Evening star., 1947-02-28
Vote on Budget Cut
Puts Truman in Hole
Party Leaders Appear to Doubt
Need to Spend 81 Billion
By Dapid Lawrence g


Democratic leaders in Congress are
putting President Truman In a hole
politically by voting for a substantial
cut in the budget.
When the proposal to cut Sc, 900 600 900
from the budget was before the House
OF Representatives, there was no oppor-
tunity under the rules to vote on a
lesser sum so the Democrats could line
up against the idea, but In the Senate
the vote was taken on whether to lon
on $4,000 100000 from the Presidents
budget and the Democratic leaders
agreed to that measure. In fact, 30
democrats Joined the 81 Republicans
to record themselves as in favor of this
reduction. There were nine Democrats
who presumably favored the S6 1000, ,O00.-
600 cut. Twenty four Republicans
wanted the deeper cut. Only one Sem
ator said he didn't want to see any
cuts made.
This means that the Democratic
Leaders disagree with President Tru-
mans fat statement that his budget of
$S7y500. 600 900 must not be reduced and
that he saw no opportunity for tax re-
duction.
One wonders why the Democrats, In
effect, question the Presidents figures
ana vote to reduce them. It must mean
that they share an opinion voiced fire.
quently on Capitol Hill that the Presi-
dents budget as presented to Congress
last month was padded"
Further Ramifications.
The problem has further ramifca-
tlons. The vote on how much of the
reduction to apply to debt retirement
and now much to tax reduction is a
separate, matter, and doubtless the
House OF Representatives will wish to
be heard on the subject.
On the face Of it, Congress seems to
have decided that the budget can be
cut without wrecking the established
peacetime agencies or the armed serv-
ices
Where does this leave Mr.. Trumanp
How can he face the electorate with
the record of having wanted to spend
S37,500,000,000 in the fiscal year which
runs from July l, 1947, to July !, 1948-
almost three years after the ending of
the World War?
1t is quite possible that fiscal affairs
will constitute the big issue of the l948
campaign. The country will be urged
to elect an administration that cuts ex-
penses, reduces taxes and makes a
dent Of some kind on the public debt.
The budget that Mr.. Truman will pre-
sent to Congress In January, 1948, of
course, will be for the fiscal year run
ming from July l, 1948, to July /, 1s4s,
and it will be asked by the public what
augury there Is Of future reductions
when the administration has SO
vehemently resisted this liquidation Of
bureaucracy and New Deal extravagance.
Cut Of Five Billion Likely.
The placing of a limit of about $5,0o0,-
100000 as the amount OF the budget cut
Is likely to be the result of an agree
ment of the Conference Committee of
the House and Senate, because the
House wants $6,oO0,O00ooO cut while the
Senate plainly favors $4,5oo,ooo,0Oo.
Once these limits are voted, the next
question will be how to stay within the
figures voted upon. This was the pur-
pose behind the new organization law
by which Congress is required to set a
limit to the budget expenditures. In q
sense, all the voting on budget cuts now
Is novel because the procedure itself Is
new, and it remains to be seen what
effect politically will result from the
fact that members are obligated to re-
cord themselves as to the size OF the
overall budget.
Some one. however, will have to keep
Congress constantly aware of the
amounts 1t is spending lest the budget
limit be exceeded, and there is, of course,
no penalty If that happens. Some one
will have the laugh on Congress if it
doesn't cut $4,000, 600 600, but only Mr..
Truman can smile if no budget cut at
all materializes.
The purpose Of the law was to place
moral barrier in the way of exceeding
the budget Coincidentally. 1t furnishes
political ammunition to those who on
the one hand. VIII cry out that essential
agencies were impaired or, on the other
hand, that economy was not adequately