Imperial Valley press., 1944-01-06
STARTING SOMEWHERE
LETS KEEP GOING

When congress reconVeneS next Mon
day it will have an interesting report to
digest, a report that the public also has
a tremendous interest IN fact so great
is the publics interest that congress best
be interested.
1t is a summary of the accomplish
ments of the joint committee on reduction
of nonessential Federal expenditures. In
addition, the report outlines future ac-
tivities of the committee which has for
its chairman Senator Byrd who battles
excessive expenditures in season and out
of season Incidentally the report Is part
of the act creating the committee.
To begin with the report sets out an
astounding fact-that it has been oper-
ating on an annual budget of $4,000.
As an introduction this statements in
sures a careful perusal of the text by
Mr.. Public. No doubt the statement VIII
surprise even congress, notwithstanding
the fact the appropriation was set up
when the committee was created.
1t is set out that the committees recon-
mendations, if and when carried out,
would effect saving of two billions
dollars, covering only twelve items.
Furthermore, the committee points out
that all recommendations have been made
with aid to war in mind rather than any
hindrance to war efforts.
Several emergency agencies" have
been lidudated through Senator Byrd's
committee. not, however without bitter
fights wherein politics intruded on the
debate.
After setting out the continued pro-
gram of pairing down expenses consider
ed non-essential, the committee has this
to say of the future and increasing costs
and the need for greater economies:
1.-The Federal Government must un-
falteringly carry during this coming
year the heaviest load ever imposed on
| any country. Total expenditures in the
fiscal year June 30, 1943, were S7S, 1872
, 34S, Gilmore than double the eXpendl-
lures for the previous year. Average
! monthly expenditures for war purposes
alone were little more than S6,0OO,OoO,-
! OOO-well over SS,000,000 an hour; and
1--WE are told that these may be increased
s-The Federal debt which stood at Sol ,OOO,-
600. 900 at the start of the war has risen
to the unprecedented heights OF about
$4,000. 100000 For the first time in
history this nation must now speak OF
its debt in terms of II figures.
"Whie it is true that our national m
come is increasing, yet our per capita
debt has been quadrupled in years. In
1888 the debt was S295 today it is 81 ,2O4
At the close of the last war 1t was SOU
per CAPITA. In more realistic terms, the
present debt of each taxpayer IN the
country is about $500. The interest
load on this public debt is in itself stag
gering it being estimated that the inter-
est on Government borrowing alone Is
S2.700,000,000 per year.
at is estimated that revenue from our
present tax system will produce SAL.
600. 100000 for the fiscal year 1914. VI
this. only S7,0O0,000,000 comes from pay
as you co. income taxes. The present
deficit (for fiscal year 1944) Will be
S57 ,000,000,00O.
Even today the country as whole
does not feel the full impact of this debt
load, for the financial horizon gives no
promise of early relief, but rather
greater burden in the future. There was
a time when the Federal income tax was
called rich-mans tax; the masses be-
lieved that they would benefit and that
the wealthy would pay the bill. Today
all that has changed. From now on our
Federal expenditures will be traced drect-
ly to tax burdens in the lower-lncome
brackets. it being estimated that 30
100000 people will now file ncome-taX
returns"
| jumped off the flight deck with less
on than | was born with. | left part OF
nv hide.-Capt. John G. Grommelln, Jr
Dox c1I