Evening star., 1944-02-04
Treasury, Post Office
Fund Bill Reported;
Asks $1,318,579,672

BY the Associated Press.
A $1;318,579,672 bill carrying
funds for operation of the Treas
ury and Post ONCE Departments
for the IL months starting July
next was sent to the House floor
today by the Appropriations
Committee.
Most of the total, $1,105 ,697 ,583,
was allotted to the Post Once De-
partment, which reported that dur
ing the fiscal period ended last June
80 it operated "out of the red' for
the first time in "a years and ex-
poets to show an operating surplus
again next year but a deficit this
year.
The Treasury's share of the direct
appropriations. was $2l2 1872 ,089, of
which $l35, 100000 was earmarked
for the expenses of assessing and
collecting taxes.
In addition to the direct appro-
priations, the committee recon-
mended for the Treasury s795, ,735. 500
of indefinite appropriations" and
So, ,49l 500 in reappropriations, an ag-
gregate of s1.012, ,108,589 for that
agency, or $14,557,3ll below budget
estimates and s385 .459, ,049 above
total appropriations for the current
year.
Indefinite Appropriations
The bulk of the excess, the COM
mittee explained, was accounted for
by the two indefinite appropria-
tions,' for internal revenue refunds
and refunds and drawbacks under
the Customs Bureau. These So
called indefinite appropriations
consisted OF $781 $40, 900 for internal
revenue refunds and s14,O00,0O0 for
refunds and drawbacks of the Gus
toms Bureau. The 1895 .000, ,00O
boost in the former fund was at
tributed to the greatly increased
number OF income taxpayers and
withholding provisions of the tax
| law.
Total permanent appropriations
recommended for the Treasury
items required by law from year
to year and covering such things as
interest on the public debt, expenses
of loans ana excess profits tax re-
fund bonds-were $5,455 ,255 1893. of
which $3.50, ,000, 900 was for interest
on the national debt.
The direct appropriations recon-
mended for the Post once Depart.
ment represented a reduction of
$8,226, ,407 from budget estimates and
an increase of s205, ,719,248 above
current year funds.
Voting Cost S91, 900.
Absentee voting by soldiers last
year cost the United States only
s9l 900, the Treasury turning back
81, ,109, 900 Of a s1,200,00O appropria-
ton, hearings on the bill revealed
A total OF 27,074 ballots were cast
The Federal Government agreed to
reimburse the States for the cost
OF absentee voting among troops.
The average American soldier and
sailor receives and writes a letter
a day, Jesse M. Donaldson, chief
inspector Of the Post Office Depart
ment testified. This means that the
department is handling for the serv-
ices some 100000 pieces of mail
daily. not including parcels and
circulars.
Current manpower shortage was
underscored by testimony OF a Post
Offlce Department official that q
$4,000 per year job, one of the main
duties of which is to read magazines
and other literature for salacious-
ness. is going begging. A Montanan
took the job recently but soon re-
signed it because "he didn't like
Washington"
Some postal money orders issued
as early as 1864 when the system
was first established still have not
been cashed, Harry E. Stine, SUPER
intendent of the money order divi-
sion, revealed. He asked an appro-
priation of $150,000 to pay money
orders more than year old. MANY
people hang on to them for months
and years, he said. knowing they are
always good.
In testimony before the House
committee, DR.. George c. Hass
director of the Treasury's division
OF research and statistics, said the
potentialities making for imitation
were great. He estimated income
for the 1914 fiscal year at $148, ,000,- :
o0O, 900, of which individuals will pay
only $22, 600, 900 900 in direct taxes to
the Federal, State and local govern
mentS.
Smaller size War bonds, now
planned, will save the Government
IS 900 600 In production cost, Treas
] ury oficials estimated.