Evening star., 1949-10-31
Truman Held Wronq
In Freezing AT Fund
Voted by Congress
Should Have Vetoed Bill
Or OK'd Lawmakers
Wishes, Writer Says
Bv David Laurence

By David Laurence
Must a President of the United
States obey the mandate of a law
of Congress and spend the funds
it authorizes for the armed serv-
ices? Or may a President disre-
gard the instructions given by
Congress and withhold expendi-
lures as he sees fit?
A precedent of far-reaching i'm
portance is involved in Mr.. Tru-
mans announcement that, al
though he signed the military ap-
preparation bill which provides
funds for a 58-group Air Force, he
will not spend the extra $685.
100000 and will allow only a 49,
group Air Force.
The true meaning Of this Is
that the President has set himself
up as much more powerful than
Congress in deciding what the
military Establishments size shall
be.
Normally. President who does
not like what is contained in a
law vetoes it and asks for amend
ments or modification or else Con-
gress passes the measure over his
veto. The issue of 48-group Air
Force came up in the closing days
of the last session when a COM
mittee from the Senate went to
the White House and asked Mr..
Truman what his wishes were.
He repeated that the Secretary
Of Defense, the Joint Chiefs of
Staff and the Budget Director all
joined with him in requesting a
48-group Air Force.
Told Of Truman's Wishes.
Thus Congress was put on no.
tice as to the Presidential desires
but the bill could not get through
unless the Senate conferees
yielded. The House of Repre-
sentatives wanted the 58-groupI
Air Force.
Sentiment in the House is best
expressed by the following COL
loquy between Defense Secretary
johnson and Chairman Vinson.
Democrat, at a session of the
House Armed Services Committee
which occurred after the legisla-
ton had passed both houses and
= had been sent to the White House
with the provision for the So
group Air Force:
Mr.. Vinson: Do you know If the
President is going to spend the
money for the So or the 48-group
Air Force?
Secretary Johnson: I don't
know. In the light of what the
President told the Senate COM
mittee I expect he will impound
that fund, but he hasn't told
Mr.. Vinson: I hope he will
bear in mind that every vote in
the House, except one. expressing
what I concede to be the views
of the people-and we feel we
represent the people-wanted the
So groups. -. -4.s- !
Secretary johnson: My opinion
will be asked. I am quite sure,
and when I convey 1t to the Pres
ident, I shall express my opinion
and I am going to quote what
you said this morning. =.
Called Mistake.
Mr.. Vinson: I think the Presi-
dent would make a mistake if he
impounds the money and does not
spend the money. OF course it is
entirely up to the President to
spend the appropriation. He
doesn't have to spend it and II
hope that in using the good judg-
ment he generally uses he will go
ahead and spend it.
Thus it would appear that the
President can override the wishes
of Congress through the mere
device Of refraining to spend
moneys appropriated. It is a
tremendous power of notification
that is vested in one man. Yet
what remedy is there? AS a rule,
when the end Of a fiscal year ap-
proaches there are usually large
unexpended balances. If spend
ing were mandatory, money
would be wasted.
What is needed is a grant of
authority to the President to
transfer to the succeeding fiscal
year unexpended sums but at the
same time it should not be pos
sible for the President to alter in
any substantial way the instruc-
tlons given him by Congress with
respect to major appropriations
Tor the armed services.
The Congress made a mistake
IN voting for a So instead of a
48-group Air Force but the law
Is on the statute books and If
the President didn't like it he
should have made clear that he
would veto the bill and Congress
would have had the choice Of
overriding the veto or amending
the bill to meet the Presidents
wishes.
Rightly or wrongly, Congress
wants a 58-group Air Force and
1t is the duty of the President to
give Congress what it voted.
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