Evening star., 1951-07-03
The Political Min:
.-
Chaos Shown in Figures
On Government Finance
Appropriation Bills Blocked
As Treasury Has Surplus
The Political MiH:
By Gould Lincoln


With the fiscal year 1851 just closed
and the fiscal year 1852 getting under
way, it's OF interest to take a look at
what the Truman administration, Con-
gress ct al. have been doing
The Treasury Department showed a
surplus at the close of the fiscal year
more than trif1e, too, for it amounted
to $4,000, 100000. At the same time, the
record showed that not single one of
the dozen annual appropriation bills
for the fiscal year 1852 had become law,
although two had reached the CONFER
ence stage" between the two houses.
Further, the bill to increase our taxes
by $4,000, 100000, demanded by Presi-
dent Truman but pared down by the
House to about $7,500,o 900, had
reached the Senate Finance Committee
and had little chance for final enact
ment into law before the last of Sep
tember.
Minority Leader of the House Joe"
Martin of Massachusetts, wasn't far
wrong when he commented "the whole
pattern of Government expenditures is
in state Of chaos unprecedented in the
history Of the country"
Blame Partly on President.
The blame falls partly on the Presi-
dtnt and the bureaucrats and partly on
tie Congress. If ever there was time
when the country and the Congress
should have known as early as possible
what the appropriations for the next
fiscal year would total it was this year.
The administration was shouting, for
10 billions OF additional taxes. The tax
payers-the American people-certainly
had right to know if these additional
taxes were needed and for what. True,
the country was at war with the Com
munlstS in Korea. But here is a demand
that they pay more taxes than they paid
when the country was at war with half
the world in the early 1940s.
The first thing Congress did-through
action in the House Appropriations Com
mittee-was to kick overheard the one
package, omnibus appropriation bill
method OF making the annual appro-
prlations, which at least gives the coun-
try an overall picture of what the Gov
ernment expenditures for the fiscal year
are to be. It returned to the separate
appropriation bills. One of the reasons
given was that the omnibus bill "de-
layed" the enactment of the appropria-
tion laws. Yet last year the omnibus bill
had passed the House. May 10. The
House this year has still to pass on the
State-JuStice- Commerce Judiciary ap-
preparation bill, and the Armed Services
appropriation bill, plus the foreign aid
bill military and economic).
Estimate Delayed.
The administration did not send the
estimates hn itoc
Congress, nor for foreign aid, until four
months after Congress had met last
January. Further, it has been RESPONSE
ole for the fact that the House has not
yet had presented to it the bill contain
ing the appropriations for the State De-
partment, although the House commit
tee had concluded its hearings on that
measure April g. 1t feared that these
appropriations would be cut hard by the
House because Secretary of State Ache
son was still retained at the head Of
that department.
The two houses of Congress have made
some large cuts in some of the appro-
priations proposed by the administra-
t1on-in connection with personnel par
tlcularly, which is hopeful sign from
the taxpayers standpoint. And the fact
that flnal action on the new tax bill
apparently will now be delayed until
after the appropriation bills have been
passed is also fortunate.
The clamor for immediate increases
in taxes as a measure to prevent in
fation makes little appeal to the COM
mon, run-of- the mine taxpayer. The idea
is to take his money away so he won't
spend it. But the Government intends
to spend it, and thereby do the inf1at-
ing for the taxpayer If the taxpayer
retains his money, he can at least de-
eide whether to spend it or not. But if
the Government takes it, the Govern
ment will spend it beyond doubt. The
taxpayer knows that his money is needed
for national defense and for the ordi-
nary expenses of government. He has
learned, too, that his money is expended
recklessly-and that goes all the way
around