The Washington herald., 1915-05-30
WA US OF THE GOVERNMENT AT WASHINGTON AND
THE WAYS OF WAYBACK MEMBERS OF CONGRESS
Startling Defects Methods Of Uncle Sam Emphasize by Official Of
Great business Organization Which Reaches Into Every Conner the u S.

Taft enough. / think. to startle YOU
when you contemplate the vast sums
of money absolutely wasted every
year through the archaic and inem-
cient methods employed in the conduot
of our country's business.
The Taft Commission.
Judge Taft explained that during his
administration as President. Com
mission was formed under an appro-
priation of a lump sum to enable the
President to devise some method for
Improvement in the public service and
for economy and efficiency. The first
thing they did was to try to find out
what our government activities were.
and ii proved to be a very great Ia
Dor. They found that there were seven
departments dealing with the subject
of facilities for transportation: that
there were four departments and three
commissions for the regulation of COM
merce and banking: that there were
two departments in the Library of
Congress dealing with copyrights and
patents; that there were five depart
ments dealing with agriculture. for
estry. fisheries and the care of the
public domain; that there were five de-
partments having to do with the pro-
motion and protection Of the public
health; and that there were six de-
partments dealing with the care and
education of detectives. delinquents
and dependents.
commended to Congress the union of
the deep sea revenue work and the
lighthouse service. showing that 1t
would save a Million Dollars annually.
They pointed out that We could do
this revenue business so far as it in
| wolves the sea through the navy. with
out affecting the efficiency of the rev.
| enue service.
The Committee in investigating the
workings of some of the departments
found, among other things. the follow
ing:
If public documents published in
| Washington were concentrated for dis
tribution in one department near the
point of delivery to the railroads. they
pointed out that they could save Two
Hundred and Fifty Thousand Dollars
annually.
| In the mere matter of using win
dow envelopes, there could be saved
ANNUALLY Two Hundred and Fifty
| Thousand Dollars in the Government
service in Washington alone. By copy
| ing by photography they could save
One Hundred Thousand Dollars; by re-
covering the stock of cancelled paper
money a saving of One Hundred Thou
! sand dollars could be made; in ham
ding the correspondence in the office
| of the War Department they could
save Four Hundred Thousand Dollars
a year.
| In speaking of supplies. Judge Taft
| said: You business men will hardly
believe the absurdities with reference
Ii -<
| different departments when they all
ought to be standardized. and that all.
of course, would work for economy in
| purchase
And the system of accounting: The
| government accounting is fearful and
wonderful. . II you don't know
how you stand how are you going To
improve your condition? If you don't
have a statement of a balance that
you can depend upon. how long could
you gentlemen that are running
banks get on? We do. and the gov
eminent goes on, because the govern
ment lives. and there is no limit up
to this of the taxable resources OF
| the people.
! We politicians are interested in only
one side of the ledger-that is, the ex-
penditures. If we have not got the
money we can have another tax.
whether IT be a war tax or not.
| 80 After a while there will be
kind of temporary bankruptcy and
| then somebody will wake UP.
| Now. during the last ten years we
have had plans of various kinds to
increase the paternalism in our gov
eminent. and 1 have no doubt that TO
certain extent that is justified. But
II We are going into the paternal busi-
ness. if we are going into the opera
! ton of enterprises that have hereto
fore been carried on through private
enterprise, we will bankrupt the gov
| eminent unless we find some eco
nomical and efficient way of doing that
work"
should Demand Reform.
Those of US who are opposed to Gov
| fdence rest our case on the last point
| made by President Taft in his Chicago
| address. 1t is known not only by those
I who have studied the question, but
| by every man who reads. that the af-
fairs of the Nation are not efficiently
and economically administered: and
it follows that taxpayers should de-
| mand a thorough reform in existing ac-
tivities before increased opportunities
| for needless extravaganza are offered.
I have been struck recently with the
fact that though our Government
spends money in such large amounts.
| 1t has not kept pace with other en-
ployers in looking after the welfare
| of employees. One would think 1t crit
ically necessary to keep the men OF
our navy in At condition morally and
physically. and that in consequences
| welfare work in our Navy Yards
would be classed absolutely as a func-
| ton Of government; yet the evidence
is that this, because of conditions ex-
| listing, has been taken up by the Y.
NJ c. A. received within the past
month an appealing letter from the
Secretary Of the Brooklyn Branch Of
the Navy Young Mems Christian As
| ISOLATION, from which I quote as fol-
lows:
Hoping that 1t might be con-
venient for you to cooperate with
us at this time, when our need
for funds is very urgent, am taxi
ing the liberty Of again calling
your attention to the work.
The influence of the temper
ance, physical, educational and 70.
ligious work carried on In the
building and aboard ships. in addis
ton to the protection afforded in
the building. has been in largo
measure responsible for the re.
markabls improvement In the char
acter and habits of the enlisted
men in the past ten years.
Tho cost of maintaining this
great work Is One Hundred Thou
sand Dollars, of which We ask the |
patriotic friends Of the sailors for