South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-12-14
PLAN TO SLASH
U. S. EXPENSES
Indiana Congressman An
nOunCeS Campaign to Re-
duCe Appropriations.
BY LOUIS LUDLOW.
News-Times Washington Correspondent.
L.


WASHINGTON, D. c, Dec. IA
Rep. w. r. Wood, of Indiana,
chairman of the subcommittee
OF the appropriations committee
that is charged with the prepare
ton of the Legislative. executive and
judicial appropriation bill, an
nounced today that his sub-commit-
tee intends 10 use the pairing knife
in cutting down appropriation esti
mates as it never has been used
before. He made known that the
various government officials who
submitted these estimates Will not
recognize the products Of their han
diwork when the subcommittee
gets through cutting and slashing.
Secret Sessions.
It is the legislative, executive and
judicial appropriation bill that pro
vidcs the sinews of war TO keep the
government machinery moving.
Rep. Woods subcommittee has
now been in session behind closed
doors a number Of days listening 70
the various officials plead for more
money-always more Mr. Wood
said today that he has become su-
premely Disguised.
The trouble with the govern
ment officials in and out Of Wash
ington is that they don't seem 20
recognize that the war is over" said
Wood. Although they are under
every obligation TO the country 10
retrench they are demanding more
money. more clerks and more auth
ority than when tn war was at
it's height. Every little eXcrescence
of the government bureau that was
eSta blished as a war emergency not
only is demanding TO be continued
as a permanent charge on the gov
eminent but insists that IT'S activi-
ties ought to be enlarged.
Total Estimates.
Nowhere is a restraining hand
at work in the government to cut
down expenditures and the total es
Inmates. aggregating nearly five bill
lion dollars TO run the government
In times Of peace. show how extrava-
gance and profligacy are running
wild in every branch OF the admin
istration Nobody suggested that
any of these estimates be cut before
they were submitted TO congress and
il now becomes our duty TO WELD
the pairing knife as 1t never has
been welded before. You may rest
assured the Job will be done thor
oughly.
The country no doubt will be
astounded 10 learn that the army Of
government clerks, instead OF being
reduced. has actually been increased
since the armistice was signed. and
there are now more clerks on the
government payroll than when we
were in the midst OF war. Not only
this, but these clerks are Joining
in the opportunities Of their bureau
and division chiefs that their activi-
ties be enlarged.
Never before did cXtravagance
hold riot in the government service
TO such an extent as today. We
must get down 20 earth We must
cut out these useless bureaus and
prune the others II will be q pain
full process. but l. must De done
Old Methods.
All through inc government ser
vice we find old. archaic methods in
use that would not DC tolerated for
one moment in any business organ
izauon. Two hundred or 200 clerks
are required 10 accomplish what q
dozen ought 20 do. In one depart
men 3t0 or 400 stenographers are
doing work THAI one addressorraph
would DO To my own personal
knowledge .u one division $1,000
CONTINUED on PACE FoURJ