Evening star., 1949-10-22
The Political Mill
Trumon's Tax Plea Sounds
Familiar but Terrifying
Budget Will Not Be Balanced as LonS
AS Emphasis Remains on Spending
By Gould Lincoln


President Trumans suggestion that the
only way to balance the Government budget
is to increase taxes has a familiar if some
what terrifying sound. 1t is the old tax and
tax, spend and spend technique-which won
election after election in New Leal days. But
in those days Federal taxes did not approxi-
mate what they are today-which is just
bit shy of the all-time-high taxes during
the last war. Today, four years after the
close of the war. with the country experience
ing during those years tremendous produc-
tion ands all-time- high employment the
demand is now for billions more to spend,
Part Of this heavy spending is justified.
It is for the safety of the Nation and the
American people-to prevent another world
war. There is another danger which the
American people run, however. which is a
bankrupt Nation. The prospects. according
to those who have made it a business OF
examining the Governments fiscal affairs,
are for deficit at the close of the present
fiscal year amounting to $5,0000 900 to
$4,000 ,000. 900. If that kind of thing is con-
tinued, the end can only be disaster.
No Effort to Cut Spending.
AS long as the emphasis remains on spend
ing the Government win not balance its
budget; it will not make possible further
decrease in taxation. Politically, the adj
ministration appears to find itself on the
horns of dilemma. It must either reduce
it's spending plans-which will lose 1t votes
Or it must increase taxes. With an elec-
ton coming up next year. new tax bill
is not likely to sit well.
The emphasis could be transferred to
saving if the administration, and the Con-
gress, were willing. It's trite answer to pro-
posed saving to ask where savings can be
made in Government services and what have
you The great trouble Is that no real
effort has been made to cut. The Hoover
Commission program for governmental re"
organization is an exception-and that
program is carried out, it has been estimated
that savings up to three or four billion dol.
lars year can be made.
Not all the blame for big spending rests
with the President and his executive aides.
The Congress. which under the Constitution
holds the purse strings makes all the
appropriations. The demands made on the
Congress by groups Of citizens for money
for all kinds Of projects are responsible for
many of these appropriations. In the END,
therefore, much Of the governmental ex-
travagance must be blamed upon these
groups, large and small, who demand. and
demand, and demand.
One Ray of Hope.
There is one ray of hope. Representative
Cannon of Missouri, chairman Of the House
Committee on Appropriations, repeatedly
has said that it is his intention to bring be-
fore the House in the next session Of Con-
gress one appropriation bill, containing all
the moneys which are to be authorized and
expended This in place of a dozen big
appropriation bills which have been consid-
cred separately and without reference to an
overall total. If Mr.. Cannon carries out his
plan, the Congress will be faced for the
first time with a measure that gives the
complete picture Of Government spending
which will be compared with a complete
picture Of Government receipts. This it
anything, may prevail on the Congress
even the general public-to cut Government
spending to fit Government revenues. It
would be an excellent program also if pro-
vision could be made that no more should
be expended than the estimated revenues.
In the Senate, Chairman Cannon has an
able seconder in his drive for single
appropriation bill-Senator Harry Flood
Byrd of Virginia. These two Democrats, if
the administration would listen to them.
could do a real Job for the solvency of the
country.
Republicans are pointing out that the only
time the Government BUDGET has been bal-
anced since Franklin D. Roosevelt entered
the White House in 1888 was during the
80th Congress, when the Republicans con-
trolled that body. It is fact. Yet Republi.
can members of Congress too often during
the last session have failed to back up pro.
posed cuts in many of the appropriation bills.
They. too. have been on the spending end
rather than on the saving.