The Washington herald., 1920-12-15
A Project, Not a Policy

Industry, and trade gets it's capital out of in
come" Governments get their income out of cap
itsl Only the taxing power carries this right to
make income equal expense. The business man
has to regulate expense by income.
In large measure the object of a budget sys-
tenn is to apply this business rule to governmental
affairs. 1t is effort to regulate expense by in
come rather than toNcenter the effort on making
income match expense.
A British official once said it was easy to raise
a cheer in the commons by preaching economy
without specifying instances. But any specific ap-
plication of the general rule instantly aroused a
vigorous and combined opposition. -
That fact is equally fact in Congress. 1t is no
truer that platforms made to carry elections
than that economy is but policy and not pro-
ject" for popular consumption and not for applica-
ton.
1t used in this last campaign to FRAGILE.
Not only the war waste which safe cry be-
cause it is passed and beyond redemption, was
used, but the continuing waste in an enormously
burdensome civil list and burdensome, unyield-
ing, irresponsible inefficient administrative organi-
z-ton.
The Republican party will have to make good
to the last two factors. 1t is no longer ready
to "fourfush" the public. The dear folks remem-
Der what they heard the weeks before Novem-
Der ?. and the promises made
1t will not be enough to cut the civil list here
and there. 1t will have to be done wholesale to
make good the pledges. 1t will not be enough to
say taxes cannot be reduced and expenses cut to
match income because of Democratic inheritance.
Unless the Republican party organization was
promising to the without any intention of per-
forming, it must cut expenses so materially as to
match its claims.
The public understands what fixed charges
should mean. 1t does not include under that head
superhuous employees, nor Implications of service
disjointed where there should be correlated
service. The party will be held to account.
One thing will be demanded of this Congress;
the passage Of the budget bill. Three other things
will be demanded, not of this Congress but of the
next: Reorganization of the departments to cut
out duplication to bring efficiency through CO.
ordination and to place immediate responsibility;
wholesale reduction IN the civil list, and the revision
of the tax laws.
The first three of these will evidence an honest
effort to redeem the pledge to measure expense by
income and not vice versa as in the past. 1t will
make possible that the last will be not only a
smplification, but revision down.
Upless the Overman law is repealed, Mr..
Harding will have the power to reorgsnize the
departments. He will also have this direct re-
sponsibility which quite properly rests with the
executive Cd.
Representative Resvis has introduced reso-
luton for a Congressional commission depart
mental reorganization. He claims that by this
means 100000 a day can be saved of the gov
ernment's income.
This is specific. 1t shows what be done.
1t is what was promised. 1t is what is demanded.
Do it.
The Republican party must not lose its after
election sense that it is trial. 1t is not given a
deed, but lease. 1t can be put out easily as
put in and the one primary factor specified in the
lease was economy project and not merely
as policy.