Evening star., 1947-02-17
Too Much Too Soon?

the Joint Committee on the Legis-
lative Budget will appeal to most
Americans. Made mandatory by the
congressional Reorganization Act of
1916. it represents the first attempt
of its kind to coordinate the
various House Senate appropria-
tions and revenue committees and
to arrive at common overall fiscal
policy for the Nation. It is the result
of reform long needed in Congress.
The report, too, has this added
virtue: 1t emphasizes economy at a
time when the Government needs to
save money wherever it can to per-
NIT tax reductions and make possible
some payment on our colossal ma
tional debt. Yet, despite its sound
and commendable objective, there is
good reason to view it with an anx-
ious and questioning eye. Adopted
by vote of so to %, it would have
Congress enact resolution placing
a ceiling, of $31 100000 on the
budget for fiscal 1948. This would
be $4,000. 100000 under the total
deemed to be rock bottom neces-
sity by the President. A slash of
such drastic proportions naturally
would affect many of the Nations
domestic and international under
takings. The big question is whether
1t might not be dangerous.
For its own part. the majority of
the Joint Budget Committee is salts
fed that its recommendations can
be carried out with safety all around.
Unfortunately, however, it is dis
turbingly vague as to just where the
cutting is to be done. It mentions,
in highly generalized terms. the
elimination of desirable but not
imperative" Federal functions: it
speaks of firing at least 100000
civilian Government workers; it
suggests the shelving of public works
projects that are not "vitally neces-
sary," and it hints broadly at other
possible economies. Obviously, until
these points are spelled out in detail,
doubling Thomases will be justified
in maintaining a "show-me" atti-
tude.
This is especially true of national
defense and foreign policy. The
joint committee is understood to
favor a cut of a billion dollars for
the Army, $750. .000. 900 for the Navy
and $500, ,00o, 900 for the War Depart
ment's civil functions. Economies of
these dimensions could have grave
consequences. At any rate. Secretary
OF War Patterson has said that they
would Invite disaster" Secretary
of the Navy Forrestal has warned
that they would wreck the Naval Re-
serve training program, stop all con-
Struction, cripple research and liter
ally immobilize the fleet. And Sec
retary of State Marshall, having in
mind the worlds "very critical" po-
litical condition, has solemnly as
serted that they would make our
position impossible" in occupied
lands by depriving the Army of food
Tor defeated enemy peoples.
In short, if these worried authori
ties are right, the proposed $6,OOO,-
100000 slash-wholly apart from its
effect in other fields-would threaten
both our security and the effective
ness OF our foreign policy. Any such
economy would be penny-pinching
carried to the point of folly. Reduced
Federal spending is highly desirable,
but If it is applied indiscriminately
by cutting too much too soon, it can
do lasting harm to the Nations
long-term interests. Congress will
be playing with fire if it fails to
make full allowance for this fact
when the time comes to vote on the
budget.