Milford chronicle., 1949-06-24
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Inside Story
INSIDE STORY on the house slash
: of some IS per cent from the ap-
preparation for European recovery
administration funds runs some
thing like this: The administration
has been told by the department of
commerce and the committee on
economic advisors to the President
that the national income in 1850
will be definitely lower than now
some say Is billion dollars lower
than. 1949. But some Democratic
leaders declare that the budgets
for domestic appropriations have
been squeezed until there is little
water left in them. so it will be Inn
possible to slash domestic expendi-
tures which, after all. amount to
very small percentage of the total
overall federal budget. The story is
that these leaders say that it will be
politically more advantageous to
pass the domestic appropriation
measures as is than to cut them in
the election year of 1850.
But, on the other hand, 3
realistic group in the house and
senate, cOgnizant Of the Inn
minent drop in national income,
declare that cut in federal ex-
penditures is absolutely essen
tial if a tax increase is to be
avoided, and II should be
avoided.
So, although the administration
is not going to consent publicly, the
slashes in ECA funds will be per-
mitted to 60 through on the theory
that lower prices in the offing may
make up for some Of the cuts and
that there will be less reverbera-
tions from the electorate than il
domestic appropriations were pared.
With Senate Majority Leader
Scott Lucas committed to keeping
congress in session until the ma
jor" points in President Truman s
legislative program "a re dis
posed Of" the makings of full
scaled row are shaping up.
Already the administration ha:
shelved some of its must bill:
in order to get to the Taft-Hartley
repeal measure, an admittedly red
hot subject. Congressional leader!
agreed it would be three week:
before this issue came to show
down. That would mean the labor
question might not be settled unit
around July /. With a majority o
legislators already on record al
favoring adjournment early in Aug
ust, Senator Lucas may find hi
hands full in keeping the lawmakers
beyond that time, despite the status
of the Presidents revised must
program at that time.
An obvious indication of the pow
der-keg potentials in congress is the
administrations willingness to pu
aside consideration of the Nortl
Atlantic pact in the senate, so tn,
labor bill could have the right-oi
way. In law-making assemblage
where the administration has tn
whip-hand, delays such as that o.
major questions are not necessary
If the votes are there, then tn
measures proposed can be passed
Where there is uncertainty and on
side or the other must make tn
best of bad deal, compromise
the only way.
My old friend Hassil E. Schenck
tall, raw-boned and virile, presiden
of the Indiana Farm Bureau FEEDERS
tion and member Of the ABB
executive committee has said
truism. In a luncheon speech her
recently he told his audience
Normally as this country knew
10, Is, and 20 years ago is not onl
a present-day inpossibility. but
would be catastrophe and W
wouldn't want it if we could have il
America has no alternative but t
go forward to a new normal"
Hassil Schenck has been boss &
the Indiana Farm Bureau almcs
as far back as I can remember
back to the days of Bill Settle, VIII
was Indiana Farm Bureau pres
dent and later became president c
the national organization.