Milford chronicle., 1955-08-19
THE FEDERAL BUDGET CAN BE
BALANCED

11E DODGEI. IAN DE-
BALANCED
The budget can be balanced and taxes
cut-without any reduction in military
strength, and without eliminating any item
of useful public works or any delivered
Federal contribution to health, education
and welfare.
That is the conclusion reached in the
final Hoover Commission report to the Con-
Qress which summarizes the recommends
tons made in the l8 previous reports on
specific agencies i'm the executive branch of
the government.
This second Hoover Commission, which
has now wound up its monumental task, was
given a much broader assignment than the
first Hoover Commission of 1947. 1t dealt
extensively with questions of policy, where
as the first Commission was pretty much
confined by the enabling law to administra-
tive and organzational matters. In the
course of its work it studied so of the Ga in
dependent government agencies for which
the President is directly responsible. These
account for over 95 per cent of executive
branch expenditures. The magnitude of the
job is indicated by the fact that federal
medical services are carried on by 26 exec
utive agencies, legal services by "a, research
and development by 20, insurance and re-
lated activities by 1O4, and transportation
by %. During their investigation of the
governments activies in food and clothing
to take just one illustration, members of the
Committees task force on subsistence visit
ed 1l5 separate installations
The recommendations fall into three cat
egories. Fifty of them are of a nature which
might be presented to the Congress by the
President under the Reorganization Act of
1949, or implemented by executive order
145 are within the authority of the various
departments and agencies to adopt; and 167
weuld require Congressional action, though
they could be covered by much smaller
number of legislative acts.
The reductions in expenditures which
could be made, according to the studies, are
enormous. Here are a few examples of spe-
Gifted estimated savings: Budget and ac-
counting, S4,000,000,0 900; medical services,
$500 600; lending, guaranteeing and in
surance activities, S200,000,000; overseas
economic operations, $780, 100000; paper
work adjustments in the Department of De-
fense, 1888 100000. In addition to the es-
Inmates, task force reports also say that
great potential savings could be made by
lessening and eliminating government oper-
ations which are In competition with private
enterprise and in other ways, though specific
sums are not mentioned.
The total estimated savings specified in
the reports comes to S8,500,000,0 900. This
as Mr.. Hoover pointed out, is too high a fig
ure, because there is some overlapping Even
so, there would be enough to balance the bud
get (the deficit this year will be about ST.
400,0O0,O00) and to allow for tax reductions
The Commission also shows how large
capital sums could be regained by the Trea-
sury. by hqaidating certain lending agen-
cies, speedily disposing of surplus property
and so on. 1t makes recommendations fol
lifting some of the burden of administrative
responsibility from the shoulders of the Pres
ident who, obviously, cannot possibly give
adequate personal attention to all the var
led and complex agencies in the executive
branch.
Legislation to put the Commissions pro
posalS into effect is now being drafted. Some
of the laws, in all probability, will be passed
without any great difficulty Others will dea
with highly-charged and controversial issues
and will be long debated.
NSoSSS
PEOPLE WANT PEACE
Since the end of World War Ill a cold wal
has existed between the United States ant
the Soviet Union. In the midst of the tension
we sometimes forget that there is no rea
quarrel between the Russian people and tn
people of our country. The quarrel is with
political system and few men who admin
lister it.
The visit of an American farm delegation
to Russia and the exchange visit of a groul
of Russian farmers to this country illustrate
that the people of the two countries can ge
along well if contact between them is per
mitted. The Russian farmers have charme
their American hosts and the Americans VIII
went to Russia have been graciously receiv
ed
1t would be foolhardy to delude ourselve
that there is no possibility of war with tn
Soviet Union. BY staying strong enough t,
defend ourselves we can hang on to SOM
measure of security in world where secur
ity is at premium. But it is good to remem
Der every so often that people, whateve
their nationality or language, still think o
vocabulary.