The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1921-05-25

vast expansion of business activity;
therefore why not assume that contin-
uance of such control and manage.
ment, in time of peace, would enable
continuance Of the same liberality in
compensation and profits, the same
intense business activity?
Cost Too Much
Those who look below the surface
know that the things which govern
ments accomplished during the war
were accomplished at staggering
cost; cost which society could not
bear for long; cost that has left So
ciety burdened with debts which mort
gage generations of the future They
know that the feverish seeming of
prosperity was not genuine, but was
possible only because society was lit
orally burning up its stocks of capital
and that this burning up was respon-
sible for the reduction and burning
up which is now felt universally.
I'm this process The burdens of the
government was immensely increased
and it is now for us to aid in the
Tightening of these burdens The
government to a greater extent now
than ever before was under obliga-
ton to give the greatest service for
the lowest possible cost. Every
principle and device which promotes
efficiency in private business should
be adopted and applied in government
affairs. will trust the public official
who decides his public problem as
though il was his very own. although
to bring economy and efficiency into
government is d task second to none
in difficulty. The multiplication
of departments. bureaus. divisions,
functions has resulted in sort Of
geometrical increase in the tasks
which confront the heads of executive
departments when they face recon
struction problems.
Not Hopeless
fortunately the prospect is not so
hopeless as might appear, for the pres
ent organization is so bad that the
nsistent application of a few estah-
lished principles of sound business
obligation will result in immediate
economies and provide a margin of
available means to meet new demands.
THE party in power is pledged to
economy and efficiency and you may
be assured that every energy is being
directed to redeem that pledge to the
last degree and with all prOmptness.
AT the beginning of his admins
tratino President Taft secured from
congress the establishment of an econ
omy and efficiency commission. 1t
made comprehensive survey of ac-
tivities, organization and personnel
of the whole governmet establishment.
The report of that survey was never
printed. But it is available and has
been consulted to determine where
wastings and overlappings of func-
ton are. The present congress has
already provided for a joint commits
sion to take up the reorganization Of
the administrative branches of the
government .'t
Will Study Problem
"a representative OF the executive
will serve with this commission so
that there is now in progress a study
of the whole problem. s. s.
But meanwhile we shall, ! trust,
have budget system in operation UNI
der the law, before the opening of the
new fiscal year Establishment of a
bulge tsystem is the foundation upon
winch reorganization must De DaSed.
But the budget will not do every
thing. There must still be much and
continuing effort to keep expenses
down, to insure full value for every
dollar of the tax payers money the
government spends. Too much stress
cannoe be laid on the fact that vigi
lance is the price of economy and eff
cheney. There must be determined,
stony-hearted devotion to public duty.
There must be utter sacrifice of all
sympathy for the place-holder whose
real reason for keeping his position
is that he wants the salary. Men
who conscientiously and diligently
do their work may not expect to pop
ularize themselves with the office
holders or with the liberal spenders.