Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1937-04-14
Spending and Taxing.

Spending and Taxing.
Senator Robinson has drawn the is
sue for what may be one of the sessions
significant battles in the Senate. The
fate of the Federal aid to education bill
by Senators Black and Harrison is in
cidentally concerned. But the point
raised by Senator Robinson is that new
expenditures should be coupled directly
with new taxation, and that no new ex-
penditures, increasing the already large
deficit, should be made unless taxes are
levied to meet them. If Senator Robin
son, standing on this sound policy, is
able to bring about defeat of the measure,
significant turning point may have
been reached in the spending policies
of an administration that has not been
notable in counting the cost.
He has received the strongest support
from the President, whose warning yes
terday Of the rising deficit was coupled
with the demand to department heads
that endeavor must be made to curtall
expenditures. While a strong effort is
expected in the Senate to pass the edu-
cation-aid bill, it is almost uncomfortable
that this new spending program will re-
ceive approval in the face of the Presi-
dents statement on the deficit.
Rising in the Senate on Monday, Sem
ator Robinson called attention to the
fact that the Black Harrison bill COM
mits the National Government to an
expenditure of about billion dollars in
five years. In so far as am informed"
he said, I'VE have about exhausted the
sources of taxation to which the Con-
gress is willing and able to resort. Man
ifestly, We cannot go on extending
Federal activities into new fields and
spheres of action and increasing expen-
ditures without making some provisions
for meeting them. 1t seems that the
time has about concluded, it has
already arrived-when we should give
more careful consideration to that SUBJ
ject."
ture, he said, means-unless the deficit
Is to groW-an increase in taxation,
which, in turn, requires the discovery of
new sources of revenue. And Sena-
tor Borah observed that "if we are not
going to the precipice, economically
speaking, we must stop expenditures
somewhere"
This sort of thing touches Senator
Harrison in a very tender spot. He is
chairman of the Senate Finance Com
mittee as well as joint author of
the education bill. The rumors of new
taxes bring gloom to his otherwise cheer
full countenance. More than once, and
with more support than he can command
now from the other end Of Pennsylvania
avenue, the Senator has denied the need
for new taxes. His suggestion now, in
response to Senator Robinsons warn
ing, is that If other appropriations
should be cut proportionately he would
not object to having the educational
aid appropriation cut. But what others2
And when is the cutting to commence?
The education aid bill is the sort of
thing that has a wide appeal Its
hackers in the Senate will fight hard
before they see it die. Like many other
proposals Of the same sort, it would
accomplish much good. But the cost
is high and, as Senator Robinson says,
lit is the one last field into which Fed
eral activity is to be extended" En-
trance into such a field is merely the
signal for further expansion, and this
bill begins somewhat recklessly by ap-
propriating revenues on the basis OF
school population rather than on the
basis of actual need Until somebody
tells the country where the money is
coming from the bill should not be
passed.