The Dolores star., 1921-12-09
WHY YOU'RE INTERESTED

AOO NL In EKESTED
wish you would take what is
written here as a personal report ad.
dressed directly to you from me ,hou,
your business. Don't think of II or
read 1t ms an article about politics
or remote public affairs at Washing
ION. 1t Is not that at all. II is what
ask you to think II, a personal
business report to you relating to your
Individual concerns. your pocketbook
ana your welfare. have no other
interest than to tell you the exact
truth.
Assume that you have sent me TO
Washington to find out for you what
your agents are doing, how they are
managing your affairs and spending
your money. | call them your agents
for that is all they arc-the President
'he members of the cabinet, the
senator's and all the members of the
house of representatives. You hire
them. YOU pay them. and You can fire
them.
You may think of them in Difference
men, or you may call them In nlppancy
anu too hasty contempt "a lot of
politicians" But whatever YOU call
them, they are your hired men. They
attend TO your collective business,
which is called the public business.
Query: Are they doing it efficiently
and with a single-mnded devotion to
your interests?
Perhaps the largest item in the high
cost of living is the high cost of
government. And far and away the
largest item in the high cost of govern
ment is the high cost of armament !:
preparation for war. About 80 per
cent of all government revenues. and
that means the money taken from you
as taxes. goes to pay for wars, past,
present and future.
Before l have concluded this series
of articles | expect to show YOU con
clusively that the impelling motive
that induced President Harding to call
the present conference in Washington
to consider limitation of armaments
was financial. The pressing need of
considering n proposal for Il reduc-
tion or limitation by agreement Of war
expenditure was not made entirely on
the ground of morality or righteous
ness, but as plan for cutting down
the operating expenses of the govern
ment.
If the United States government
were an individual we would say that
II was broke. for Its expenses exceed
its income.
Your interest is simply this: that
whatever decision Is made you will
have to pay the bill. IL today we
didn't have these army and navy ex-
penses you would have TO pay In taxes
less than $1,000, 100000 year instead
nf s5,OOO,OOO.OOO. That means we
would have about $4,000, 100000 more
year to spend on our private needs
and pleasures. frankly confess that
l would enjoy having four-fifths of my
taxes knocked off, wouldn't you?
Secretary Weeks of the War de-
partment gave public warning little
while ago that the government would
require Of us about SlI.OOOO in
the next thirty months TO meet cur
rent expenses and other obligations.
Persons who have given close study TO
that possibility say that the need Will
be nearer S2O.OOO.OOO, than $1,000
600. The great bulk of that is for
past and prospective war expenditures.
For this, you and congress and the
Executive departments nj Washington
are responsible. You more than any
body else. for it is your money that Is
being spent and you can stop it. In It's
simplest terms the procedure Is ms:
You earn the money, congress taxes IL
away from you In the form or taxes
and then congress and the Executive
departments spend 1t.
A great part Of 1t Is wasted. This is
established. conceded. confessed. ana
acknowledged by congress, when
authorizes the expenditures. ana pS
the executive officers of the govern
mcnt who do the actual spending. IL
is YOUR money that You nave earileu
in YOUR business. on your farm OF pH
the labor OF your hands that is beng
extended and wasted nj washington.
Every cent that is cStravasaht'y OF
needIessly expended by the govern
ment YOU could have In your pocke' 10
meet the Increased cost of food. ioas
ing and clothing, doctors bills ana
amusements. or to put away ana save
against rainy day, II you "hly ue
manded determinedly ana "ii'e",s
that governmental extravaganza s''"u''
cease.
can tell y,u some of the condl',o"s
Of governmental spending an" nov
your money Is chucked about, ana l
can tell YOU how you can stop IT, Inc
mower is yours, and until you exer, ,,
else Il waste and extravaganza VIII
not stop.
.v1NcIE SAM AS EMPLOIEN