The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1918-03-01
HEAVIER TAXES
. IN GREAT BRITAIN
! GAIN IN FAVOR

LONDON, March Doing business
by the process Of issuing blank
checks is proving an expensive eN'
perlence for Britain. Especially when
the business is costing about SSS,.
O0C. 900 a day.
When the war started nobody had
en- idea what il would cost or a
very definite notion what the money
would have to be spent for. So Tar
lament started off by dispensing with
detailed estimates and giving the gov
eminent authority TO spend at its dis
erection the lump sums that were pro-
vided from the public purse. That
procedure has been going on ever
since, with results that have latteTly
given = good deal Of worry in some
financial matters.
Nowadays there is endless criticism
OF the governments financial methods,
and few months ago a special com
mittee OF the House OF Commons was
appointed to examine and report on
The public expenses. The COMMITTEES
has made a report in two install
ments, and IL is a document that
might well be studied by American
statesmen with ambition to avoid so
far as possible the mistakes that Eng
land has made.
NuAGN bfctNlOnH WAL
4 good deal Of financial hurry burIy
ia, OF course. inevitable in connection
with such a performance as financing
this war. 1t has been necessary to
make quick decisions and impossible
TO submit matters to Parliament. The
committees report Eeneralizes the
whole situation by observing that.
whereas before the war expenditure
was at least limited TO the appropria-
tons provided. in war time the appro-
pristions have been stretched to meet
The. expenditures, whatever they
might be.
Parliament has no such committee
system as the American Congress IN
oer winch members OF particular com
mIttees become expert, more or les.
IN the concerts Of the departments
with which they deal. So that even in
time Of peace the government in Eng
land has more 70 do with the deter
minati"n Of expenses than it has in
Inc United states. and in time Of war
II has Practically everything to do
with it,
II Is easy enough to understand
why ordinary rules Of financial con-
troll cannot be applied in war times
The idea Of building a flock OF tanks
or huge fIoJtlIa Of some particular
type Of submarine chasers could not
wen be'eNpOunded In Parliament for
various reasons.
Tank Big Surprise.
In the first place. the tank was
surprise TO the enemy. II would not
have been surprise if the enemy
had been notified through the col /
umns OF Hansard thai a huge sum
mad been provided to build tanks. 1
Then again. II takes time 10 get leg
islaton passed, and il is not always
practicable TO wait. 50 the WAY bss
been financed on the Plan OF Parlia-
ment giving the Government general =
authority TO spend money, providing
as much OF II as can reasonably h.
estimated in advance. and making IN
me balance IN deficiency legislation.
theoretically the British Treasury
department is responsible Tor the an ?
uitinE and control OF ali the Govern
ment FUNDS. In peace times this con-
troll Is pretty satisfactory. though Z;
mas never been as effective as thar
which the American Government has
provided Under the scheme rorr7u-
lated by Hamilton and largely me-
served 20 ;his day.
The inquiry committee agrees .l.,
II would be quite Incompatible win
public interest 20 make generally
known the details or military and
ancilIaTy industrial programs. such
rs those which concern shirbuildin-
naval establishments, munit!vn works
and the like.