Evening star., 1950-06-04
Lucas Sees End
0fSing|eBudgei
After This Year
Senator Disappointed.
Says PIon Hos Soved
Neither Time, Money
By J. A. O'Leory

Senate Majority Leader Lucas
Of Illinois yesterday predicted that
Congress may abandon the single
package Federal budget bill after
this one-year experiment.
With less than a month to go
before all Government depart
ments will be out of money for
operating expenses. the $29 billion
money measure for the year COM
mencing July is only half way
through the legislative mill.
Capitol, Hill observers see no
hope of getting it enacted by June
80. which means both houses will
have to rush through a "continu-
ing resolution"
This is stop-gap measure used
by Congress with growing fire.
quency in recent years to meet
payrolls and other routine ex-
penses when regular appropria-
ton bills fail to pass by July 1.
Lucas Voices Disappointment.
Until this year Congress ham
died appropriations in a dozen de-
partmental bills. taking them UP
one at a time between January
and June. Commenting on the
current experiment with one bill
to cover everything except def
ciencies and the District budget.
Senator Lucas said:
Il am keenly disappointed. I
never thought it would work, but
was willing to give it a trial. I
know of no Senator with whom I
have talked who feels we have
made any advancement, either to-
ward saving money or time by the
one-package bill.
Il rather think you will see
them drifting back next year to
the old system of separate bills. +"
Effect to Be Determined Later.
1t Is too early to tell, however,
whether the Lucas prediction of
no saving from the single-package
approach will be borne out.
The House voted for sharp cuts
In Government personnel before
passing the bill May 10, but Re-
publicanS and Democrats disagree
over the amount that would be
saved If the amendments become
law.
In the original drafting of the
bill. the House Appropriations
Committee estimated that it
trimmed $979 million from the
Presidents spending figures for
next year.
Before the bill was completed
both the committee and the
House agreed to add about $385.3
million to the defense budget.
Then, at the last moment, the
House adopted two Republican
amendments. ordering reductions
in personnel all through Federal
service.
Cannon Disputes G. o. p.
Republican spokesmen claim
those two employe amendments
would save 81 billion, but Chair
man Cannon of the House Appro-
priations Committee called these
claims extravagant. and sug-
gested they duplicated some of
the savings ordered earlier by the
committee.
No one can forecast accurately
what will happen to these econ
omy amendments In the Senate
Appropriations Committee, on the
Senate floor. or finally in the
joint conference committee rep
resenting both Houses.
The omnibus bill reached the
Senate committee May II. but still
is a long way from being ready to
be reported to the Senate.
The bill is made up of IL titles
each roughly approximating the
agencies formerly provided for in
that many separate bills.
Only One Section Cleared.
Up to yesterday. the Senate
committee had acted on one title
Civil Functions-and was still
holding hearings on two others
Independent Offices and foreign
economic aid.
Even If the Senate could pass
the bill by the third week in June,
which is not expected. no one be-
lieves the conferees could iron out
(see APPROPRIATIONS, Pg. Al,