Evening star., 1932-04-08

| the largest single item of savings in
enforced reduction would be in the
aeronautics bureau. which would have
/ to suspend operations of 5000 miles of
airways lighting and 1900 miles of
teletype weather reporting circuits.
Plans Discarded.
Following the action Of the Senate
| in directing a 10 per cent cut in the
items" said Mr. Lamont, II called the
heads of all the bureaus into confer
ence We considered exempting GER
tain Offices and applying greater per-
| cerltage to others to compensate there
! for, but had to discard such a plan as
impractical. About As per cent of o,Ir
total funds are devoted to the Light
house Service and aeronautics branch.
and II they were excused on the ground
of rendering services which could NOT
19 per cent in the other Offices. and
every one of them is performing func-
tions which could not be further re-
duced AS a consequence, it would have
been necessary to eliminate entirely
whole divisions and units.
THE only feasible plan that could be
developed was to require each bureau to
consider reducing its funds 10 per cent.
applying it to the items which would
result in the least embarrassment to
their work. The responses of the bu-
reaus are attached for the information
of your committee They indicate where
the reductions could best be made, but
at the same time set forth the adverse
effect. Also, these memorandums show
clearly the impracticability of exempt
| ing certain bureaus and making corre-
spondingly greater reductions in others.
Necessity Appreciated.
"The other officials Of the department,
as well as myself, fully appreciate the
necessity for the strictest economy; and,
If the proposed reduction should prevail
every one will do his best to get along
with the funds appropriated. However
since the estimates as submitted to
Congress represent our best Judgment,
as well as that Of the Appropriations
| Committees, as to the requirements for
| the effcient administration of the func-
tions devolving up us as prescribed by
Congress, feel obliged to take the posi-
ton of not assuming any responsibility
| for the results Of the effect of the pro-
posed additional cut Of 10 per cent on
| the operations of the bureaus of this
department"
Secretary of Labor Doak said a 10
per cent cut could be made in the ap-
preparation for his department by
reduction in personnel and curtailment
of services.
1T is evident" he said. that no
| savings can be made in the Depart
ment of Labor without curtailing the
work assigned to us by law, and that
| curtailment can only be made by re-
duction in the personnel of depart
ment which, while representative of the
great body Of the gainfully employed of
our country, now receives the least
amount allotted to the departments of
/ the Government.
Notwithstanding a real desire on my
part to be helpful in meeting the
wishes of Congress am unable to sug-
gest, especially in these times, any way
in which we could do the work we are
required to do for our people If the 10
per cent cut were inaugurated.
THE Department of Labor has no
building program other than the upkeep
and repair Of immigration stations.
II feel convinced that much as de-
sire to meet the critical situation in the
Government, infinitely more harm will
be done to the country than good can
come from any further reduction Of
! cost"
Secretary Of Treasury Mills declared
| his department is the heart of the
Government and that 10 per cent
cut would have to be made through
| delaying 275 public building projects.
Fer the purposes covered by Treasury
appropriations in the pending bill, heads
| OF bureaus and offices submitted esti-
mates aggregating s32o.41I,077," said
Secretary Mills. After examination by
the Budget and improvement Commit
tee and the budget officer, items aggre-
eating $22, 2,196,218 were deducted before
! the estimates were submitted to the
Bureau of the Budget. That bureau
| made further reductions before SUBJ
! mitting the estimates to the Congress,
| and the bill as passed by the House is
in the aggregate amount of 1854, ,311 ,988,
| or $66,099, ,089 less than the original
estimates submitted by heads of bureaus
and Offices.
Fears Effect of Cuts.
! in my letter of March 8, 1892, in
response to your letter of February 81.
| 1882, with respect to the Treasury
| appropriation bill, 1 requested a few
increases in appropriations as passed
by the House of Representatives, but
in view of the imperative need for a
drastic reduction in expenditures I did
not question the remainder lover 95 per
cent? of the radical reductions made by
the House below the amounts submitted
in the budget
If a further arbitrary reduction of
over $4,000. 900 is to be made, I am
at loss to point out where (except
for one appropriation, hereinafter men.
ttoned) such a reduction. or any SUBJ
stantial part of it, can be made with.
out curtailing and seriously hamperins
essential activities of the Government,
The appropriations for the Customs
and Internal Revenue Services have
already been reduced to the point
where any further reduction will i'm
peril the collection Of the revenues. The
appropriations for the various fiscal
offices are principally for personal serv-
ices, and any further reduction therein
must result in disnlissing necessary en-
pioyes and very seriously hampering
the prompt and efficient performance
OF their duties by those Offices"
According to Postmaster General
Brown, 10 per cent reduction in the
Post Office Department appropriation
would curtail urban mail deliveries.
scrap many postal stations, consolidate
rural routes and limit others to three
trips a week. 1t also would mean, he
said, dismissal of from 10000 to 10000
employees.
Severe Results Seen.
Inc erect upon the efficiency of the
service would, of course, be severe" said
Mr.. Brown. Large numbers of post
Office workers cannot be dismissed ex-
cept at the expense Of the service rem
dered the public. The department
performs no service which it can aban-
don altogether, but it performs no
service which it cannot restrict within
such limits as the action of Congress
may neceSsitate. The reduction of the
force which would follow the adoption
OF the plan which the Senate has in
mind would mean, among other things,
the curtailment of urban delivery and
collection service in both residential and
business districts, the abandonment of
many postal stations and branches and
the immediate consolidation of thou
sands OF rural routes and the limitation
Of others to triweekly service In other