Shaved OF.
Together they went over ways of cut
ting down. Next day entries IN the
b big book would be modified. And in
November when finally the job was
done, the President announced every
item has been cut" for a total reduc-
ton under department estimates OF
more than S350,000,000.
But that was only a beginning The
big book reached the House Approprl-
ationS Committee, where-Wtth Demo-
Gratis in control and Republicans as
senting-the estimates faced further
slashins. AS is the practice, SubCom-
mittees instituted secret hearings in
which every penny to be spent has to
be accounted for by the executives re-
sponsible
there while across the Capitol con-
course the Ways and Means Committee
concerns itself with the other side OF
the stupendous ledger, how 10 increase
taxes to make It balance. When com
rntttAe work is done for the time being
The Representatives these days enter
the House chamber and more often
than not find one Of the money bills
being debated.
II was there the House learned that
It's Appropriations Committee so lar
has reduced by over $3l 100000 the
budget estimates of about 1881 ,OOO,OO0
for the Agriculture, Interior and trSt
deficiency bills. No items are being
increased.
While the President has informed
party leaders he welcomes cuts, so long
as vital functions are not impaired, 1t
can hardly be said his SubordlnateS
are highly pleased by Congress going
the Budget Bureau one better.
Run Difficult GantIets.
once out of committee, the appro-
,,riations have to run other difficult
Eantlets. The House goes over figure
BY figure altering this and that, but
in general accepting committee recon-
nendationS.
Then the bill is passed and the
process is repeated in the Senate. but
In not such strict degree. Its Appro-
priations Committee reviseS somewhat
the Senate makes other amendments
and finally a conference must be had
bv a committee Of Senators and Repre-
sentatives to adjust differences. AS
rule, the total appropriated does not
differ very decidedly from what
the House Appropriations, Committee
agreed on.
Finally, the bill gets accepted again
and Is intrllsted to a messenger Tor
transportation up Pennsylvania avenue
to the White House. The President
submits it to the Budget Bureau and
the departments affected. If no major
objection is made, he signs and 1t be
comes law. If sufficient objection Is
raised, he vetoes it and Congress has
to pass on the matter all over again.
once the appropriation is law, the
rr-.s s,,r,- stn,,ds readN 10 marcel out