New-York tribune., 1920-11-01
'U.S.Tax Burden
Largely Due to
Policy
Post Mortem Preparedness
Shown to Have Piled Up
Huge Mountain of Deb
Since Truce Was Signed
Billions Tossed Away
Hundreds of Millions Spent
OH Destroyers and Eagle
Boats Virtually Wasted

In recent speech at Rockford, III.
Josephus Daniels said "If there is
any hurdensome Federal tax being col
lccted from the people to-day it is be-
cause the Republican Congress wiIled
that the people should not be relieved
of such taxes"
This statement is at variance with
the evidence. Mr.. Daniels himself is
largely responsible.
When war was declared there was no
policy and no plan. The Senate inves
tigaton proved this. There was no
we'll directed scheme for the purchase
Of material, no efficient organization.
no coordination. As result every
bureau acted Independently. It was a
case of every man for himself Every
body hustled zealously to do what he
thought should be done Every chief
of bureau was efficient as an individual.
but there was no head, no one govern
ing mind. The doors of the United
states Treasury were patriotically Y
thrown wide open by Congress. and
misspent or completely wasted.
No Plans for Undersea War
Two small items will illustrate. Al
though submarine warfare had been go
ing on for three years Secretary Dan.
lels had made no preparation for it. lie
listened to no advice. When war came
Congress rushed to the rescue ard ap-
propriated $500 900 600 for $50 Destroy
Sims had implored the Navy Depart
mcnt to act He yoid the truth3tha,
the Germans were winning the war at
that tlne-yet he was given only thirty
destroyers at the end Of two months
waiting. Daniels kept nine tentha Of
the navy on cur own coast, :, 600 miles
from the lighting front
The contracts for the destroyers
were delayed. Daniels delayed everv-
thing. The building did not begin
until six months after war was de-
clared. As result only eight Of the
250 destroyers were finished when the
armstice was signed. 50 far as the
World War was concerned the $500
100000 was thus practically wasted.
It was 800 late.
And then Congress, at the request Of
Daniels. gave about 100000 600 Tor
100 Eagle boats. Not one of these
boats Wa III commission when The AZ
m.sticc was signed not one Too late
again. Another waste Of many mill
IONS as result Of Danicls's rule And
Tue NrSt Of these boats that attempted
10 80 to sea, Enc year after the 4r,lis-
tee, turned turtle IN the peaceful
waters Of Delaware River with tn loss
Of elgh1 lives.
For these Two small items. amount
ing to about S600000 900, the Deonle
are now paying taxes. They are taxed
ior Danlcls's post Nortcm prepared
ness There arc many other items
much bigger had it not been for
Daniels the navy would have been eco
nomlcally and effectively prepared for
war. Billions might have been saved
in shortening the war. He has been
the king of naval wastcfulness.
Waste After Armstice
But the end Of Daniels's incomnc-
tency and wastcfulncss did not come
with the armistice
Compare his policy with that 81
Great Britain. The British Admiralt.
at once scrappcd or placed ou5 Or com
mission all of their Old ships and
many OF their powerful second-liue
to cut down their navy to the lowest
terms and started an era of .trict
economy with a careful study of future
naval warfare. especially as regards
air navigation and its probable effect
upon the navies of the future This
was intelligent
What dld Daniels do? He kept near
" all our old, useless second line shins
IN commission for more than wear.
sending many of them on a iunket to
the Pacific, wasting millions Of money
and uselesslY employing thousands Of
men who wore sadly needed on our
half-manncd dreadnoughts and modem
deStroYelS.
In l917 before our declaration Of