The Washington times., 1919-12-31
CUT j. s. EXPENSES,
URGES TREASURER
Waste Of Money Past Year
Called Cause of Increased
Living Cost.

STANDS strong nnancially, economical
ly and politically among the nations
OF the Garth. and that she has
emerged from the world war with
strength tested and unimpaired, II
will be necessary for her to follow a
policy OF rigid economy in order to
meet expenditures estimated at S5,-
500, ,4s6.S5o for the year ending June
80. 1920. Also there is a deficit OF
3,e05. 900 900 for the current year
and the deficit for the year ending
June so, 1921, is placed at approxi-
mately 81, ,oO5. 900 900, according to the
annual report of the Secretary of the
Treasury.
Hinge Approprfation.
That the Government may follow
this policy of economy Congress is
urged by the Secretary to deny every
Appropriation for expenditures in
new fields.
approximately $4,000. 900 will be
sought by the various executive
branches also to be used in public
works. This includes &31 900. 900 to
be asked by the Navy Department for
work in navy yards, docks. etc. and
s22. .000, 900 for the Interior Depart
ment's reclamation service.
District Disbufsement
Appropriations for the Department
OF State, exclusive of the funds to be
used in foreign work, will be $1,571,-
$50. and for the other executive de-
partments appropriations will be ask
ed for as follows: War DepArtmen Mt
proper, &6.615,24S: Navy Department
ment, s6.2S1,1S5; Postoffice Depart.
ment, s2,o93.s .s7o: Department Of Com.
merce, S12,77s,337; Department OF
Justice, S7o4.54o, and Department of
Labor, 81. roo, ,430 The Judiciary will
ask for s1.6341e0.
Among other appropriations to be
asked for Is that of $38,750,000 for
the rehabilitating of soldiers and sail
ors. $447, ,755,061 for the Shipping
Board. to be used in the operation of
the merchant marine and to complete
it's building program, and S1.2S3.1 30
to carry on the work Of the Federal
Trade Commission.
Expenditures of the District of Co
lumbia government were estimated
at s19.17e, 900. Permanent annual ap-
propriations for the year amount to
81. .425, 407.752
The gross public debt, on the basis
of the daily Treasury statements.
amounted to s26.21o,53o.o0o on Octo-
Der 81, 1919, without any deduction
for loans to the allies or other in
vestments. OF this sum only $3,736.-
352.000 was in the form Of Treasury
certificates or floating debts. The to-
tai figures mentioned represent a
gross debt increase since April 6, 1911.
of $2+,92S,5s1,0 900. Deducting the
net increase in the general fund bal
ance from the gross debt results IN
a net debt increase from the war
period from April 8, 1917. to October
81, 1919, of s24.1s2,s4e,ooo.
Csst Of war.
Final figures on the cost of the war
to the United States are interesting.
The total expenditures of the Gov
ernment exclusive of the principal of
the public debt and postal disburse-
ments from, postal revenues, for the
war period from April 8, 1917. to Oc-
tober 81. 1919. amounted to 5,413,-
900 900. according to statistics COM
piled on the basis of the daily Treas
ury statements. OF that great total
covering the disbursements for two
years and seven months. s11,2s0.- =
900 900, or nearly 80 per cent, was met
out of the tax receipts and revenues
other than borrowed money. The
amount OF taxes does not incluoe the
December Is installment of income
ard profit taxes for the fiscal year
1919. nor any part of such taxes for
the fiscal year 1920.
Foreign Loans.
Foreign loans on October 81. 1919,
aggregated $500, 900, 900, and IL that
amount is deducted from the total ex-
penditures. the disbursements for the
purposes OF the American Government
during the war period under co.,
sideration were s2s.007, 100000. And
on that basis the proportion met out
OF tax receipts and revenues other
than borrowed money was over AZ
per cent.
Another outstanding feature since
the beginning of the war has been
that every issue of Treasury certifl-
Gates of in debtedness has been a sue
cess. This means of temporary financ-
ing has provided the Government with
funds in advance of receipts from the
sale OF bonds or notes in anticipa =
tion of revenue from incomes and
profit taxes. And IL has served the
additional helpful purpose OF dis
tributiLg the payments of bond and
note subscriptions and of taxes gradu-
ally over extended periods of time
thus avoiding tremendous transfers
of funds on any one date and consc-