Evening star., 1950-01-10
The Political Mill
Big Government Spending
Seen Facing Voters est
Deficit Politically Preferable to New
Taxes, But Load Is Heavy Now
Rv GouId Linc0In


With the receipt of President Truman's
s42,439, 100000 budget for the fiscal year 1851.
Congress takes over the job of determining
just how much further this country is going
into the red during the next ID months.
Republican leaders-and some Democrats in
Congress-have been talking loudly about
the need for Government economy and
balanced budget. Are they perpared to back
up their words with action? If the last
session of the 81st Congress is to be con-
sidered a precedent. the savings will be
mighty thin. The deficit expected by the
President for the present fiscal year ending
June 80 is 1854 900, ,0OO The President
places the deficit for the fiscal year 1851 at
$5,133 900, 900. And by that time, June 80,
1851 the total national debt will have risen
to 1858 900 900 ,000-a sum higher than the
debt reached during the last war.
Mr.. Truman calls his budget IAN honest
budget, which meets the realities which face
U.S." Included in those realities are necessary
expenditures for national defense Gin cold
war; and the billions expended to improve
conditions of the Western European nations.
But also included are presidential projects
for new governmental services which If car
ried forward will cost the taxpayers more
billions of dollars Almost it thrusts the
American people into kind of wonderland
like Alice's, in which she found the faster
she ran the less progress she made.
Moderate Increases Promised
It's big spending budget, designed to keep
the wheels turning. It's object is employ
ment, production and buying, with the Gov
eminent on the buying end. The taxpayers
are on the other end.
Mr.. Truman suggests there should be mod
crate tax increases and promises to send soon
tax message to Congress. It has been re-
ported that he is considering proposals for
reduction or elimination of the wartime ex-
else taxes on communications, transportation.
etc. But he has made no mention OF these
taxes either in the state of the Union message
or the budget message.
For more than a year now Mr.. Truman
has declared bitterly that the tax reduction
measure. put through by the Republicans
in the 80th Congress. has been responsible
for this renewed deficit spending by the Gov
ernment. It is a matter of some interest,
however. that neither Mr.. Truman nor any
one else in the administration has suggested
this tax law of the Republicans be repealed,
although the Democrats have substantial
majorities in both the House and Senate.
That tax reduction was calculated to save
the taxpayers something over 81 900 900 900
and it also cut about 100000 in the low
income group off the income tax rolls
Courage Seen Needed.
Senator Douglas. Democrat. of Illinois,
who does not believe that liberalism means
spending other peoples money insists that
the budget can be balanced if Congress and
the country have the courage If 1t has
such courage some drastic cuts must be
made in the Truman spending program
Senator Byrd of Virginia also has definite
ideas about balancing the budget, through
curtailment of Government spending. It
looks as though little bipartisanship on the
budget could be just as effective-and cost
less-than the bipartisanship shown on policy
toward Europe.
The stage has been set by the President
and his budget proposals for real battle in
Congress Of course, the President is going
to make further demands on Congress for
more money before the session ends, with
supplemental and deficiency estimates, not
included in the budget.
Deficits. in an election year, are prefer
able to more taxes. Any politician can
understand that The only question con-
fronting the administration is whether fur
ther big spending by the Government is
complete offset to resentment among the
voters against the continuance of high taxes
and huge increases in the public debt.