Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1949-01-09
Continued From First Page

inviting bankruptcy and which, en-
tirely aside from the cost in dollars,
might work irreparable harm to
our great system of productive,
competitive enterprise"
In placing price tags on nearly
everything the President mentioned
in his message, Mr.. Halleck reached
"a total cost between Is billion
and II billion. but, after allow
ing for the fact that all of the
projects could not be carried out in
one year, the Indiana member
scaled his estimate of new spending
down to IL billion.
In his itemized list of the cost of
new undertakings mentioned by the
President, Mr. Halleck put down
$4,000, 100000 for the proposed ven-
ture of the Government in the steel
producing business" Mr.. Halleck
indicated he expects Democrats to
take issue with some of his cost
figures. In this case, for example,
the President recommended study
Of the adequacy of steel making IA
cilities and consideration of Gov
eminent loans for expansion, and
construction of such facilities "di-
rectly If action by private industry
fails to meet our needs
Truman Clarifies Position.
In his Friday press conference,
the President emphasized he had
merely recommended a study of
progressive steps rather than i'm
mediate plans for Government con-
struction. Mr.. Halleck attempted to
estimate what it would cost if the
ultimate step of Government plant
building should be decided on as
necessary.
Mr.. Halleck also included in his
itemized statement $4,000 100000 as
the annual cost of expanded social
programs, including compulsory
health insurance. He conceded that
these programs could be handled
separately through employer EN-
ploye payroll taxes, but he listed
them as items that would be cleared
either that way or through the ma
tlonal budget.
Other major Truman recommend
ations on which Mr.. Halleck COM
puted cost figures were:
Universal military training, be-
tween $4,000 100000 and $4,000, 0OO,-
600 a year.
Other Increases Implied, He Says.
River valley improvements and
other public works, $1,O0O,O00,O0O a
year.
st. Lawrence seaway, $500, oOO,-
900.
Public housing, 100000 1000.
Federal aid to education, $780,
100000.
Administrative cost of anti-in-
flation programs, including ration
ing, price and wage control, $780,
100000 annually.
I'm addition to the above items
which are quite definitely proposed
in the message, said Mr.. Halleck,
there are implications of greatly
expanded expenditures in other
fields which are not sufficiently def
mite to permit of any estimate of
cost at this time. Also, no allow
ance is made for any increase in
veterans benefits, increase in pay
of Government employees, or for
other increased costs which seem in
evitable in almost every session of
Congress"
Calculations Explained.
Even before attempting to figure
out the cost of newly proposed Gov
eminent programs, Mr.. Halleck
sought to show that the $4,000, OO0,-
600 of new taxes asked by the Presi-
dent would fall short of covering a
budget patterned after the present
one, if $15,000,000,O 900 is allowed for
national defense. Here is how he
made this calculation:
FIRST of all, the latest available
estimate in the Presidents budget