The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1918-03-28
RECKLESS EXTRAVAGANCE.

RECKLESS EXTRAvAGANCE
The Creel literary bureau is one OF the new
agencies established by the administration TO
which the senate as whole does not take KIND
yl 1t has been described on the floor as a
kind of court chronicle to exploit the virtues OF
the chief executive and his subordinates, but
the principal objection to it is that 1t IS very
expensive innovation and congress can get no
definite information about its cost Senator
Smoot has reason to believe that the bureau is
spending over FIVE thousand dollars a day.
Senator Penrose has information that its ex-
penditures are out of all reason and Senator
Hoke Smith promises his support of resolu-
ton to investigate it at the earliest opportunity
Much used to be heard about "watch dogs OF
the treasury who played an honorable and i'm
portant role in public affairs as sefconstituted
opponents of extravaganza and waste. Their
activities were not always and altogether
popular with their colleagues, but the people
approved thereof There were in those days
old-fashioned persons who chung to the idea OF
careful, economical management Of public al
fairs as the wise traditional policy of our re
public But where are those watch dogs now
The breed appears to be tending to extinction
in the riot of wild extravaganza the war has
brought on
The only function of congress, as the adj
mnistration seems to view it, IS to appropriate
enormous lump sums and leave the spending OF
them to executive agencies and appoliltees the
names of whom congress is not always permit
ted to know. 1t is preposterous to argue that
this is a necessary or proper way OF carrying
on the war It encourages recklessness OF ex-
penditure when bureaus are allowed to work IN
secret and disburse vast sums without con-
gressional criticism or publicity to fear NO
patriotic citizen would withhold needed dol
lar from the government; but is there any
thoughtful citizen who would not wish to see
congressional committees in position to scrutin-
ize expenditures? The fact that committee
had the right to know what sums were paid out
and mig ht make the knowledge public in proper
cases would of itself suffice to hold extrava-
gance in check.
Inquiry is made, els music necessary in wal
time?" If the questioners would take the trou-
BILE to find out what London, Berlin, Paris and
Vienna have said on the subject they would
know that, far from being luxury, music is
one of life's necessities. We cannot do without
it and, what is more, we don't want to- The
mere economic aspect of the subject ought tc
have it's weight The music makers of the
United States now run into the tens of thou
sands. They range from operate stars and
great nstrumentalists to the man who beats the
drum. And not only is music a need in wal
time; it is actually needed for the purposes OF
war. Never was there such demand for peo-
pie who can train men to sing or lead bands as
there is today. American music! Would that
some of it were better. Still, it is American
and what is American "goes.''
One of the moves which is reported to be
considered by Germany in reprisal for the seiz