New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-08-09
TIE BUDGET PROVES A CHINESE PUZZLE
NOBODY KNOWS ANYTHING.

One Of our early tasks was that of obtaining
a birds-eye view Of the whole range Of city activi-
ties. So we went to the budget. Scarcely any
one knew then what a budget We tried to
find out what the money being spent for.
Nobody could tell us. 1t was Chinese puzzle.
SO when it came to summer time, and estimates
were coming in, we began actively to find out for
what it was purposed to spend the city's money
the next year Then Mr. Allen suggested that we
take the Health Department the department
which would make the broadcast appeal 10 public
sympathy and find out how much money it had
been obtaining and how much it needed. lie had
been in contact with the Commissioner Of Health
in a number of activities in which his organiza-
ton was interested, as, for example promoting
the work of physical examination of school chill
dren. He had encountered difficulty in having
this and similar work extended Always the
answer was, I'VE cannot do these things because
we have not money enough" The city was spend
ing Sll6,OOOOOO to S12OOOO,OOO a year and 27,OOO
lives were being lost each year from preyentabie
diseases, $4,000 children dying from preyentable
diseases each year. the number Of tubercuous
sick increasing all because the city had not
money enough But there money being
wasted, we said, if not in the Health Department,
then in other departments.
MEASURING WASTE IN TERMS OF SOME
GREAT SOCIAL NEED.
With this new idea of measuring waste in terms
of some great social need of which the community
is deprived and in language which it will under
stand-not tax rates, but death rates and sick
rates-we took the Health Department as the
means of our approach to the whole range Of city
expenditures. We said to Commissioner Darling
ton: 1--WE will work with you in preparing your
estimate Of needs for the next year. You say to
us that you never get the money that you
need. Perhaps you do not present your case
effectively enough We believe if it is true that you
cannot get money that you actually need, that we
can make the public and the Board of Estimate
grant all the money that you need if you can tell
what you need in terms Of lives lost sickness
caused by the inactivity Of the Health Depart
ment" He said "Fine!" (since we were young
and enthusiastic) "Come on in" Then we looked
about for the right kind of technical advice on
this great complicated question Of budget making.
Just at that time F. A. Cleveland was formu
lating his report as a member of Mayor McClel-
lan's Finance Committee He was then professor
Of finance in New York University. He
a friend Of Mr.. Aliens and had been an associate
Of his at the University Of Pennsylvania, where
they we're together instructors. Mr.. Allen
said: "Here is Cleveland; he will help you to
untangle some Of these financial questions" SO
we asked Mr. Cleveland TO assist US.
We submitted the result Of our analysis to the
Board Of Estimate. / went before the board Mr.
Mcclellan looked very scornful. ! was terrified.
"As an academic proposition il is extremely
interesting and edfying but do not see what
application it has to the budget said the Mayor
II occurred 10 me to say this: "The only appli-
cation is that you are responsible for deciding
how much health work the city is to have next
year, and we arc only asking you to decide that
in terms Of number Of lives TO be saved and
amount Of sickness to be prevented. You cannot
do your part unless you have just the Information
that we are Offering you
Thinking ! had lost my case and That all this
expenditure I'VE spent $1,000 in this analysis)
had been in vain and seeing the Commissioner
Of Health and his chief medical adviser sitting in
the front row looking bewdered and unhappy, |
was jut about to step from the rail when Mr..