Evening star., 1949-06-18
Sees Government Clerks Paying
For Economy Mose By Congress
To the E6ttor Of Yhs Rtar,

Ts the EDITOR Of Ths Star
When Congress passes appropriation bills
and then appends o rider. requiring the
President to cut the amounts appropriated
from to 10 per cent they are. 10 borrow
Senator Hickenloopers phrase. guilty of
Incredible mismanagement."
In such q gesture Consressmen confess at
once three things. First. that In making
appropriations they are actuated by an
Unsuitable urge TO spend every cent Of tn
come using none OF 1t to reduce the ma
tional debt. Second. that they were unable
TO see n possible decline In that income
which every reasonable person has Ions
thought probable. And third. that they
know 30 little about where cuts should be
made. despite tedious and minute hearings.
that they must pass the buck TO the Pres-
dent.
OF course. everyone realizes that Congress
is playing politics Constituents who may
have brought pressure on them 10 support
some special interest or geographical pork
barrel expenditure. can then only transfer
their pressure to the President. who. un-
fortunately for them, In not running for
reelection In 1850. as all OF the House and
one-third Of the Senate are. Congress In
.he 5-and-lo gesture. therefore. Is prac-
ticaily abdicating In favor Of the President
Its duty Of appropriattng money.
And where does the President stand on
all Of this7 He still Ii acting a. though
we were In an infistionary instead OF q
deflationary period. He wants TO increase
taxes. he ID selling bonds: and both opera
tions asgravate defiation. He actively In
increasing the national debt. His idea OF
meeting O budget deficit seems 10 be tax
and tax and elect and elect" He Ia advo-
eating q welfare state when he has before
him the dismal failure OF such venture
under the socialists In England He Ia
advocating more GENERALIZATION when what
is patiently needed is return Of power 10
the States.
The facts are that the war must be paid
for BY someone 1t now Is question OF whose
goose Is to be piucked. Mot mine" says
the farmer insisting on price support. Not
mine" says labor. preparing for q fourth
round Of wage increases. Not mine" says
industry. passing all the taxes and wage
increases on to the consumer.
Well. that leaves only the Government
clerks and the white-coliar workers. The
2.o0o.oo Government clerks with their
average salaries of 5000 get only seventh
of the budget-yet IL the 5-and-Io legisla-
ton Is passed. II win not be the ECA. II
will not be the rivers and harbors pork bar
rel. 1t will not be the veterans. 1t viii not
be the fixed charges Of the interest ON the
Government debt. II cannot well be the Post
Once. or the national defense establishment
civilians--the brunt Of the cut win come
on the remaining million Government clerks
who receive 5000 q year on the average.
These people who are performing all the
constructive and worthwhile activities of
the Government win be cut numerically.
And In the utter stagnation that follows.
who viii have killed Cock Ronin9 Why the
President viii Be pointing TO Congress and
Congress win be pointing 10 the President
And both VIII be right. REALIGT
Lisbon Defended Against Gfbes
OF Authse q Humersus Column
To ths K6tsor Of Tia star.
In your issue Of June 10. there 10 . hu-
morous column by Henry Mcrkmors In
which he joyfuily asserts. among many other
hilarious things. that n Lisbon In just
about the most expensive city In the world.
and 4 man s lucky III be can ses by
onsso American dollars . day" ~ 'LAsnon.
as you doubtlessay know. 10 the worlds CEN
ter Of espionage
Without detriment TO hiafncr In senerai
and Mr.. McIemors IN particular. would
like TO straightsn him cut On those two
writing for conyuisions Of hiiar1ty. should
keep Q decent perspective Of tte facts.
Lisbon. one cf the worlds most hoapstahls
and beautiful cities, In not cheap these days
but M McI<more viii ind that one cf
IAxbons excellent hotels win Gfss him
better treatment for le9 money than q
ssc0nd-rsfe waahtngtnn CIR Mew YoFk -
tabaix1ment: and most other things IN pro-
portion What is usors. Mr. NcI<mUe wtli
ike IT,
As for the Portuguese capital being -the
vuTids center of espionAxe.@ Mx. Nc1AnoFes
information seems q little cutdatsd. NJ sha1
no longer is she yesr of 1870 o. isSt when
that neutral city doubtless was . chosen
ground far the operatives. III Mr.. Mct<moFe
i really inasrssssd In locating *ths verids
sentsr Of espscnaxes In ieto. vcald sux~
rest fhas hs read hi own waAnsnxton nxva-
papers ~ L. !. o0AAk1-