Evening star., 1955-01-18
The Political Min
The Political Mil
Eisenhower's Budget t
Turget Of Democrats
Message Shows Confident
And Sone FiscuI Outlook
BY Gould lincoln

President Eisenhower's Federal
budget for the fiscal year ending June
80. 1856. has become Immediately q
target of political attack. The Demo-
Gratis point to the fact that it does not
provide for a balanced budget--al-
though the Republicans in the 1854
presidential campaign promised to ball
ance Federal expenditures and income.
In addition, some Of the Democrats
complain because 1t does not call for
greater expenditures and because It
does call for reductions in favored ex-
penditures The budget. however. looks
to q prosperous stability Further. 1t
looks toward q balanced budget-per-
haps In the following fiscal year. Ger
tainIy the estimated deficit of $2.4
billion is less than had been expected.
Also, it Is apparent that the executive
department of the Government has
Federal expenditures under control
With an expanding economy, which
is expected by the administration. the
budget islneither infiationary nor de-
fiationary.
Mr.. Eisenhower's position has always
been that the Federal budget should
be balanced but not at the expense Of
national defense or at the expense OF
essential services. many Of them social
in kind. Some Of his critics now attack
the President because he permitted the
tax reductions Of 1853 to 60 into effect.
insisting that If he had used his in
fluence effectively to halt the 10 per
cent across -the- board reduction of per-
sonal income taxes and the elimination
of the excess profits taxes on business.
the budget could have been balanced
this year,
Helped Economy.
These tax reductions, however, placed
money In the pockets Of the people and
Of industry, and In turn the money
was used for many purposes which
aided the national economy, causing in
creased production, creating more jobs.
The omnibus tax bill put through by
Congress last year also played Its part
In the expansion of business and was
helpful to many individual income tax
payers In the lower brackets as well
as to those In the higher.
The new budget contained no great
surprises. 1t looks 10 the fulfillment OF
proposals contained in the Presidents
state-of the Union and other special
messages to Congress. And. of course, 1t
proposes that the reductions In excise
taxes and in the income taxes on corpo-
rations, scheduled to go into effect this
year, be postponed. The President could
not do otherwise in the face Of the ex-
pected deficit.
The Republican administration, aided
by the 83d Congress, brought about
many savings to the American tax
payers and turned the Government
away from the much larger spending
program advocated by former President
Truman in his last budget message to
the Congress in January. 1858. It In
herited $J84 billion Of unexpended ap-
preparations, which Is q chief cause
thefbudget has not been brought into
balance These iinexpended balances
Of appropriations win be reduced, un-
der the new budget. by $4 billion during
the fiscal year 1856, which win bring
the total down TO $49.6.
Big Cuts Seen.
.3oYThe ranking Republican members OF
{ the House and Senate Appropriations
Committees. both say they believe that
the Congress win clip considerable sums
from the estimates Of appropriations
now submitted. Representative John
Taber Of New York, . Treasury watch
dog for years. says he believes there
are material spots where money can
be saved. He will devote himself to
that work There will be no more money
appropriated for the Government than
1t actually needs, II Mr.. Taber has his
way. On the Senate side, Senator Styles
Bridges of New Hampshire also believes
that some Of the programs requested
are likely to be trimmed by Congress.
He calls attention to the fact that $3.5
billion is requested for mutual security
for foreign aid---as compared to $2.8
billion authorized for the present fiscal
year. In fact, Mr.. Bridges says the $24-
billion deficit now estimated may be cut
considerably.
Representative Joe Martin Of Massa-
chusetts. Republican leader OF the
House, also Is optimistic about the
financial situation Of the Government.
The $62.4-hillion budget submitted by
Mr.. Eisenhower. he says, reflects the
confidence Of the administration In the
Nations ftiture--a confidence that In
fiation and wasteful expenditure are
out the window. The budget, he points
out, saves 81. billion over the previous
years spending, and he insists the goal
OF balanced budget Is now within
sight.
One thing Is certain. the President Is
taking no chances with our national
defense nor Is he casting aside his
humanitarian and welfare programs.