Evening star., 1947-02-20
BUDGET
Continued From First PageD

81, Z,55U,UUUU,UUU, aQQlng.
yet Gen. Eisenhower, Secretary
of War Patterson, Secretary of the
Navy Forrestal and others are
broadcasting over the country that
they cannot take this cut without
wrecking national defense, Gripping
the Air Corps and scuttling the
Navy. Sc"
II say to Secretary of the Navy
Forrestal, Gen. Eisenhower and Ad-
miral Nimitz that if you cannot
give us an adequate national de-
fense during the third year after
the close of the war with $14, ,460,-
600 900 available for expenditure,
without wrecking the Air Corps and
scuttling the Navy, you ought to
step aside and give some one else a
chance"
In the Senate the opening hours
of debate yesterday revealed split
in both parties over the extent to
which Congress should cut the
Presidents estimates for the year
beginning July l.
Senator Byrd. long an advocate of
retrenchment, openly challenged
VI - .sGVT, .Ils mat the
$4,000, 100000 cut would endanger
national seCur4Cy. as he lined up
with Republican Senator Bri9oe~ of
New Hampshire in support Of that
figure.
At the same time, Senator Aiken,
Republican, of Vermont reflected
the division on that side of the
Senate aisle over fiscal policies by
asserting:
Much as we may want to reduce
Government expenses, we cannot
trif1e with the security of the Nation
with the world in the unsettled
condition it is today"
In both the House and Senate,
most Democrats will oppose chop
ping as much as $4,000, 100000 off
the budget. The difference is that
in the Senate the Republicans are
about evenly divided, which indi-
Gates that body is likely to approve
a $4,5oo000,00O reduction. A final
compromise on $5,0OO,000,00O still
appears likely.
Senator Byrd was the first mem
ber to specify where the budget
could be cut to achieve a total saw
ing of 00,000, 900.
His first recommendation was
that the number of Federal en-
ployes be reduced from 100000 to
at least 100000. He estimated this
would take $2,50O, ,000,000 out of the
budget, counting reduced travelling
expenses and other incidentals along
with the salaries of 100000 employees.
Other Cuts Listed.
In addition to the $2,500,000, ,0OO
saving Senator Byrd estimated from
personnel cuts, here are other spe-
cific reductions he proposed:
l. Require Government corpora
tions to finance out of their exist
ing assets at least 81 100000, 900 OF
the $1,850,000,0O0, allotted to them
In the Presidents budget.
2. Eliminate $500, 100000 from the
81 800 100000 in the budget for pub
lie works and housing.
3. Take another $50O,000, 900 from
a wide range of Government func-
tions, including agriculture, national
resources, transportation and COM
merce, finance and industry-on
which, he said, it is proposed to
spend a total of $4,000 100000. He
said some economies also could be
accomplished in the operating costs
Of the Veterans Administration
although he would oppose cuts that
would make it impossible to render
reasonable and proper" aid to the
veterans themselves.
~ Billion to Go.
These recommendations add up
to s4,500, 100000, leaving another
81 SOC, 10000 to be saved.
1--WE now come down to the Army
and Navy" Senator Byrd continued
Notwithstanding the public state
ments that have been made by Off
cials of the Army and Navy that
no cuts can be made without dis
aster to our national defense, I am
informed by high-ranking officials
of both the Army and Navy that
reasonable cuts can be made in this
appropriation of $1,000, ,0O0,0 600
There are obvious extravagances and
waste that exist in the Army and
Navy that could be eliminated with
out results that would seriously I'M
pair our national defense program.