Arizona republican., 1918-10-10
SPENDING THE PEOPLES MONEY
(Chicag go Tribune)

Secretary McAdoos check upon the proposed in of the by two billions comes none too soon. There has been cumulative evidence that the agencies of estimate and expenditure losing their heads. The nation will make any effort any sac rifice to support forces to bring victory to But effort will be mpeded and our support weakened by extravaganza in expenditure and blunders taxation.
 From the beginning many bureau chiefs and de- partment heads have shown Knowledge con- ception of tine limits of They have put in orders that gossy excessive and which if car ried would have piled storehouses with unused supplies, gutted transport and deprived the c- william population of necessares. It is very easy an executive to figure out what theoretical need theoretically calls for. Orders put for the mediate manufacture of 2O0O0000 pairs shoes before had 200 900 at front or more than 900 in camp. If it had been possible to fill this order which it not the government depots would have been packed with unused and unneeded shoes for months while the civilian population went without. In many cases government agencies called for supplies prematurey and of all proportion present needs Had it not been for the check put upon this unhinE- ing zeal by the civilian members of the supply or ganization a very serious situation would have been quickly created in of most essential indus tries. The patriotic civilian will cold and hungry and i'll clothed in order that soldiers may be warm and fed equipped, and he will do this gladly and be grateful besides for the soldiers service But not going to help the soldier by unneces- sary sacrifice. million pairs of shoes gathering dust for months in governmental warehouse helps neither the soldier nor the man or woman at work for him home.
 The same common sence applies to taxation Ex- cessve taxation will not win the or hasten the day of victory On contrary, if taxation is sive it will weaken the producing energies of the country depete our strength, and slow up tivities on the front and at home. Last year ap proprated more than we could spend That was an injury to our war efficiency. It retarded not advanced it. Congress ought to realize this The administration ought to realize Neither shows sign of having learned the lesson, except Mr. McAdoo who now steps in to stop the two billion increase.
 The vicousness of the situation should be clear The raising of surplus funds means two things, both gravely injurious to the nation It means placing upon productive energy burden than it is profitable for to bear the interest of the common purpose It also means the accumulation of money to be spent and it's inevitable consequence the temptation to spend it regardless of need.
 Already we have had saturnalia of expenditure. The waste of the enormous aircraft production fund was enough in normal times to throw dozen gov ernments out of power There has as yet been no thorough disclosure waste in other branches of war preparations but enough is known, 1t seems to us teach caution to both congress and the executive officials people will gladly make sacrifice for the war but not for executive responsibility. reckless ness and of sense of proportion and not for congressional laXity Already the nation is march, ing under a burden without precedent in human history. It is complaining. But it will do more than complain if it's representatives increase that bur den without for it's weight without justification in necessity.
 It is the greatest of scandals that placing this burden shoulders without establishing drastic system of estimate by which administrative demands can be examined, compared, and corrected, and that our clumsy wasteful and political system of appropriation should go while we pile up the greatest debt in history. Congress was invited to impose the law of last year with it's shut It still has its eyes shut It is past time to open them and them.