Evening star., 1934-04-08
0V0TEBR|NGS
RUSH Of CRITICISM
Congressman Attacked Re.
gardIess of Which Way
They Voted.
Continued From First Page.)

tCOltlHueO fIOIl fISC fdSe.)
New York, author of the compromise
that became law. in lieu of the Senate
proposals for even greater outlays
yesterday issued a statement defend.
ing the action Of Congress, and say
ing the legislative branch did not
destroy the economy act as has beer
inferred"
1T is time" Taber said. that there
was printed a correct statement o1
what the independent Offices ap-
propriation bill and the legislative
provisions contained in it with refer
ence to veterans and the civil en-
ployes of the Government actually
accomplished
THE President in his veto mes
sage claimed that the bill went s228,-
100000 beyond any recommendation
that he had made This is a mis-
take. BY the most liberal figure ii
only can be made S800O0,000 on an
annual basis, without regard to the
savings carried in the bill
The majority of Congress felt that
with the orgy of expenditure that has
been going on. per cent cut for
the civil employees, carried by new
legislation in this bill into the year
1885, was as far as they wanted to 60
Savings Cited.
"One hundred and twenty-five mil
lion dollars of savings in the expendi-
lures of the Government by the ex-
tension of provisions of the economy
act into the year 1885 was made for
the taxpayers of the country by this
bill.
THE cost Of the Presidents regula-
tions, according to the best estimates
I can make. would have been $780,
000, 600. With reference to veterans
the Congress voted but Sl6,000.00C
over what the President was willing
to do for veterans. Congress. there
fore, did not destroy the economy act
1T is apparent that the item the
President chiefly objected to was the
restoration OF the war-disabled vet
Grams to the S30,000000 of benefits
which they were receiving prior to
March 10. 1888. With that objection
on the part of the President, the
Congress did not agree
about it.
Calls Attacks Unwarranted.
THE agitation which has been 60
ing on against Congress by those
who are opposed to the restoration
Of the payments to the war-disabled
certainly is not justified. These cuts
to the disabled averaged between
Is and 80 per cent, and in some
cases. went as high as go per cent
The most ardent advocates OF econ
omy never pretended to desire to
cut this type of disability one cent
The bill, as it passed the Con-
gress, effected savings of SIPS. 5.000.-
900. When We voted to pass the bill
over the Presidents veto, we voted
to save the Government, sl25, 5,00o,-
600. We did vote to increase the
benefits to veterans by $16,000,00O
more in amount than the President
was willing, for the year 1885. but
We left net saving, as a result OF
overriding the veto, of s109,000, 900.
"The country should bear these
facts in mind 1t must also bear in
mind the fact that there are still
$3.50 900 900 of savings in the Vet
erans' Bureau alone as a result OF
the economy act Of 1888. and that
If we had not passed a bill providing
for these reasonable payments to vet
Grams. and if the discomfort caused
by existing injustices was allowed to
continue in effect. a sentiment would
be created which would serve to
eliminate all savings under the econ
omy act.'