Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-12-27
Russian Budget
Loudly Praised
ByParIiament

MOSCOW, Dec. 81 (R.-Dele-
gates to the Supreme Soviet to-
day sat Though six hours of
speeches, all in praise of the
Kremlin's 1856 budget promis-
ing a cut In defense spending.
Six more hours of speechmaking
were scheduled for tonight.
Although the delegates praised
the budget. several voiced COM
plants against prices. shortages
of goods and tagging deliveries.
The two houses of the Soviet
Parliament we're expected to
meet on the budget again to-
morrow. This would delay the
anticipated report of Soviet
Premier Nicolai Bulganin and
Communist Party Secretary
Nikita Khrushchev ON their trip
to India, Burma and Afghan
istan until Thursday.
With Marshal Bulganin, MIR.
Khrushchev and other Soviet
leaders looking on, Finance Min
lister Arseny zverev presented
the outline of the 1856 financial
statement to the 1,400 delegates
early in their opening meeting.
Mr.. Zverevs speech lacked the
criticism aimed in previous years
at capitalist and imperialist
warmongers."
Budget Slightly Higher
The budget, slightly higher
than that outlined in February
for 1855, estimated expenditures
at 500. 300. 100000 rubles and
revenues at SOL, 900, OO0.O 900. The
1855 budget put expenditures at
500, 482 900, 900 rubles and reve-
niue at 500, 1872 900, 900.
The Finance Minister added,
however. that a comparison of
the figures for the two years was
misleading because wholesale
prices had been cut considerably
during 1855.
Mr.. Zverev said defense APP
preparations for the coming year
would be 1922 billion rubles,
just over 10 per cent of the total
expenditure and nearly 10 per
cent below the 1855 estimate of
l12,122,o00, 900 rubles.
(The Russians value the
ruble arbitrarily at IS cents.
but its purchasing power is
substantially less. However,
the actual Soviet defense APP
preparation cannot be esti-
mated accurately since many
items which would be in
cluded under that category in
other countries are hidden
under other headings.
(The United States Govern
ment is spending for defense
at the rate Of about $34l2 bill
lion annually, or about SIS per
cent Of its total expenditures
Armed Forces Cut Cited
Mr.. Zverev declared the saw
ing in the military budget would
be used to help advance the ma
tional economy, education and
culture. He recalled the cut of
$40, 900 in Russia's armed forces,
announced earlier this year, and
RusSia's decision to return to
Finland the Porkkala naval base
All these moves, he said. showed
RuSsia's concern for reducing
world tension.
One of the items included
under increased social and cul-
tural treasures" he said, is a
plan to turn out 100000 special
lists with high school or college
educations next year-l20,000
more than this year
Appropriations for heavy in
dustry were cut from 100 billion
rubles this year to l58.700, 000.-
900 next year. But heavy in
dustry also will benefit from an
ALLEGATION of $500. 900, 900 rubles
for capital investment, more
than half of the total 100000
100000 rubles earmarked for
such investment.
BY contrast with the heavy in
dustry appropriation, the amount
for production of consumer
goods was put at more than"
IS billion rubles. However, Mr..
Zverev promised 1856 would
bring a reduction in the retail
prices of such goods and i'm
provement in their quality.
Mr.. Zverev said the Soviet
Union is building several atomic
power stations which can meet
a capacity demand of $4,000 or
100, 900 kilowatts. Foreign Wis
itors already have been admitted