Evening star., 1941-10-12
Congress Cautious
About Non-Defense
EeonomyProposaIs
Doubt Expressed Byrd's
Estimated Z Billion
Savings Are Possible
BY ]. A. O'LEARY.

BY ]. A. O'LEARY.
A goal of between one and two
billion dollars tentatively set by
Senator Byrd, Democrat, of Virginia
in the search for non-defense saw
ings was viewed cautiously yesterday
by other members of the Joint
House and Senate Economy Com
mittee.
Senator Byrd. whose amendment
10 the new tax law brought the
economy group into existence, be-
lieves the tax load for defense
makes reduction in other forms of
Government spending imperative.
Accordingly, the Virginian said he
would urge that estimated current
domestic expenditures of $4,000, ,0OO,-
900 be trimmed by one-fourth.
Several other members of the
Joint group. however. steered away
from any advance prediction how
much can be saved. They awaited
a report the Budget Bureau has been
called on to make to the Senate
Finance Committee not later than
Wednesday.
Cannon Will Cooperate.
Chairman Cannon of the power
full House Appropriations Comrlit-
tee, which will have much to say
about whatever cutting is done,
announced he is ready TO cooperate
as a member of the joint group,
but, on the question of fixing an
ultimate goal at the start, he added:
You couldn't start out with any
econceived idea. You would
have to work it out as you go
along"
This general thought was echoed
by Senators McKellar, Democrat, of
Tennessee, and La Toilette, Pro-
gressive, of Wisconsin, both men,
bers of the joint group selected
within the last two days by Vice
President Wallace and Speaker
Rayburn.
Il am going into this study with
an unbiased viewpoint" said Sem
ator McKellar, adding that he would
not attempt to say how much could
be saved until I look into it,"
Flat Cut Opposed.
Two conclusions seemed to be
generally accepted by those who
could be reached yesterday out of
the 12-man joint committee. namely:
That it is extremely unlikely re-
ductions will be made in appropria-
tions already voted for the current
fiscal year ending June 80. 1912.
That the old method of fiat,
horizontal percentage cut all through
the .non-defense budget is not likely
to be attempted In the early days
of the depression, a decade ago, per-
centage cuts were tried but quickly
discarded on the ground that many
of the large items in the budget are
fixed charges, which cannot be cut
arbitrarily These include interest
on the public debt and contract
obligations.
has been aimed primarily at the
ordinary non-defense part of the
budget. Senator La Toilette said he
thought "the whole budget picture
should be considered" if the survey
is to be effective.
Might Save on Defense.
The Wisconsin Senator pointed
out that the non-defense eXpendi-
lures are relatively small now, when
compared to defense outlays. and
said 1T seems to me that if we are
going to make any real saving we
ought to make certain whether the
is getting its dollars
worth in defense expenditures. 1t
won't do much good to plug a leak
at the faucet and leave the bung
open"
Senator Byrd was inclined to be-
lieve some savings could be effected
in spending out of current appro-
pria tens. but Chairman George
of the Senate Finance Committee
thought there could be no sub
stantial reductions until Congress
begins drafting the next set of
supply bills for the fiscal year 1923.
Senator Georges view was shared
by Chairman Cannon of the House
appropriations group. Mr.. Cannon
pointed out the duties of the joint
committee are advisory. but its
report would be persuasive" when
submitted to the regular House and
Senate Appropriations Committees.
1T would be wholly impracticable
to make the recommendations re-
troactive," said Mr.. Cannon, re-
ferring to reductions for the cur
rent year. The more we can save,
the better, but judging by expert
ence, it is easy to raise appropria-
tions and difficult to cut them"
Would Trim Bills.
Mr.. Cannon joined in discounting
the likelihood of any blanket per-
centage cut, because of the Gov
ernment's many fixed charges. His
idea of the probable procedure was
to go through the several appropri-
alton bills and take out the least
essential items.
The test he said, will be: How
essential is each item under present
In contrast to the views of Sem
ator La Toilette, Senator Byrd does
not look for much, if any. savings,
on defense items. He said greater
economy may have been possible
on some items, such as the building
of new Army camps, but most of
that work has been done.
There has been a necessity for
speed in defense spending that has
been some excuse for high costs"
Senator Byrd said. 'and while that
has been regrettable, I don't believe
We can save much there. But it
seems to me that we can cut heav-
lily into some of these overloaded
Government bureaus whose pro-
grams have become less essential"
Three Lists of Economies.
The report due by Wednesday
from the Budget Bureau was asked
for by the Senate Finance Commit
tee when it adopted the Byrd econo-
my amendment to the tax bill. Un-
der the committees instructions,
.