The Farmville herald and farmer-leader. (Farmville, Va.) 1934-1957, 1953-01-23

1lau SINCE lIle III IS;
augurat ion Or
Woodrow Wilson in
1912. W zen the
Democrats felt it Sen. Robertson
was their turn to
do some celebrating. writes Sem
ator A. Willis Robertson this week
in his column of Congressional
Comment.
Senator Robertson points out
IN interesting political turn of
events in showing that no Re-
publican member of the Senate
has previously served under a
Republican President, and that
applies likewise to most House
members he dlscloses
Pointing TO the contrast with
earlier days. he writes of the
Inauguration: "All this was in
sharp contrast with early inaugu-
rations. When George Washing
ton was inaugurated his Secretary
of State. Alexander Hamilton.
handsome and well dressed as
well is possessing brilliant in
tellect. wanted the occasion TO be
a brilliant affair. But Washing
ton. desiring to encourage our
infant textile industry. took the
oath of office i'll brown suit
made in a small domestic mill
Nobody attempted to make
Thomas Jeffersons Inaugural a
brilliant affair because they knew
1t was useless. He rode his favorite
saddlehorse from the White
House to the Capltoi. practicing
extreme simplicity and demand
ing it of all connected With the
event.
The scene at Washington this
week reflected the difference be-
tween thirteen small States in
the days Of Washington. which
had but recently won their free
dom from a great world power.
and forty eight States in 1858
which have become. from the
standpoint Of wealth and capacity
to produce. the greatest power in
the world. There was probably
more money represented in
Washington on Inauguration Day
than this or any other Capital of
the world has ever known
Budget Views
Senator Robertson believes
budget considerations hinge on
President Eisenhower's view of
the need for national defense and
security spending. On this matter.
he writes:
During the election campaign
General Eisenhower Indicated his
belief that spending during the
fiscal year starting next June
could be held to around $40 bill
lion. After the Truman budget
was presented Senator Taft again
said he thought the $40 billion
figure could be achieved. That
would compare with a spending
total of S78.6 billion proposed By
President Truman. Last year
President Truman started out by
asking Congress TO permit 1854
billion TO be spent Tins year but
We rejected some of ais proposals
for new spending and by ecohomy
cuts IN other items We brought
the figure down to approximately
$fi6 billion of actual spending.
according to the latest Budget
Bureau estimates
Ii would be much more diff
cult to cut Sll billion out of the
new Truman budget. however,
because the outgoing President
did not include any allowances
for the cost Of proposed new legis-
latlon. All but about $40 billion Of
the Truman budget is for military
services and related national Sc
curity purposes or for such inflex-
lble items as interest on the ma
tlonal debt and payments which
We are obligated to make to vet
Grams.
We shall cut what we can out
of that $40 billion but ou ability
to do SO is limited by the fact that
much Of. it is for essential things
like the postal service, making
and enforcing laws. collecting
taxes, managing the public debt
and administering federal proper
Is and records
IT is apparent. therefore. that
whether or not spending can be
Kept anywhere near the estimated
federal income figure for next
year of $68.7 billion will depend
largely on what President Essen
hover feels we need TO spend for
our nation defense and security"