A BILL MAKING APPROPRIATIONS FOR THE DEPARTMENT 84114 Printed for the use of the Committee on Appropriations WASHINGTON GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 1924 1925 .A55 INTERIOR DEPARTMENT APPROPRIATION BILL, 1925. MONDAY. FEBRUARY 4. 1924. UNITED STATES SENATE, SUBCOMITTEE OF THE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS, Washington, D. C. The committee met, pursuant to call, at 1 o'clock p. m., in the mmittee room, Capitol, Senator Reed Smoot presiding. Present: Senators Smoot (chairman), Curtis, Phipps, McKinley, arris, Jones of New Mexico, McKellar, and Neely. The subcommittee thereupon proceeded to the consideration of the 11 (H. R. 5078) making appropriations for the Department of the terior for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1925, and for other irposes. TATEMENT OF EDWARD C. FINNEY, FIRST ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR. CONTINGENT EXPENSES, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. The CHAIRMAN (Senator Smoot). What is the first item? This would impose a new charge on the contingent fund of the Sectary's office without making any increase in the appropriation. eretofore occasionally we have had field examinations of reclamaon projects, or parks, or something of that sort made by Congres onal subcommittees or by other persons, and necessary expenses have een paid out of the appropriation of the particular bureau having Large of the activity. This item, put in in the House Appropriations ommittee, as I say, would impose that burden on the contingent xpense fund of the Secretary's office, and no increase has been made to ke care of it. If it is to remain in the bill, we believe that the item r contingent expenses should be increased $3,000, making a total $80,000 instead of $77,000; or, if the committee does not deem it dvisable to make the increase, we believe that that language should e stricken out. Senator SMOOT. When you went before the Budget Bureau did you all attention to this? Did you desire any further estimate of $3,000? Mr. FINNEY. No, Senator; we submitted an item which would take each bureau liable for the particular cost incurred in its domain. his is a substitute, put in by the House Appropriations Committee, > that if this committee does not feel like giving us the additional mount, we should just like to have that stricken out. Senator SMOOт. It is the law to-day, is it not? It is the word of the law to-day? Mr. FINNEY. No, sir; it is not in the act to-day. This bill n reads: Examination of estimates for appropriations in the field for any bureau, off or service of the department. That is entirely new language. Senator PHIPPS. This is not marked as new in my copy. Senator SMOOT. What is the next item? Mr. FINNEY. On page 4 of the bill, at the end of line 2, after "lab saving machines," we are asking that there be added the followi And also including not exceeding $450 for the purchase of newspapers, withstanding the provisions of section 192 of the Revised Statutes of the Uni States. At the present time, under that section of the Revised Statut we can not spend more than $100 for newspapers. The Comptrol General rules that that applies to both Washington and the fie Some previous Secretaries and Secretary Work for a short time p out of the contingent fund some moneys for press clippings, aver ing about $1,200 a year. We thought perhaps that was an unw ranted expense, so we ordered that discontinued; but we felt that ought to be able to subscribe to a few newspapers in different pa of the country, so that we can find out what is going on in publ land and other matters. Senator SMOOT. You want $450 for that purpose? Mr. FINNEY. We ask for that much; yes. We are not asking an increase of the appropriation, but we want the authority. Th would be for both Washington and the field. Senator SMOOT. What is the next item? Mr. FINNEY. On page 5, lines 21 and 22, is a provision authorizi the making of certain purchases without formal contract in advan Last year we were authorized to make purchases not exceedi $50 without formal contract. We asked this year that that amou be increased to $100. It had been suggested that possibly we shou have $500, which is now authorized in two departments. Senator SMOOT. The House gave you $100. Mr. FINNEY. The House committee, however, amended our su gestion so that it reads, on line 22: Does not exceed $100 in any month. That is new, and that would mean that we could not make tw or three $100 purchases without formal contract. All our purchase the aggregate amount, could not exceed $100 in any one month. I other words, we could not make three $50 purchases, as we no can, without contracts; we could only make two $50 purchases in month. Senator HARRIS. This would interfere with you, would it? Mr. FINNEY. Very much, Senator; because very often these a just purchases over the counter, you know, and we can not mak formal contracts in advance. Business men do not want to do it Our suggestion is to strike out the word "month," and have it rea Does not exceed $100 in any instance," and strike the "s" of purchases" and also off "services," in lines 21 and 22, so that it 11 read: When the aggregate amount of the purchase or the service does not exceed 00 in any instance. Senator SMOOт. What is the next item? Mr. FINNEY. On page 6, line 3, is an appropriation of $6,000 for penses of inspectors. During the past we have had eight inectors--two special inspectors who might be used in Washington, id six who were at large in the field. They were receiving $2,500 er year each, with the bonus in addition, and, of course, their aveling expenses. Secretary Work felt that eight were too many, nd that if we had four really capable expert inspectors we could et along better, but he felt that we ought to be able to pay as much $4,000 to get men of the right type; so, with the consent of the udget and the House committee, we reduced the number from ght to four, and their salaries were to be taken care of under the eneral classification. Unfortunately, however, the committee cut he estimate for traveling expenses and general and other expenses rom $12,500 to $6,000, which would not be enough to enable us to perate those four men during the year. That amount would just bout pay their per diem allowance, $4 a day, and would not leave nything for railroad fare, stage fare, stenographers' services, and ne many other expenses involved in investigations of various kinds. 'he Budget Office, by the way, approved an estimate of $12,500 for hat purpose. Now we are asking, if possible, to have that restored. Senator SMOOт. To the full $12,500? Mr. FINNEY. We would like to have it. Senator PHIPPS. There are only four men. You had $12,000 last rear, and they are running six or eight men out of that. Mr. FINNEY. As a matter of fact, we did not run them, Senator. We only had one for part of the year. Senator PHIPPS. I see you estimated for six this year, according o my marking here. Mr. FINNEY. That was the original plan, but that was changed fterwards, by our own request, to four. No; that would not be nough for us. If we kept four men at work all the year around, possibly we might get along with the $10,000. Senator SMOOT. All right. What is the next item? Mr. FINNEY. On the same page, in the following three lines-lines 4, 5, and 6-is a proviso inserted by the House committee: That the four inspectors shall not receive per diem in lieu of subsistence for a longer period than 20 days at any one time at the seat of government. That is a limitation under which we could not have one of these inspectors here for more than 20 days at a time. It might be that. we would want to use him in reorganizing the bureaus, on work that would keep him here for three or four months, and we would not be able then to allow him any per diem in lieu of subsistence. We should like to have that language omitted. |