Evening star., 1952-01-06
BY WiIliom A. MiIlen


Shortly after the lawmakers as
semble Tuesday for the second session
of the 82d Congress, President Tru-
man will send up his annual budget
message. Final action will come only
after tremendous arguments on the
floor Of the two houses.
But before Government spending
comes to official debate in Congress,
there will have been a more-than-
adequate amount of discussion Of
each expenditure from within the
executive branch usually pro) and
from the public usually contra).
The Budget Bureau, charged with
challenging and winnowing down de-
mands of various Government agen-
cies, gets bombarded from all sides.
The Federal officials Immediately
concerned with program naturally
think their estimates should remain
untouched. But the Budget Bureaus
mail pouches contain a vast number
OF kicks from the general public. This
is particularly true now that the new
tax law is beginning to pinch in ear
nest and the wage Garner knows that
an even larger slice of his income
IS going to support the Federal Gov
ernment. This is to say nothing of
the bite taken out of his pay envelope
by the States and cities and by So
called hidden taxes.
Nothing Specific
Little wonder that Mr.. Taxpayer is
In mood to gripes He does not hesi-
tate to tell the Budget Bureau that
Uncle Sam is spending far too much.
But the great weak point of his argu-
ment is that he does not advocate
anything specific.
He does not. for instance, want
the Agriculture Department abol-
lsned, the Federal Communications
commission Or the Adjutant Gen.
erals Office thrown out the window.
He only knows that he is paying too
much in taxes and he wants some
thing done about it.
Often the indignant taxpayer
Wrathfully writes directly to Presi-
dent Truman. These letters are sent
to the Budget Bureau, which gets
plenty OF mail in its own right.
Letters written to Senator's and
representatives on the subject also
find their way to the Budget Bureau
Tor facts as basis for replies.
Often the Budget Bureau, in these
cases. acts as routing point for mail.
Pefnaps the answer sought by the
Congressman lies not in the Budget
Bureau, but in some agency of the
government. The Congressman's
letter is forwarded to the interested
offlce, which replies either directly or
through the Budget Bureau. In
either case, the legislators letter gets
top priority handling-aS does all
congressional mail.
Not All One Sided
But all the letters to the Budget
Bureau are not one sided. There are
the letters from organized groups.
Don't cut the funds Of the Agricul-
ture Department; don't slash the
National Labor Relations Board:
don't wipe out the Commerce De-
partment; in brief, don't you dare
touch my favorite project in the
Federal Government-hack away all
you like at the other fellow, but leave
mine unimpaired." This is particu-
larly true where public works are con-
cerned.
And then there is another group
that sends mail to the Budget Bureau.
This bloc wants action on economy
and efficiency and some officials sus-
pect that those interested in seeing
all the recommendations Of the
Hoover Commission made effective
now have hand in the mail CAM
pa1gn. Some of the commissions sug-
gestions have already been incor-
porated into law.
Budget officials say it is simple to
urge reduction of expenditures, but
quite another to 60 down the list
Item by item and say what services
should be eliminated, without wasting
money already invested by the
Government.
Bl1thely many write: "Send me the
budget" Little do they realize that
the bulky tome weighs IA pounds
and costs $475.
The Budget Bureau last year got
out the Baby Budget" oficially
the Federal budget in brief. After
President Truman doomed it in a
speech, it became q best seller at
the Government Printing Ofice with
17,808 copies being sold.
Misinformution at Large
Budget Bureau officials say thers
Is great deal Of misinformation at
large. Non-defense spending is par
ticularly attacked. In 1910. the
Commerce Department spent 1868
million, compared with 1950's 1868
million. But officials point out that
into the Commerce Department since
1910 have been shifted the Bureau of
Public Roads. the Maritime Adminis-
trat1on, Civil Aeronautics Admins
tration and the Weather Bureau.
These four bureaus have about $75O
million in appropriations.
The Interior Department with
$210 million in 1910 had $56s.5 mil
lion in 1850. Officials explain most
OF the Jump is due to the Nations
industrial growth and the need for
power In the defense effort, as well
as increased activities These include
the Reclamation Bureau, Bonneville
Power Administration and once of
Territories.
The Labor Department, with s29
million In 1910, advanced to $257
million in 1850. Officials say most of
the increase is due to the Bureau of
employment Security, which spent
$2l4 million last fiscal wear rnnst1,z