Evening star., 1933-12-11
The Budget.

the lirnelight again this week. Presl-
dent Roosevelt and his director OF the
Bureau of the Budget, Lewis Douglas,
are due to get down to brass tacks on
this importan: document, whipping it
into final shape for Congress. Mr.
Douglas has already indicated that the
budget for the ordinary expenditures
of the Government-the so-called regu-
lar budget-will be slightly less than
$500 900, 900. These expenditures, plus
the commitments of the Government
for the extraordinary budget, the ex-
penditures for the recovery program,
can be taken care Of during the coming
fiscal year from the expected revenues
of the Government, Mr.. Douglas has
said. However, if there be material in
creases in the extraordinary budget,
then, the director of the budget has
made it clear, the people must expect
to bear additional tax burdens. In
deed, he has indicated that these bur-
dens will in all probability fall on the
great middle class Of the country,
which, after all, bears the brunt Of
all tax collections.
Mr. Douglas has undertaken the task
of balancing the budget. which means
that the expenditures of the Govern
ment shall remain within the sum Of
the Governments receipts. 1t is expect
ed that he will seek to keep at mini
mum any proposals for additional ap-
preparations for the various prof sets of
the recovery program. But already there
have been signs that the public works
administration will be seeking another
S1,700, 900, 900 to round out the program
to an even five billion dollars. and that
$500 000, 900 more will be asked for the
relief of the unemployed and the des-
titute. Undoubtedly some more money
will be needed to carry on public works
which have been undertaken. But the
need is to rare these expenditures to
the limit, unless, indeed, the camels
back is to be broken. No government
and no people can stand ltnceasing de-
mands for additional taxes. The pub
lie works program was started in order
to give employment to the men and
women cut OF work, to give an impetus
to private industry. If this cannot be
done with the expenditure of more
than $4,000, 100000, it does not appear
that it can be done with the appropri-
alton and expenditure of an additional
$l,700, ,o00,0 900, OF even another five bill
lions of dollars
II the administration is anxious-as,
of course, it is-to increase purchasing
power and to set an example of better
pay to the employers of labor all over
the country, it can, with justice to its
100000 employees, restore the fifteen per
cent pay cut which was exacted of
them in the name of economy early this
year. Inclusion in the budget of the
money necessary to restore the pay Of
the civil and military servants of the
Government to their basic rate has al
ready been indicated
The separation of the expenditures of
the Government into two classes-the
ordinary expenditures and the extraordi-
nary or recovery program expenditures
has brought about the charge in some
quarters that the administration has
been juggling with figures in an effort
to prove to the American people that it
has balanced the budget. This is fatty
denied by the director of the budget,
who points out that the money for all
expenditures COMES out of the same till;
also points out that provision has been
made to cover the extraordinary budget
through special taxation, through the
taxes on alcoholic beverages, through
processing taxes and through the re-
payment of loans. Mr.. Douglas also has
made it clear, however, that if there is
to be great increase in the appropria-
tions for these extraordinary or recov-
cry projects. then the Government must
have further revenue or there will be no
balancing of the budget. 1t seems as
plain as the nose on the face that if
these expenditures are to be made, the
American people must pay for them.
Doubtless the President and his ad-
visers will give careful consideration to
all these matters.