The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-01-05
s Witt Organization
For War Seen In
Growing Navy
TO BORROW FUNDS
Initiation Drive Cuts
Wage Buying Power

by Sc I mOUR WALDmAN
DAILY Worker Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON, Jan. An
the most extraordinary budget
message ever delivered to Con-
gress, herarlding a sweeping
step toward further initiation,
heavy taxes on the masses, and
government credit crisis, all con-
verging in concentrated program Of
war preparations, President Roosevelt
today called for the record breaking
expenditures Of a $4,000, 900, 900 budg-
ct for the coming year.
Emphasizing the growing instabili-
ty OF the government finances as a
result Of the greatest program of war
building and subsidy to bankrupt
Wall Street monopoHes, Roosevelts
new budget will leave the United
States at the end Of the year with
the staggering debt Of $32, 600 900 900,
FIGURE that towers far above any
previous government debt, even dur
ing the 1917 war period.
TIE Roosevelt BUDGET, with its new
debt load, its intensified drive toward
initiation and war, heralds new bur-
dens and suffering, through hea--
taxes, and slashed purchasing fysSxs
for the entire toiling population ot
the country.
For immediate requirement., Roose-
welt calls for approximately $1,000
| 100000 for the entire government, OF
which nearly $500, 100000 is for the
War and Navy Departments despite
the fact that these two military adj
juncts in the last few months have
been allotted, under the exploded fic-
tion Of public works" nearly $1.000,-
600, 900 by the so-called Public Works
Administration.
Raise Army Officers Pay
He also proposes to appreciably in
crease the pay of the army navy and
the marine corps, especially the Off
GERS, notwithstanding the fact that
his message proposes to return only
5 per cent of the Is per cent pay cut
for the federal employees. This con-
trasts with an average increase since
last April in retail food prices alone,
for 81 cities, estimated recently by
the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the
Department of Labor, to be 1877 per
cent.
To Cut Relief
In he fare of the greatest rate Of
increase in unemployment since last
January and the steady reduction Of
wages under MIRA. codes, Roosevelt
informed Congress that eff we main
tain the course I have outlined" one
Of the things 1--WE can look forward
to" IS "a din1inution of relief ex-
| pend'tures." He asks for a total Of
only a little over $1,000 100000 for
civil works Jobs, home loan banks and
farm loan refinancing. Just few
weeks ago leading senators were pre-
dieting this amount for C.W.A. and
P.W-A. alcne.
In addition, Roosevelt definitely
| forecasts the progressive scaling down
Of federal makeshifts toward meet
ing the permanent unemployed prob
lem: 1.-THE government during the
balance of this calendar year should
plan to bring the 1886 expenditures,
including recovery and relief, with
in the revenues expected in the fiscal
year 1886. We should plan to have 8
definitely balanced budget for the
third year Of recovery and from that
time on seek a continuing reduction
Of the national debt" This is q def
mite threat of cutting down the in
adequate relief now being given.
Protects Big Employers
In his discussion Of taxes Roosevelt
invites the open support Of the most
reactionary employers In the country
by not recommending one increased
tax on the big corporations and the
huge personal incomes despite the re.
cent large increases in corporation
profits. However, he does recommend
the continuation Of the Scent postal
rate for non-local mail. ut 4
highly important that this rate be
continued I recommend its con-
tinuance" This is one Of the way.
by which the large masses Of the
people will continue to pay the gov.
eminent bills.
Subsidize Ship Owners
And, straight in the teeth Of tn,
recent exposures of the many million.
of government graft handed over X
the steamship companies, especially
to those with the worst labor condi.
tons, Roosevelt proposes that Con.
gress maintain the subsidies to tn,
steamship concerns, supposedly fol
the transportation Of mail. He ask
Congress to give the steamship com
panies $4,000 900.
To the militaristic and low-p&yiT
4 lCxaak&zazaG ~ No. aAA