Evening star., 1943-02-16
RooseveItCa Calls
Self Saver Of
Nation S Money
Says Lawmakers
Opposing Planning
Are Spendthrifts

press conference late TO-DAY he
considered himself a great saver
of the Nations money and
watchdog on it's pocketbook,
adding that members of Con-
gress who vote to abolish ma
tional long time planning are
likely to be the real spendthrifts
of the country.
The Chief Executive made his
statement during press conference
discussion of what might result
should Congress finally approve
abolition of the National Resources
Planning Board. The House Appro-
priation Committee has voted to cut
off its funds.
Mr., Roosevelt said the agency,
headed by his uncle, Frederic A.
Delano, was looking ahead toward
postwar years when people would
be leaving Jobs in munitions plants
and soldiers would be coming home.
Backlog of Projects.
1t has been working, he said, with
a backlog of work projects which
could be started then.
Mr Roosevelt insisted that work
Of the board in making plans now
for switching from war to peace
time economy when the war is won
would actually save a great deal of
money.
He is inclined to think, Mr.. Roose-
welt said, that advance preparation
might save almost several billion
dollars in such things as time and
employment.
The President himself brought up
the question of the Resources Plan
ming Board.
A preface to the discussion was an
analysis of what might happen
should the Senate insist on con-
firming appointments of all Govern
ment employees making $500 or
more d year.
Mr.. Roosevelt said he had only
read about that In the papers, but
he displayed a lively interest when
a reporter cited some figures to him.
Debating Time Figures.
The reporter said he had calcu-
lated that if debate in the Senate
on one appointment in a hundred
took place and debate was limited
to minutes on each side, it would
take IS minutes of every legislative
day in the year to pass on one in
hundred Federal officials.
Il should like to ask you" the
reporter continued, could the Sen
ate, in war time, be better en-
ployed?"
Smilingly, the Chief Executive
cited in reply what he said was a
little line in the Bible: Thou hast
said it."
Mr.. Roosevelt said it was a rather
intriguing idea presented by the
figures and that persons writing
columns might we'll devote them for
a change to such matters In the
legislative branch rather than to
affairs in the executive agencies.
In reply to other questions, the
President said no appeals had been
made to him In connection with the
controversy climaxed this afternoon
by the requested resignation of Fer
dinand EberStadt from the War
Production Board.
Mr.. Roosevelt refused any COM
ment on reports that Marshall
Semeon Timoshenko, Russian mill
tary leader. was visiting or about to
visit Washington, except to say that
this was one OF the imponderab bles.
He described news of the Russian
recapture of KhaTkov as grand, re-
marking that he considered it of a
great deal of significance that the
Russians have retaken two or three
strong points, because this makes it
more difficult for the Germans to
start new offensive.
He intlmated that he had sent
letter today to Chairman Dough-
ton OF the House Ways and Means
Committee concerning the commit
tees move to nullifv the Presidents
order limiting salaries to $25 900 a
year, but declined any specific COM
ment.
Freeze salaries above s25,OOO
to their level prevailing December
7. l94l, and to hold increases after
that date to $4,000 after taxes.