Evening star., 1947-05-11
=
33% BudgetC CuI
Appears Likely
For Agriculture
Farm States Rely
On Senate Fight
To Restore Funds
BY the Associated Press

n CIV VI dt lCdoG do 10 per CCilt
in the Agriculture Department
budget was reported In the max
ing yesterday in the House Ap-
preparations Committee.
And committee members from
farm States who reported the pros
pective slash said they will make
no all-out fight in the House to
restore the funds in which they
are interested, relying instead /on
the Senate to do SO.
President Truman's budget calls
for approximately $4,000, 900 for
the Agriculture Department for the
fiscal year starting July /. The
House Appropriations Committee is
reported set to chop this by s315,-
00C, 600 or more. Most of the ex-
pected cut would be in benefit pay
ments.
1--WE are not going to do anything
about it in the House because the
cards are stacked against us there, -
one committee member of the farm
group told reporters. "We will CELL
ter our fire in the Senate and we
have reason to believe many of the
reductions will be restored there
and retained in a later conference. !"
Strategy Is Outlined.
The same strategy is expected to
be followed by advocates of larger
appropriations for the State, Com
merce and Justice Departments.
The omnibus supply bill for these
departments comes up in the House
on Tuesday.
Western members of Congress and
others already are seeking Senate
restoration of huge cuts in Interior
Department funds voted by the
House. Republican Gov. Earl War
rem of California told Senate
appropriations subcommittee yes
terday that 1--WE are confronted with
what we consider to be crisis" by
q slash in funds for reclamation
projects.
The House voted a cut of $134,-
100000 in the Interior Departments
S295 ,0OO,0Oo budget. 1t Topped almost
5000, 100000 off the $13,285, 900 900
budget for the Treasury and Post
ONCE Departments, and whacked
$4,000 600 from the 81, 1853, 900 900
Labor Department Federal Security
Agency budget.
If it upholds the recommendation
of its Appropriations Committee, 1t
will chop $163, ,593 600 from the $685.
621, ,523 asked by President Truman
for the State, Justice and Com
merce Departments and the Federal
judiciary.
Trimming Listed.
With approximately 43 per cent
OF the Presidents overall $37 .50O,-
000,0 900 budget already handled, the
House committee has trimmed an
estimated 81 200 100000 in its prom
ised campaign to save $4,000, 600, 900.
Democrats contend, however, that
$500, 900 900 of the total reduction to
date is 'phony" since it represents
a lcut in allotments for paying tax
refunds over which Congress has no
control.
In addition to the S315 10000 re-
duction reported to be in store for
the Agriculture Department, Appro-
priation Committee members pre-
dict recommended cuts of $500, ,000,-
900 for the Arrny's military activities
and between s350,0OO, 5000 and S4O0,-
900 900 for the Navy-in the aggre-
gate another 81 900 100000.
The only other big money bill
left after. the Army, Navy and
Agriculture measures are out of the
way will be an omnibus bill financ-
ing miscellaneous agencies including
the Veterans Administration. The
Presidents budget calls for approx
imately $1,000, 100000 for the Vet
erans' Administration alone
Mail Operations Continued.
Meanwhile, Jesse M. Donaldson,
First Assistant Postmaster General,
said postmasters have been directed
to continue usual Saturday office
and carrier operations.
The order, he said, is in answer
to advices that Office hours and
carrier deliveries were to be curtailed
temporarily in a number of places
because of lack of funds.
Asked whether the departments
directive was issued in anticipation
of speedy congressional action on a
second deficiency appropriation bill,
containing a Budget Bureau re-
quest for $4,000 to run postal
activities until the end of this fiscal
year. June 80, Mr.. Donaldson
replied:
1--WE don't mention money in ad-
vance of its appropriation and avail
ability. We simply notified those
postmasters who had indicated they
might close on Saturdays and elm
mate the one Saturday carrier
delivery not to do So"