Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1949-04-29
COP. Senators Drive
To Reduce Humans
Budget All Along Line

Budget All Along Line
Republican Senators, encour.
aged by an upset victory, today
drove to cut President Truman,
multibillion- dollar spending pro.
gram all along the line.
They thus hope to kill OF any
Federal tax increases this year.
Senator Taft. Republican. Of
Ohio spearheaded the successful
economy campaign which late
yesterday sent a s2,400 GOO. 00l
money bill back to the Senate Ap-
preparations Committee with in
structions to cut it.
Al solid bloc of SO Republicans
got unexpected aid from eight
Democrats to turn that trick and
bowl over a long standing Senate
tradition not to send appropria-
ton bills back to committee
Voting against the motion were 81
Democrats.
Leaders Caught by Surprise.
Most Senator'S thought they
were voting for a cutback of about
$15.00o.000. But experts on Sem
ate rules say the slash actually
may include well over 5000 900 900
previously added to the bill but
chopped OF by its return to COM
mittee.
Senator Taft, smiling broadly,
told reporters afterward that he
apparently caught the Democratic
leaders by surprise. Only a few
moments before they had blocked
a Republican move to cut the bill
on the floor. The vote was IS to
IS against-considerably short of
the two-thirds margin required.
Apparently the Senate is get
ting serious about cutting ex-
penses." Senator Taft said.
Senator Bridges, Republican, of
New Hampshire. called 1t a graft
flying victory for those who believe
the cost of government can be re-
duced and are willing to fight for
It,"
The bill, first money measure to
reach the Senate this session, car
ries funds for Labor and Federal
Security Agencies.
Democrats Silent ON Plans.
Democratic leaders were silent
about their plans but they prob
ably will try to rally their full
voting strength of 81 when the
bill comes back to the Senate.
Senator Bridges said the vote
"gives me renewed hope that the
tax reduction brought about by the
Both Congress will be retained"
adding:
This fight for economy is going
to be continued throughout this
session on every appropriation
bill"
Originally Senators Bridges and
Ferguson, Republican. of Michigan
proposed an amendment which
would have required heads of the
Labor and Security agencies to
make a 5 per cent cutback in part
of the funds. Senator Ferguson
estimated the savings would be
about $4,000, 900.
When Vice President Barley,
the presiding officer. held that the
amendment violated Senate rules
against legislation in an appro-
priation bill, Republicans moved
to suspend the rules. which re-
quires approval Of two-thirds of
those voting.
Sails Through Easily.
After that failed. Senator Taft
proposed sending the bill back to
committee. Democrats, apparently
confident they could beat the mo-
ton, agreed to vote with almost
no debate. To their surprise. 1t
sailed through easily.
Six of the Democrats who voted
for it were from Southern States
Senators Eastland of Mississippi,
George Of Georgia, Hoey of North
Carolina, Holland Of Florida. Nc
Clellan of Arkansas and Long Of
Louisiana. Senator Douglas of Illi-
nois and one other Northern
Democrat, Mcmahon, OF Connecti-
cut, also voted with the Republic
cans.
Senate parliamentarians then
provided another surprise. They
said the action nullified some
5000 100000 that had been added
to the bill by the Appropriations
Committee and the Senate.
The committee had added
$185, 000, 900 to the bill as it came
from the House and the Senate
itself tackled on another $13, $780,
900 cash and nearly $40, 900, 600
in contract authority.
Senator Chavez. Democrat, OF
New Mexico. floor manager for
the bill, indicated that officials OF
the Labor and Security agencies
will be called back to advise the
committee just where the cuts
should be made.
Senator Taft told the Senate
he learned his tactic from Sena-
tor Mcclellan, Democrat, OF Ten
nessee, dean of the Senate and
chairman of the Appropriations
Committee. In 1892, while Her
bert Hoover was President, Sena-
tor Mcclellan got the Democratic
Senate majority to do the same
thing on appropriations to the
Republican administration.
Several Federal building prof.
ects In the, Washington area are
threatened with substantial cuts
in appropriations by Senate &C