Evening star., 1953-01-16

AS he left the room to take
the elevator and get cab for
Pennsylvania Station, he had to
enlist my aid to carry the fancy
looking hat box, Just to make
conversation I mentioned that
editorial writer's were already ex-
pressing hope that he would bal
ance the budget. Was he aware
of the limitations of Secretary
of the Treasury in that respect?
ST know" he said. 'but as
c. e. Wilson said, I'm going to
give the job the damneoest whirl
its ever had
The editorial writer's should
know better. The Secretary of
the Treasury has very little to
do with balancing the budget.
The experts in his department
can foretell the income Of the
Government with remarkable ac-
curacy. The tax specialists can
devise tax schemes to increase
that income.
But the budget is prepared in
the departments and agencies
and put together by the Bureau
of the Budget, part of the official
establishment of the Presidents.
The Secretary of the Treasury
meets with the Director Of the
Budget and the President. He
can point out the coming deficit
based on the forecasts of his
experts.
But the real determination is
made on the Hill. The Secretary
can appear before the commit
tees of Congress in support OF
the tax measures recommended
by his department. But there
are members of Congress who
feel with good reason that they
are tax experts. It is pretty much
the same Congress. It represents
the same population which pro-
duces the same pressures.
Mr.. Humphrey is going to need
a lot of help in the White House
and on the Hill in overcoming
the deficit which seems to be
headed beyond the $40 billion
mark.
Problems to Face.
He will find it an interesting
job in other respects. He will
be called on almost Immediately
to decide how about SO billion in
Government certificates coming
to maturity is to be handled
whether to make it ''roll over"
with the issuance Of new certifl-
Gates or to issue five-year notes
or to take UP certain amount
of it by issuing long term Sc
curities.
He will have to make the de-
partment's tax recommendations
soon. He probably will want to
get rid Of the excess profits tax
which many consider the most
inequitable tax of all because of
the difficulties in determining a
fair base Of normal" profits. It
expires June 80. But his prede-
cessor recommended that it be
dropped and Congress con-
tinued it.
AS the officer responsible for
the public debt he will find him.
self doing business with his
broker, the Federal Reserve Sys-
tenn, in the issuance of securities
in amounts that would make
any businessman's head swim.
He will find himself head of an
interesting manufacturing es-
tablishment, the Bureau of
Printing and Engraving, which
is producing stamps and pieces
of paper money in double the
amount of World War II days.
He will be the head of the
most successful gold digging op-
Grafton in history. the Bureau of
Internal Revenue, which last
year collected $65 billion and is
proud of the administrative cost
which was less than one-half
cent on a dollar.
He will head the third largest
department in the government
with 86 900 civilian employees and
$1,000 members of the Coast
Guard.
! The last will probably be a
most interesting subsidiary to a
man who headed a Great Lakes
shipping firm. The Coast Guard
has a fleet of 1872 going
vessels (cutters). operates the
iceberg patrol in the North At
lantic. which is paid for by 10
nations (the Titanic disaster
brought that about), patrols the
Pribilfo Islands to protect the
seals, and holds courts of justice
in some Eskimo communities. It
also operates ice breakers in the
northern harbors and in the
Great Lakes where they have
heightened the season for the
Hanna fleet and other carriers.
Collect More Duties.
AS the Cabinet officer whose
household includes the Bureau
of Customs, he will be collecting
more duties than ever before in
our history. In the Narcotics Bu-
reau he will be responsible for
keeping down traffic in dope and.
in the Secret Service he will be
responsible not only for the de-
lection of counterfeiters but for
the safety of President Eisen-
hover and his family.
did my letter help you with
Humphrey" the mutual friend
asked when I saw him next.
Have you a good story on him?"
i I told him yes as to the first