Evening star., 1947-05-04

1ooucS 1O4 t1ic 1S4o pISS1ucltAdl elcC-
tion.
Surveying the record Of these
first four months, there is feather
in the cap Of the new Republican
leaders for keeping foreign policy
on bipartisan basis, as evidenced
by the handling of the Greek
Turkish aid bill.
The chairmen of the House and
Senate Committees on Foreign At
fairs Representative Eaton Of New
Jersey and Senator Vandenberg OF
Michigan--are both firm believers
in international cooperation as the
road most likely to lead to peace.
There has been some political snip
ing over the administrations foreign
policy, but it has cut across party
lines-involving a combination OF
ultra liberal Democrats, who ques-
ton the democracy Of Greece and
Turkey, and conservative Republi-
cans who challenge spending abroad
for postwar stabilization.
Battle on Domestic Front.
On the domestic front, however,
the two parties are squaring away
for an about battle, which Is a
normal and healthy sign one year
before national election. Here is
how the big domestic issues stand
with the session a little more than
half over:
Taxes-The House has voted to
cut $3,800,00o,00o from individual
income levies, ranging from so per
cent in the bottom salary brackets,
to 10.5 per cent at the top. The
Senate Finance Committee is about
to bring out a revised draft, with
the final rates to be agreed on in
conference.
Labor-The House has passed a
bill placing drastic curbs on unions,
and the Senate is on the verge of
adopting more moderate version.
Here again, the final terms will be
written in a conference committee.
Budget cutting-It is in this field
that the COP Congress has found
the going toughest. None OF the
dozen regular annual supply bills
for the year commencing July
has gone to the White House in the
first four months of the session.
This is partly because the Appro-
priation Committees have had to
work on three separate deficiency
bills to keep the wheels Of Govern
ment turning during the closing
months Of the current fiscal year.
Far From Goal.
The House has passed three of the
1948 money bills, covering five Fed
eral departments. In these bills it
claims the following reductions from
Budget Bureau figures: Treasury
Post Office, 1897, 100000; Labor
Federal Security, $7s,825,000; In
terror. $134, ,000, 600.
The Senate has passed none of
these bills, but its Appropriations
Committee has stood by the House
in acting fewFdays ago on the first
one-Labor Federal Security. It
brought the total down another
$4,000, 900.
Roughly. then, the savings to date
from President Truman's $37, ,500,-
100000 budget aggregate about
81 Loo, 200, 900. When you recall that
the House started out in February
by going on record for a 5000, ,00o,-
600 overall cut, you will see how
the budget makers in that branch
will have to swing the ak on the
remaining bills to achieve their goal.
The bulk of future savings will have
to come from the bills for Agricul-
ture, War, Navy and a score OF
boards and commissions grouped in
the independent Offices bill.
Real or 'tPhony" Saving.
The Senate did not set its sights
that high. It amended the House
resolution by aiming
at an overall saving Of $4,500, ,000,-
600. The leaders Of the two houses
have never settled in conference this
difference in their ultimate economy
goals. Presumably, they are going
TO let the question be settled
gradually by the cuts actually made
In the various appropriation bills
For that reason, all eyes viii be
on the Senate as 1t passes these
appropriation bills during the next
go days. II it restores any Of the
House cuts, the normal result would
be to split the difference between
the two houses in conference.
There Is also . lively political
argument in progress between Dem
ocrats and Republicans over how
real is the $1,100, 100000 saving
already chalked up. The bulk OF
that figure consists Of an $80o, ,o00.-
900 House cut in the Treasury's esti-
mate Of the amount 1t will have to
refund to taxpayers for oyerpay-
ments next year. Democrats cali Il