Evening star., 1950-01-10
Congress Share Seen
In Responsibility for
Waste in New Budqef
Abuse Of Disability Pay
For Veterans Cited as
Political Expedieney
By David Laurence

Lt1e 11cdSuIy, pQt IA consequence
Of appropriations made by law"
So, while Mr.. Truman has rec
commended" that the Nation shall
increase it's public debt by another
$5,000,000, 900, thus making an in
crease of about $11 .000, 0,000,0 900 in
the public debt in two fiscal years,
the responsibility for this does not
rest on the White House directly.
Mr.. Truman blamed the Repub-
Iicans who controlled the 80th
Congress for reducing taxes and,
as he says, causing deficit. But
he cannot blame the Republicans
any more, because the Democrats
control the 81st Congress and. If
there's a deficit, it is the respon-
sibility now of the Democrats. He
might have cleared the air by put
ting the responsibility on Congress
without regard to party.
Much Criticism Seen.
There will be much criticism OF
the Presidents message on the
budget because he doesn't recon-
mend more economies and at
tempt to balance income and out
20. But Mr.. Truman knows that
both Republicans and Democrats
may talk a lot about economy and
yet are the first to protest about
cuts In appropriations that affect
their districts.
Also, just now when the busi-
ness situation, despite the rosy
forecasts, is delicate enough to be
upset by a curtailment Of spend
ing, actual economizing of dras-
tic nature isn't going to be popular
except in theory.
It is unfair. therefore. to put all
the blame on the President. It is
true that he could find ways to
economic, but he's playing the
game the other way now-he is
hoping that a stabilized business
situation will be productive of
higher and higher revenues and
that the budget will be balanced
out of receipts from existing rates.
Some changes in the tax rates
are to be expected, and these will
yield a moderate" amount Of rev.
enue, but in the main there's isn't
any intention in Congress now Of
abandoning deficit financing.
Deficits Set Record.
The deficits are the largest ever
experienced in peacetime. They
are due not merely to expenses for
past wars and future wars, as the
apologists for deficit spending
claim. The fact is that expendi-
lures not falling in these classifi-
cations-that is, the normal ex-
penses of Government-are to re-
ceive an increase Of 81 ,000. 900, 900
If Mr.. Truman's recommendations
are accepted. 4 ze.ss.<a
"A certain glib way Of referring
to the budget has arisen. Some
one adds up the expenses for the
the appropriations for
veterans, the interest on the pub
lie debt and Jumps together all
these as expenses for past wars
and future wars" This Is SUD.
posed to quiet any protests. For it
Is assumed that the citizen will
agree that expenses Of past wars
must be met and that everybody
wants an adequate national de-
tense to prevent a future war or
to be ready to fight that war If it
breaks out.
So II per cent Of the budget is
removed from consideration or
debate at once. and the citizen
is asked to consider that only in
the remaining 20 per cent is there
any room for a difference of
opinion. AS a matter of fact, there
Is more waste in the II per cent
than anywhere else. This is be-
cause the Government is run on
q "hush-hush" basis and any,
body who comes up with a more
economical way to get national
defense Is usually told he can't
discuss 1t because to rebut the
argument means disclosing infor-
nation about our strategic plans
or their collateral phases.
Duty of Congress.
Congress is charged with the
duty OF pentrating the camouf1age
that has surrounded national de-
tense expenditures. It is respon-
sible also for failing to check up
on the manner In which the
Treasury has been raided by all
sorts OF schemes whereby veter-
ans who were not injured in past
warxsare now collecting benefits for
disabilities really not connected
WITH service in wartime.
If only the truly needy veterans
were assisted, there would be less
expense to the Government. It is
among such items that an eco
nomicaAy minded Congress could
make substantial cuts. But Con-
gress Is political and the pres
sures to spend have political i'm
plications.
So it may be taken for granted
that deficit spending is here to
stay for some time and that the
dollar will be worth less and less
as the infiationary trend in Ameri-
ca is gradually heightened.
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