Evening star., 1951-10-21

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as the domestic program of the Tru-
man administration-the Fair Deal
Civil Rights program-it has been
virtually blank.
Driven by the need of enlarging
the armed forceS-for the Korean
war and to meet possible aggression
by Communist Russia and its satel-
lites-the 82d Congress. in its nine
and-a-half- session, has en-
acted appropriations totaling in the
neighborhood of $91 billion of which
$85 billion is for the present fiscal
year and Sc billion for fiscal 1851
deficiency bills, which includes all
appropriations for governmental &C
tivities. 1t has levied $5,691 ,000. 900
in additional taxes, which will bring
the total tax take by the Federal
Government to $63 billion in the
present year-an amount which will
be increased to SGT billion when
the new law has been in operation
a full IL months.
Even so, the prospects are for
deficit Of 81 to $6 billion at the close
of the fiscal year next June 30-for
the Governments expected expendi-
lures will reach between $68 billion
and $40 billion in this year. The
real pinch will come in the follow
ing year, when expenditures are ex-
pected to mount to something like
$85 billion.
Coalition BoIks Foiv DeoI
The session has been marked by
many clashes between the adminis-
tration and the Congress. where a
coalition of Republicans and con-
servative Democrats-most of them
from the South-has been in con-
troll. This coalition has made it i'm
possible even to start work on the
Fair Deal-Civil Rights program. The
session has been further marked by
a long series of congressional in
Notwithstanding nearly $50.
The Congress, however, has in the
main given its support to the ad-
ministration's program for national
defense, passing the biggest military
appropriation bill-nearly $57 billion
since the height of World War II.
1t also approved a record-breaking
foreign aid program. including ap-
preparations for both military and
economic aid, totaling more than
81 billion.
Meshed with the national defense
effort was the enactment of the
country's first universal military
training and service law, and also
economic controls laws, including
price, wage and rent controls, a sys-
tenn of priorities and ALLEGATIONS of
materials. and credit controls.
Other major bills passed by Con-
gress include the extension OF the
Reciprocal Trade Agreement Act.
famine loan to India of $3.50 mil
lion, free CT life insurance, food re-
lief bills to help care for devastated
areas in Kansas, Missouri and other
States. extending until December 81,
1881. the period Of admission Of
displaced persons" providing Fed
eral aid in construction of housing
and community facilities in defense
areas. and renewing direct loans to
veterans for housing. amending the
National Labor Relations Act to VAL
idate union shop elections held prior
to the taking Of nom Communist
oath by union officers, and permit
ting union shop agreements without
prior elections, and providing pay
increases for Federal officials and
employees. including postal employees,
and providing for a graduated sys-
tenn of leave for Federal officials and
employees.
Spending Offsets Cuts
President Truman's original de-
mand was for new revenue law in
creasing taxes by SIG billion-on the
theory that these new taxes were
needed to meet expenditures for the
Korean war and national defense on
a pay-as-you-go program, and also
that they would act as check on
imitation. His demands. however, met
immediate opposition in Congress.
The cry on Capitol Hill was for deep
cuts in government expenditure
outside Of those for national defense.
Many attempts to cut the Presidents
budget were made, and some were
successful. But to Offset these cuts,
additional appropriations were put
through.
Two factors delayed Congress. The
first was the deelination of the tax
committees of the House and Senate
to put through revenue bill until
the great bulk of appropriations had
been made. The second was the
large number of congressional inves-
legations, which stole the headlines
throughout the session. The mem
bers of the Armed Services and
Foreign Relations Committees of the
Senate were tied up for weeks with
an investigation of the Administra-
tion's policies in the Far East and of
Gen. Douglas MacArthur's removal
from his command in Japan and
Korea. ,~
Other committees Of the Senate
delved into the use of influence" to
obtain loans from the Reconstruction
Finance Corporation, the charges in
volving members of the Presidents
political family as well as the Demo-
cratic National Chairman, William
M. Boyle, jr., and also Republican
National Chairman, Guy George
Gabrielson. President Truman called
the first report of the Fulbright Com
mittee. dealing with the RFC loans,
Jasmine" The Hoey committee went
into these charges. dealing particu-
larly with the activities of Mr.. Boyle
and Mr.. Gabrielson-and the inves-
tigation has not yet been concluded.
Revenue Bureou Probes
Even more startling, however, was
the investigation of the operation of
Offices and officials of the Internal