Arizona republican., 1919-07-03
New Kind of Billion Dollar Congress

The republican minority in the last congress in for good deal of democratic criticism for obstructive tactics which held up the appropriation pills making extraordinary session necessary. The tactics employed by the republicans were not obstructive in the in which that expression is generally understood. The republicans merely in- sisted upon an investigation of the governments needs for the vast sums which the democratic admin strauon said would be required. It the repub- ican theory that since the there should be a Iessening demand for money and still and more.
 During the everything the administration asked for given almost without question. It did not know how much needed for any purpose; it could only make wild guesses and it guessed high enough. Millions and billions were poured out It would have taken congress an interminable time to inquire whether these vast really needed. Time was not available but money was, and it given. We have since learned that the great appropriations needed for billions have been shown to have been wasted
 But when the war was over the republicans tightly took the view that there time than money and that the latter could be saved by oenditure of the former They declined pass these great supply bills merely because they had been pre- sented.
 Events have justified their course. As the bills nave now been completed by republican majority, he country has been saved something than billion dollars Surely the delay, tho hod-up, the obstructive tactics of the republican minority of the sixty-fifth congress have been worth while.
 And there will be plenty of money meet the legitimate needs of the government. There will not be, of course enough to meet the expense of main taining that great army of clerks, deserving demo- 1rats and many republicans, engaged yet a thous- and forms of war work" No steps have been taken for the demobization of this vast army of gallant and who have held their desks and drawn their salaries for two long years and would probably be drawing them the end of the present national administration if the republican congress had provision for them in the supply bills. But they will be automatically demObilized. Their offices have been sinecures salared position with work attached. They will become what Mark Twain described unique sinecure" nothing to do and no pay. They will come home and at last the war will be over. Peace will reign again and the children of the land can eat ice cream, guzzle soda water and the movies without having pay tax for the support of these dauntless heroes and herones of the desks.
 The republican congress has already paid it's keep in startling and conspicuous Within a month it has put these great supply bills through and in doing after making ample pro- vision for the needs of the government it has i'm pressed upon the government the necessity of my. It has served notice that wastefulness will be tolerated; that money will not be appropriated be converted into ducks and drakes. t has said the railroad administration that the deficits which have been created must be reduced Perhaps had thought of these deficits as reducibe Anyhow no limit had ever until now been put upon the railroad administration which finds itself under the necessity of cutting it's suit fit the cloth. Similar restrictions laid upon other executives of the government They must keep within the limits the congress has fixed.
 We have before heard of billion dollar con- crosses" opprobrious term We have now "bil- lion dollar congress- that has saved more than l billion dollars.