Evening star., 1947-03-23
Administration Hopes
Public Will Save Vital
Services From Cuts
By Joseph Young

By Joseph Young
Administration hopes of pre-
venting the abolishment or cur
tailment of what 1t considers
essential public services were re-
ported last night to rest on pos
sible unfavorable public reaction
to the drastic Government de-
partsnenta1 appropriation cuts
planned by Congress.
Deeply disturbed over the first
two regular 1S48 appropriation bills
reported out by the House Appro-
priations Committee, administration
sources said they hoped that the
pressure of public opinion might
bring some restorations Of funds.
But they were none too optimistic.
The Women's Bureau of the Labor
Department was the only division of
that department to escape sharp cuts
by the House Appropriations Com
mittee when 1t reported out the de-
partment's bill on Friday. Labor
Department officials have admitted
privately that women's organizations
went to work on the committee when
stories arose that the Women's
Bureau was to be abolished. The
result was that the bureau got nearly
everything it asked for. Similar
pressure on behalf of other activities
might result in similar results, some
officials hope.
Damage to Services Seen.
Administration officials contend
that the first two appropriation bills
the Treasury-Post Office and the
Labor Department-Federal Security
Agency-will result in the abolition
or curtailment of vitally needed serv-
ices. If these two bills are any
criterion of what the House Appro-
priations Committee plans to do
with other Government departments
and agencies, many other essential
public services will suffer. these Of
ficials contend.
In the Labor Department, officials
said the budgetary cuts will cripple
enforcement of the Child Labor Law
and the Wage-Hour Act.
Officials of the; United States EN-
ployment Service say they will have
to cut their staff to skeleton pro-
portions both here and in the field
Some USES officials feel that their
allotted funds won't even permit
them to maintain skeleton staffs in
some areas.
Bureau of Labor Statistics Of
ficials said the agency would have
to curtail its projects drastically.
Cancellation Funds Slashed.
The Labor Department concili-
alton service. which has played an
important part in settling the Ma
tion's labor disputes, has been cut
by one-third its total personnel
One hundred employees have been
ordered dropped by the House Ap-
propriations Committee, including
Chief Labor Conciliator Edgar L.
Warren, and some of his top as
sistants.
In the Treasury Department, the
Bureau of Internal Revenue has an
nounced plans to drop 5000 agents
because of the budgetary cuts. 1t
has been estimated by Secretary
of Treasury Snyder that these
agents slated to be dismissed might
have collected $2,500, 100000 in taxes
II retained. ~"'
Also, the Collector of the Port of
New York has announced that the
Customs Bureaus port-patrol divi-l
sion will be abolised as result of
the budget cuts. The 70-year- -old
division has about TAO employees.
Harry M. Burning, the collector,
said This port will be wide open.
I haven't any idea how this port
can be protected from an outbreak
of smuggling"
In ordering the discontinuance of
the division, William r. johnson,
Commissioner of Customs, said he
was doing so reluctantly. "It is
realized that the discontinuance of
these activities will open avenues of
smuggling to the injury of revenues
for legitimate business, but this
risk cannot be avoided when ap-
propriated funds are insufficient to-
provide adequate coverage," Mr..
johnson said.
Also in the Treasury Department,
the Secret Service has sent dismissal
notices to ITS members Of its staff.
The employees affected consist Of Is
field men, 10 at headquarters, % at
the White House and SO uniformed
guards. this reduction will leave the
Secret Service with its smallest
number of employees lin many
years." the Treasury Department
said. Exact figures on personnel in
the Secret Service are regarded as
confidential.
Federal officials fear that other
departments and agencies will suffer
the same fate. The Interior Depart
ment bill is slated to be the next
regular appropriations measure re-
ported out by the House Appropria-
tions Committee, and indications
are that many Interior activities will
be affected drastically.
Other Curtailments.
Committee reports indicate many
reclamation projects for the Western
States will be discontinued or
sharply curtailed. In addition, the
Bureau of Mines and the Geological
Survey. which have the job of car
ing for, the metal, mineral and other
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