Evening star., 1940-01-28
By J. A. O'IEARY.

Reports that congressional budg-
ct makers are preparing to con-
tinue the economy drive by trim
ming administration estimates for
agriculture, the next big supply bill
to be brought out this week, were
current last night as both Houses
made ready to go forward with ap-
preparation work
In some quarters it was believed
approximately s75,000,000 may be
taken from budget estimates. If
such cut materializes when the
agricultural bill is ready to 60 to
the House Tuesday, it would bring
up to 10000 900 the total by which
budget figures have been tentatively
reduced on the first five supply
bills considered up to now.
Meanwhile, there were indica-
tions last night that two of the
three executive agencies stricken
from the independent offices bill in
the House-the National Resources
Planning Board and the Office Of
Government reports-have a good
chance of being restored in the
Senate this week. The fate of the
third. the council for personnel man.
agement, was believed to be less
certain.
Smith Calls at White House.
Budget Director Harold D. Smith
was the only caller at the White
House yesterday, but no details
vrror oi1ob1n f1 cy,hiapt NF
his conference with President Roose-
velt Presidential Secretary Ste
phen T. Early told newspapermen
the subject was "budgetary Difficult
ties" There was speculation over
whether the discussion related to
the executive agencies stricken
from the independent Offices bill. or
the cuts that have been made gen.
orally in budget estimates.
Representative Taber Of New
York, leading Republican on the
Appropriations Committee, said yes
terday that the Budget Bureau prac-
tice of directing blanket reductions
in departmental estimates, and al
lowing the departments to distribute
the cuts, does not always promote
economy. Departmental officers, he
argued, apply the cuts to projects
they feel Congress is likely to re-
store.
Senate Takes Up Deficiency.
The Senate Appropriation Com
mittee meets tomorrow morning to
act on the s58,500,0 900 urgent def
cheney bill, approved yesterday by
subcommittee with only few
changes in House figures. Approx
mately half of this fund is to meet
current obligations of the Navy for
armament in connection with ship
building, and most of the remainder
is for tax refunds.
The Senate Subcommittee made
provision in the deficiency bill yes
terday for $4,000 for Mrs. William
E. Borah, widow of the Idaho Sena-
tor, in accordance with the Gus
tomary procedure of giving one
years salary to the widows Of mem
bers of Congress.
Awaiting House action early this
week is the s251 1922 ,588 emergency
bill for defense activities to protect
American neutrality, from which the
Senate cut $12.788, 600 more after the
House originally had taken $1,000, 900
from Budget estimates. The next
move is for the House to pass on the
Senate cuts, most of which came
from the elimination of $6,875 900 for
81 Navy planes, and $3,000,000 for
Army field maneuverS.
Parity Prices May Be Cut
1t is not known where reductions
are being considered in the Agricul-
tural bill. 1t was reliably reported,
however, the House measure will
follow the lead of the Budget Bureau
by making no provision for parity
price payments to farmers. The last
session of Congress appropriated
$225 ,000, 900 for that purpose for the
current year.
Even if the House agrees to omit
parity payments for next year,
however, speculation is rife over the
possibility a movement will develop
to provide at least part of last
years amount when the bill reaches
the Senate. One influential mem
ber of the Senate is understood to
(See APPROPRIATIONS, Pg. A-8.)