Evening star., 1940-01-05
Senate Republicans
|ndorse Harrison
Budget Study Plan
Caucus Asks for
Investigation Also
OF Defense Needs


lcans today Endorsed the Harrison
plan for a joint House-Senate study
Of the Presidents 1941 budget and
tax recommendations, but broadened
1t by asking for a special investiga-
ton of national defense.
The Republican action came less
than "a hours after Senator Harri-
son, Democrat, of Mississippi, chair
man of the Finance Committee, had
announced his proposed joint in
Quiry to be made before either
branch passes on appropriation bills
or on the Presidents recommended
ton for $3.50 100000 of new taxes to
cover the added outlay for national
defense.
Senate Minority Leader McNary
OF Oregon, chairman Of the con-
ference, said there appeared to be
almost unanimous opposition to new
taxes at this session of Congress"
although no formal action was taken
on that specific question. He said
there was a feeling that "it is un-
necessary and that retrenchment
can be had by decreasing expendi-
lures now appropriated for the nor
NAL activities of Government"
Fourteen of the % Senate Re-
publicans attended the conference.
McNary's Statement.
Senator McNary was authorized
to issue the following formal state
ment:
Agreed, that the conference ap-
proves the Harrison proposal for
Joint congressional committee to in
vestigate and report upon budgetary
matters, including both appropria-
tions and revenues, and that it re-
quests an extension of this pro-
cedure through the creation of an
additional similar joint congress
sional committee to deal with ma
tional defense and appropriations
therefor, including an examination
of past expenditures and the ade-
quacy of results therefrom and a
survey of national military policy"
On the question of extending the
Reciprocal Trade Agreement Act,
which is expected to produce one
of the major battles on the session,
the Republicans decided to post
pone any statement of policy until
the House acts. Since the present
trade agreement law will expire in
June, joint resolution extending
it is slated to originate in the House.
Wait on Farm Action.
The G. o. P. members of the
Senate also postponed until later
conference action of farm legisla-
ton. after discussing agricultural
problems in a general way 1t was
significant that the Republican re-
quest for a special investigation of
national defense referred to IAN
examination of past expenditures"
as we'll as the pending program.
Senator McNary, explaining this,
said the members wanted to know
how much has been accomplished
with the money appropriated last
year for the Army and Navy in try
ing to find out what more is needed
to obtain adequate military prepara-
ton.
While this general budget inquiry
would cover national defense along
with everything else, the Senate
Republicans suggested that the de-
tense study be handled separately
by joint group from the Appro-
priation and Military and Naval
Affairs Committees of the two
houses.
The Republicans will not offer
resolution of their own, but will
support the Harrison motion when
it is presented, probably next week.
Action by both houses would be
necessary to carry out this plan.
Borah and Taft Absent.
Two leading Republican Senators
were absent from today's party cau-
cus-Senator Borah of Idaho, who
never attends such sessions, and
Senator Taft of Ohio, who will speak
in Chicago tonight.
Senator Tafts address on bal
ancing the budget IN. B. c. and
M. B. S. networks at $50 pm. E.
S. TD will be the first of 10 speeches
which the Republican National
Committee announced today would
open the party's 1910 radio cam
paign. The others, all listed in
Eastern standard time, are:
Saturday: Representative Hin
shaw, Republican, of California, c.
B. S. at 7 pm. on congressional is
sues; Representative Otter, Repub-
lican, of Pennsylvania, C. B. S. at
10:45 pm. on the national debt.
Sunday: Senator Capper, Repub-
ican, of Kansas and Representative
Horton, Republican, of Wyoming, M.
B. S. at pm. on reciprocal trade.
Saturday, January 20: Thomas E.
Dewey, Representative Otter and
Margaret Culkin Banning, novelist,
before the Women's National Repub-
lican Club in New York broadcast
plans not announced.
Tuesday, January 3d. Thomas E.
Dewey, N. B. c. at 7:3O pm. to Mas
sachusetts Republican Clubs in Bos-
ton.
Monday, January %: House Lead
er Martin at Topeka, Kans. (broad-
cast plans not announced.