V.

I have referred to the inescapable need for economic health and strength if we are to maintain adequate military power and exert influential leadership for peace in the world.

Our immediate task is to chart a fiscal and economic policy that can: 

(1) Reduce the planned deficits and then balance the budget, which means, among other things, reducing Federal expenditures to the safe minimum;

(2) Meet the huge costs of our defense;

(3) Properly handle the burden of our inheritance of debt and obligations;

(4) Check the menace of inflation;

(5) Work toward the earliest possible reduction of the tax burden;

(6) Make constructive plans to encourage the initiative of our citizens.

It is important that all of us understand that this administration does not and cannot begin its task with a clean slate.  Much already has been written on the record, beyond our power quickly to erase or to amend.  This record includes our inherited burden of indebtedness and obligations and deficits.

The current year’s budget, as you know, carries a 5.9 billion dollar deficit; and the budget, which was presented to you before this administration took office, indicates a budgetary deficit of 9.9 billion for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1954.  The national debt is now more than 265 billion dollars.  In addition, the accumulated obligational authority of the Federal Government for future payment totals over 80 billion dollars.  Even this amount is exclusive of large contingent liabilities, so numerous and extensive as to be almost beyond description.

The bills for the payment of nearly all of the 80 billion dollars of obligations will be presented during the next 4 years.  These bills, added to the current costs of government we must meet, make a formidable burden.

The present authorized Government-debt limit is 275 billion dollars.  The forecast presented by the outgoing administration with the fiscal year 1954 budget indicates that—­before the end of the fiscal year and at the peak of demand for payments during the year—­the total Government debt may approach and even exceed that limit.  Unless budgeted deficits are checked, the momentum of past programs will force an increase of the statutory debt limit.

Permit me this one understatement:  to meet and to correct this situation will not be easy.

Permit me this one assurance:  every department head and I are determined to do everything we can to resolve it.

The first order of business is the elimination of the annual deficit.  This cannot be achieved merely by exhortation.  It demands the concerted action of all those in responsible positions in the Government and the earnest cooperation of the Congress.

Already, we have begun an examination of the appropriations and expenditures of all departments in an effort to find significant items that may be decreased or canceled without damage to our essential requirements.