Imperial Valley press., 1941-05-23

WASHINGTON, May 90 = There
will be heard a certain amount of
oratorical sharpshooting at the sub
ject of economy on the congressional
front in the near future. but Wheth-
el the shells viii be blank cart
ridges or neSt-to-goodnesS ball
ammunition, followed by bayonet
charge that will cut to Shreds the
appropriations for non defense
items is a question that will be
answered only wnen the battle is
over and the targets are examined
Congressman being congressman,
it is this departments guess that
the battle will be sham, deciding
nothing except that we will go
merrily on our spending way. And
the old cry of Spend? We haven't
begun to spend will be heard
again throughout the land. Even
the President has indicated he
would like to have some suggestions
for cuts please give us some sug-
gestions-at the same time indicat-
ing that it was the responsibility of
the people in the House and Sen
ate to make the cuts
Economy is one of those noble
ideals that everybody believes in,
but nobody does anything about
One congressional war horse,
Robert F. Rich of Woolrich, Pa.
gets up in the House at least once
every day and angrily derides the
Congress for its extravaganza, But
he has performed SO many times
his thick-skinned colleagues pay
nc attention.
WHEN ECONOMY COMES HOME
Other harpers on economy, per-
haps realizing that Rich overdoes
his stuff, come in only now and
then for a TRADE. John Tabor Of
kuburn.N. Y, ranking Republican
on the House Appropriation Com
mittee, has coined the phrase
antidefense" spending for some
of the luxuries of NYA, WPA and
the food stamp plan. The name
may stick.
Everett NJ. DirkSen of Pekin, Ill.
IS another OF the believers in econ
omy who makes frequent and ef-
fective speeches. And yet. the other
Cay there was before Congress an
obscure item of $4,000 for the
propagation of food fishes and
congressman Rich and Tabor were
both interested. Congre SIN n
Frank E. Hook of Ironwood Mich,
had the fun Of crucifying both
gentlemen with an amendment
to cut the appropriation to SlO5 900.
Tabor had appeared before the
committee considering the appro-
priation, charging that the Fish and
Wild Life Service was a racketeer-
ing outfit. He says this is a rack
eteering outfit. charged Hook,
because they would not allow an
excessive amount for land in his
district
Hook then went on to show that
one item was to provide $4,000
for building improvements to fish
and wild lie station in Lamar, Pa,
in Rich's district. In the interests
OF economy Hook thought, that
ought to come out, thereby reduc-
ing the apprpriatio to S105 600.
Democratic flood leader John w.
Mccormack of Boston finally per-
suaded Hook to withdraw his
amendment, but he had proved his
point, namely that even the most
rabid of believers in economy loses
his faith when an appropriation
concerns his own district.
Immediately after that incident,
there was another item in the
same bill, appropriating S476,475 for
an inquiry into the case of the
decrease of food fishes in the wa
ters Of the United States. And who
90 you suppose wanted that item
increased to SSH ATS? None other
than arch economy booster Dirksen.
7 recognize the fact that I have
been one of those stern economy
advocates ever since I have been
here, said the statesman from
Pekin. But there come times, of
course, when little money judici-
ously expended is really in the in
terest of economy
There was laughter and applause,
but, P.S.-He got the money.
JUST TRY TO FIND ONE
Now all this is mere chicken feed
--fnpPp fish fOOd-ip tho np,,eidapa