Evening star., 1940-01-17

Charles G. Ross. nroiectc far IN
excess of cuts for other items. will
make the 35th annual convention of
the National Rivers and Harbors
Congress the greatest in its his
tory"
In other words: All you Governors
Of States that share in the rivers
and harbors funds, all you Mayors
with projects to put forward or
protect, all YOU heads of chambers
of commerce, get busy and send
delegates to the annual rivers and
harbors convention in Washington
March IA and Is. in order that the
Congress of The United States may
be properly impressed.
What They All Say.
The call proceeds to say that
appropriate resolutions will be
adopted land the projects indorsed
by the congress (rivers and harbors) T
will be vigorously and continuously
advocated for inclusion in the Gov.
ernment's public works program,
and appropriations or allocations
of funds sought therefor"
That is to say, the Rivers and
Harbors Congress will use all the
influence it can muster to upset the
budget recommendations.
mo group in the Nation" says the
statement, sis more interested in
seeing balanced budget than is the
National Rivers and Harbors Con-
gress, and the congress is perfectly
willing to take its share of the bur-
den, but the cuts recommended by
the budget for these vital items are
entirely out OF line with cuts recon-
mended for other agencies and will
be vigorously opposed"
Except for the slight concession
that the rivers and harbors people
are willing to take some cuts, this is
what they all say. They all want
balanced budget, but. They all say,
as does the rivers and harbors group,
that to retrench on the particular
items in which they are interested
would be false economy"
A Perfect Illustration.
Now the writer does not profess to
know what the merits, If any, of the
plant that the waterways reduc-
tions are out of line with those pro-
ever. fact worth considering that
the President and his fiscal experts,
when they drew up their recon-
mendations to Congress, had in
front of them the whole picture of
the national finances and the ma
tional needs. They are entitled to
the assumption that in trying to
head the budget toward a balance,
and at the same time provide the
funds believed by the administra-
ton to be required for national de-
fense, they proposed reductions that
they thought would be the least
likely to throw the national economy
out of joint. Whether they erred or
not, with regard to the waterways,
is all in the point of view.
The protest of the waterways peo-
pie is set out here simply because it
is a perfect illustration of what
happens whenever there is any Sc
rious effort to cut down govern
mental expenses.
Budget Balancers All.
There isn't a single Government
bureau or individual job too poor in
influence to have it's defenders
budget balancers all-who will
spring to its aid at the first hint Of
danger.
No proposal to abolish one OF
our useless Army posts could be
made without bringing horde Of
angry Congressman into action.
If the question is one Of farm
relief, veterans benefits, or any
other of the forms of aid extended
by the Federal Government, in
cluding the aid to communities
through a multiplicity of waterways
projects, any threat of retrench-
ment will cause a pressure group,
in person and by mail and wire, to
descend upon Congress.
Loathes New Deal Spending, but
Senator Pat Harrison put the mat
ter graphically when he told the
National Chamber Of Commerce
how the local chambers "resolute"
to get benefits for the home town.
They are budget-balancers all, but
let somebody propose that the deep
ening of the Oakahay be suspended,
or the Tallapoosa be allowed to
accumulate water lilies, or rural
route No. 18 be done away with, and
the local chamber of commerce will
burn up the wires with its protests.
Now it is the National Rivers and
Harbors Congress which, as stated
in its rallying call, is mot going to
take it lying down."
The call goes out over the name
Of the president of the congress.
He is one of the most fiery con-
gressional opponents of the New
Deal. He loathes the New Deal
spending policies. He wants the
budget balanced. But the Hon.
Dewey Short of Missouri, candidate
for the Republican nomination for
Vice President-for he 1t is-will
stand for no trifling with the water
WAYS