South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1921-07-28
SEES NOTHING BUT
TROUBLE IN STORE
FOR REPUBLICANS
Charles L. Knight Is Con
WINGED His Party Is Straight
for Fall.

repuDAcan party but trouble. lie ~
sorry, because ne is a republican
and would like 20 see his party sue
coed. IN his opinion. however.
nothing is to be gained by E-ncing
words and that is why he talked
straight from the shoulder in an in
terview today
He is convinced that HE patty is
headed straight for a fail, and
hard fail. at that. unless il executes
81 quick f3ce-about on the subject Of
governmental expenditures. Too
many members. he says. have forgot
ten the economy pledges they made
IN the recent campaign and are
Joining On the carnival Of extrava-
Eance just as II there was no limit
TO the resources and patience of the
~staxpaying public. Mr.. Knight re-
CARDS the enormous appropriations
for the navy and army at this time
as an unpardonable crime against
the taxpayer. and does not hesitate
10 say so.
Rep. knight referred today 20 the
system Of government rehabilitation
of ex-service men.
l. Something FrightfuI.
"Our government waste IS truly
something frIghtful." he declared.
1t has recently been stated that the
government already has spent $780,
600 for every man wounded in the
late war in its efforts TO rehabilitate.
We know how little has been &C
complished OF what should have been
done / have not verified these fig
ures. but it is safe TO say that 1t
would have been much cheaper for
the government 20 have given
chcc1 for $4,000 20 every wounded
soldier and TO have paid al once and
in run the face value of every war
risk Insurance policy issued"
AR. knight does not offer any eX-
cuse for failure to carry out economy
pledges Digging Geep into q mass
OF figures ne had gathered fro9. au-
<thori,ativc sources, he continued.
Approximation already made and
those which must pee made for the
federal budget for the coming year
cannot Dee less than S6.5O0,00o,o00.
This VIII bee about $50 for every
man. woman and child i'm the United
States. or burden Of from $3.50 to
$500 on every family. If we add to
this state. county and municipal
taxes we arrive at situation which
is startling The figures are not
available for an Of the state. but let
US take Ohio for example:
cost OF state government for
192o-s29. 100000.
Cost of county government-$44,-
100000.
THE cost Of city government in
Ohio is not available since 1918. but
for that year it was $43.3OO,0O. \
reasonable estimate is that ii is now
not far from s60.OOO.0O0. That is 70
say city government is costing Ohio
about $40 per capital. state govern
meut S. per capital and county gov
eminent 81. il we add to this the
federal cost OF government the total
viii be about $50 per capita, or
about $3.50 for each family.
1T is dimcult to get at the aver
age annual earnings for there are
no returns from the farmers. our
most numerous class. but leaving
them out and taking an average on
the returns made, il was about $3.50
for the past year.
I'VE then have the total cost of
government approximating close TO
20 per cent Of the average earnings.
This seems incredible, but it is a
fact nevertheless. and It shows very
- clearly the desperate situation in
Shich we now find ourselves. The
fact that not every family will pay
its per capita share Of such tax does
not alter the situation at all. for ii
means that some other families will
nav more. A nation that is paying
out. as we are. almost 40 per cent
of its net earnings for taxes. not
only cannot return 20 prosperity, but
viii not long endure.
THE increase in useless govern
mental expenses is as alarming as
IL is shameful" continued Rep.
knight. warming up to his theme.
when the car OF Russia called
the first Hague convention he said
that il Europe were 10 survive econ
omiCaIly there must be appeasenent
OF her naval and military burdens.
The total cost of all the armies and
navies OF Europe for the year 1898
was 250,OOO,O 600 pounds sterling. or
about $3.50. 100000.
I'VE have appropriated for the
next fiscal year just about this
amount for our army and navy, and
ayxfe have two more appropriation bills
OF like amount TO come in order 10
carry out the naval program Of 1916.
We are bleeding the country white
with the overhead expense OF bu-
reaus, boards and and other alleged
administrative agencies which really
perform very little service. If we
turn from this 20 the projects now
before congress which have some
justification because they carry some
use and service the catalog runs
something Ike this;
THE smith Towuer bill levies
500. 00O,0 900 federal taxes and $780,
600 900 on the state.
THE Towner- Sheppard bill levies
about $4,000, 600 10 start with.
"The welfare department probably
VIII require s5o.Ooo.oOo TO begin
with.
The federal roads bin VIII require
500. 10000 IN federal taxes aid
500. OOO. 00O. from the states.
THE soldiers bonus bill will re-
quire S1.5O0.O00. 900.
There are great many others.
also either in the legislative hopper
o. IN preparation. and any and all
OF them. II passed. must be in addi-
ton 20 the burdens I already have
Nolnted out Nothing short OF a
capital tax can do e and let the rank