Evening star., 1932-02-21
HOUSE ECONOMY
GROUP APPROVED
Rules Body o. K.'sa Demo-
cratic Plan for Special
Committee of SeN4en.
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
Determined to reduce govel simental
costs, the Democrats yesterday pushed
to the House doors their propos 81 for q
special economy committee to TO roe .
curtailment Of Federal activities
Meanwhile, they received an uneM-
pected setback when their ARMY and
Navy consolidation bill was bt kged
down in the Expenditures Committee.
Following the party policy of wgrk-
ing toward balanced budget by 1888
through slashes in appropriations and
increased taxes, the party leaders ex-
pect to be in position to recommend
abolition and consolidation of certain
Government agencies by April Is.
The Douglas resolution authorizing
Speaker Garner to establish a special
committee of seven TO work with the
appropriations and expenditures groups
in formulating the reduction program
was approved today by the House Rules
Committee.
House Action Due Soon.
Republican committee members
maintained the survey should be made
by Joint congressional group. Chair
| man Pou plans to bring the resolution
up for final House action this week.
Favorable action, expected yesterday
on the Byrns bill to merge the War
and Navy Departments and effect a
500 100000 yearly saving, failed to ma
terialize in the Expenditures Commit
tee A subcommittee was ordered to
make a further study of the proposal,
in view of claims that it ran counter
to existing law.
Although a motion was made behind
closed doors to approve the measure,
it was not put to the committee by
Chairman Cochran when 1t became
evident party lines would fall.
Representative Martin, Democrat. OF
Oregon, a former general in the Army.
, opposed the proposition along with
number of Republicans, including Rep
resentative Schafer of Wisconsin. Rep
resentative Williamson, Republican, OF
, South Dakota, favored it.
Favorable Action Seen.
Cochran expressed the belief. how
ever. that favorable action would come
within a reasonable time despite oppo-
I Sition from President Hoover and Sec
retaries Hurley and Adams
Meanwhile the committee will con-
slider the administration proposal to
| create a public works department to
concentrate all the public building ac-
| tivities under one head. Secretary Hur-
| ley has been asked to appear next
Wednesday
, President Hoover's special message
Wednesday asking congressional author
| ity to revamp the Government set-up
! is being backed by Republicans. and
| bills to carry out his request are to
be brought before the Expenditures
| Committee.
Will Get Mills Bill.
Approaching the balanced budget
! problem from the viewpoint of in
creased taxes, acting Chairman Crisp
said Secretary Mills draft Of the Demo-
cratic suggested selected manufactures
sales tax would be received Tuesday by
| the House ways and Means Committee,
WITH that information We expect
then 70 be able TO progress rapidly in
| fornllst ting the bill" the Georgia DEM
ocrat said We have already decided
upon income and estate and gift taxes,
but about $500 900 900 more lemains
to be raised.
THE attitude of the public toward in
creasing taxes is beginning to change.
While no one likes increased taxes. pa
| triotic people realize that the budget
must be balanced in order that eco
p, nomic stability may be secured"
Chairman Byrns of the Appropria-
i
Douglas Democrat, of Arizona
sponsored the Economy Committee
! measure before the Rules Committee
at hearing yesterday and explained
it was approved by the Democratic
leadership.
Cites Economy Need.
The time has come when We must
cut down government expenses and
activities" Douglas said. speaking OF
an increase Of S1.000.000,0 900 annually
in government expenditures in the last
decade. No one denies the necessity
for economy"
The Arizonan said Representative
Smell of New York Republican leader,
favored the purpose OF the measure.
He urged that the House approve re-
ductions and put the responsibility OF
: making them effective on the Senate
Representative Schafer, Republican
, of Wisconsin, an prohlbltlonlst
said. Ii is remarkable that the econ
: omy experts Of the Democratic party
! led by Speaker Garner Chairman
ByrnS of tie Appropriations Committee
, and Representative Douglas. let thell
eagle eyes pass over the prohlbltlon
unit in saving the peoples money.
: These are the same horSemen that
' once voted s24000,000 for prohibition
r enforcement that the President didn't
want. So we can't take too seriously
their economy war cries for political