Evening star., 1946-11-15
Dropping Of Million i. S. Workers
Urged by Taberin Budget Drive;
No HeavyLay Due Until April
Nine-BiIIion Slash
In Spending Will
Offset TuxCut
By J. A. OLeoy

600 Government employees was
predicted today by Represent
ative Taber, Republican, of New
York, as he increased to $9,000,-
100000 his estimate of budget
slashes which the Republicans
will order when they take control
Of Congress in January.
The New Yorker, who will be
chairman of the House Appropria-
tions Committee, painted picture
of drastic reductions in Federal
spending to pave the way for the
20 per cent cut in personal income
taxes indorsed last night by. the
House Republican Steering Com
mittee.
MIR. Taber had told reporters ear
lier he thought at least $1,000 900 600
could be Topped off the Federal
budget next year, but when he
called a formal press conference
today he almost doubled that figure.
Lists Sources of Savings.
Emphasizing that there may be
many other items cut, he listed
these sources of savings to start
with:
By dropping employees, $1,000 ,O0o,-
600.
Army and Navy funds in the cur
rent year that will not recur, s., ,5OO,-
100000
Other categories, including ''un-
necessary construction programs"
$500 o00, 900.
homecoming items connected
with terminal leave, $4,000 ,000, 900.
"This makes total of SO 900 600, 900
we might hope to save" Mr.. Taber
said. There should be many other
items. 1t is going to be necessary
to make the Government depart
ments hew to the line"
Calls 100000 Maximum.
In placing personnel cuts at the
top of his list, the prospective
Appropriations chairman said: 4
1--WE now have nearly 2,300,0O0
civilian employees. We do not need
over 100000 at the most, and we
can surely cut 100000 off this num-
Der without damaging the efficiency
of the Government"
Mr.. Taber did not make 1t clear
how soon he would try to cut the
Federal force from 1,30o, 900 down to
SOC, 900.
A reporter asked how many 1t |
takes to run the postal service, and
Mr.. Taber estimated about 100000.
He was reminded this would leave
only 100000 for the rest of the
Government under his ultimate
figure. .
Refers to 1889 Figure.
He replied that is about what |
they were, outside Of relief agencies,
in 1939."
CA Post Office Department Of
: fetal, in response to a question,
said there are now 1884 postal
employes.)
Mr.. Taber demanded much faster
liquidation of OPA, declaring:
II was frankly much disappointed
by an announcement this morning
that the OPA was going to be down
to 10000 by January 81. They have
nothing to do now except control
rent, ration sugar and maintain
prices on two or three small items,
and write out terminal leave certi-
ficates.
'They should be down to $4,000 by
November 80, and to 5000 by De-
eember IS. Honesty and efficiency in
administration and the elimination
of chair bottomers would bring this
about.
a There. is hardly a department of
the Government that has not twice
as many employees as it needs. An
immediate survey of this whole pic
ture is going to be had after jan
uary l. We cannot stand for any
more Of the failure on the part of
the departments to do their duty"
Other Subjects to Be Studied.
While the COP promise of 20
per cent tax cut has overshadowed
all other plans for the new Con-
gress, the House COP Steering Com
mittee also directed committees last
night to take up the following other
subjects:
Directed COP members of the Ju-
dietary Committee to consider al
program for terminating the Presi-
dents war powers, and other emer-
gency Government controls.
Asked Republican members of the
Banking and Currency Committee
to investigate the housing situation,
to determine what new legislation
would speed building.
Instructed the special Republican
Food Study Committee to make the
quickest possible" recommends