Evening star., 1933-11-17
The Budget.

The budget for ordinary expenditures
Of the Federal Government Is TO De
limited to So 500, ,ooO, 900. if this be
found possible. The aim of Budget d.
rector Lewis W. Douglas, as in the past
Is to bring the expenditures of the Gov
ernment-the ordinary expenditures as
distinguished from the extraordinary
expenditures for recovery-within the
income of the Government. Despite the
strenuous efforts to bring about econ
omy and to balance the ordinary budget,
the deficit between receipts and expendl-
lures for the present year is reported
to be about 1888 0000 900
The Budget Bureau has about COM
pleted its estimates for the fiscal wear
1885, the first full fiscal year for wnlcn
the Democratic administration has
made such estimates. The estimates
and appropriations for the present fis-
cal year were handled, for the most
part, by the Hoover administration
and the Congress which expired March
4 last. Soon these estimates will go
70 the House Committee on Appropria-
tions so that work may proceed with
the drafting Of the annual supply bills
for the Government prior to the open
ing of the session of Congress in
January.
There is one item in the budget esti-
mates as now prepared which holds ex-
traordinary interest for the local COM
fn,,nity, an item of s135,00oooo for the
restoration of the Is per cent pay cut
In the salaries and wages of all Gov
ernment employees. This sum is to be
available in the event President Roose-
welt decides that increases in living
costs justify the return Of the Govern
ment workers to the old basic salaries
and wages that were paid before the
cut In pay was made. The economy
law enacted by Congress in its special
session last Spring gives the President
suthority to take such action.
Here is an expenditure the Govern
ment should make Living costs have
increased. Every effort of the Federal
Government has been to bring about
increases in the prices of commodities
and they have increased. Every effort
Of the Government has been to cut the
value of the dollar as compared to the
value Of commodities and labor. The
Government employe must rely entirely
upon the administration for justice in
this situation. Employees in private in
dustry have been assured the right OF
collective bargaining with regard to
their wages and salaries under the ma
tional recovery act. Codes have been
set up in the industries to see that they
have this right and to help in bringing
increased pay to them. Employees in
private industry have the strike as
weapon to aid them if they do not OBJ
tain justice. There are no codes for
the Federal employees. Strike by Gov
ernment workers is unthinkabie.
The Roosevelt administration Is in a
position to give hope not only to the
thousands of Government workers but
to workers throughout the country if
Il restores to the Government employees
the pay rates cut in the name OF
economy. The slash in Government
salaries and wages led the way to
further cuts in the pay Of private en-
ployes throughout the country. The
administration, which has sought to
boost wages in its recovery program,
certainly should set an example; should
practice what it breaches. But the
administration has not only slashed
wages and kept them down while 1t
demanded that wages generally be In
creased outside the Government, but it
row develops that the N. r. A. itself
has worked its employees overtime and
paid them little. The Government is
above codes, it appears, and is above
the question of payment Of adequate
salaries and wages to its workers. The
country will not agree to any such
proposition. Obviously the expenditures
of the Government should be held
down. but not at the expense of grave
injustice TO the workers.