Evening star., 1941-09-20
Committee Expected
To Outline Cuts in
Non-Defense Costs
Administration and
Both Houses to Study
Possible Reductions
Nv the Associated Press.

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legislative leaders said today that
new 14-man committee authorized
to investigate non-defenSe eXpendi-
lures may write a "super-budget"
designed to make substantial reduc-
tions in present outlays for domes-
tic activities.
The committee. authorized in a
Senate amendment to the record
1858, 400 900 revenue bill, will be
set up as soon as President Roose-
welt signs the tax measure. 1t will
consist of the Secretary of the
Treasury. the budget director and a
dozen members of the Senate and
House Taxing and Appropriating
Committees. It's duty will be to
make a thorough inquiry in an
effort to curtail non-defense spend
ing 1t would have a $4,000 oper-
eting fund.
Chairman George of the Senate
Finance Committee told reporters
today that the new body may be
able to make very effective reduc-
tions in non-defense spending by
formulating program which the
people and the members of Congress
can tie to-
Sees Workable Plan.
Senator George said that since
both the administration and Con-
gress were represented on the group,
1t should be able to formulate a
workable plan of economy and then
work for its adoption by Congress.
1T might become a sort of super
budgeting group he added Both
the administration and members of
Congress have agreed that eXpendi-
lures for on-essentials should be
reduced, but so far no one has
taken the initiative"
Senator Byrd. Democrat, of Vir-
ginia, who sponsored the amend
ment creating the committee. told
reporters that 1T will be the busi-
ness of this committee to determine
how much can be SlaShed from
hon-defense, non-eSsential Federal
expenditures" He added that the
record breaking burdens imposed by
the new tax measure could be re-
Earded as "outrageous" unless Con-
gress made a sincere attempt" to
reduce non-emergency outlayS.
There was considerable specula-
ton as to who would head the new
body Some administration lead
ers predicted that Secretary Nor
eenthau or Budget Director Harold
D. Smith would be chairman. but
other informants said that since
most of the committeeman would
be members of Congress, the place
might fall to Senator George,
Chairman Doughton of the House
Ways and Means Committee or
Chairman Glass of the Senate Ap-
propriations Committee.
Three Trial Budgets.
In addition to the new inquiry.
The Senate Finance Committee has
moved Independently in an effort
to curtail non-defense spending for
the current fiscal year. In a reSo-
luton it asked Mr.. Smith to submit
three trial budgets" by October Is
showing how on-defense eXpendi-
lures might be reduced by s1.OOO.-
100000, by $500 10000 and by
$4,000, 100000.
The estimates are expected to pro-
vide working basis for possible re-
auctions this year and for the for
mutation of a reduced non-defense
budget in the fiscal period beginning
next July /.
Albert w Hawkes., president of
the United States Chamber of Com
merce, asserted last night that Con-
gress should reduce all less essen
tial expenditures" and demand
maximum efficiency in all necessary
expenditures.
In an address prepared for deliv-
cry over M. B. S., Mr. Hawkes. said
that preservation of a sound econ
omy was necessary to guard the
Nation against collapse.
Bankruptcy and dissatisfied peo-
pie destroy unity-and these are the
handmaidens of dictatorship" he
said.
Samuel B. Pettengill. chairman of
the Committee for Constitutional
Government, likewise urged that
taxpayers insist that Congress cut
out the unnecessary projects and
keep them cut out He said in a
talk prepared for a c. B. S. broad
cast that two billion dollars not es-
sentlal to defense could be saved.
"Dictators are the receivers of in
solvent republics" Mr.. Pettengill