The Washington times., 1921-02-24
'SLASHD DUE IN /
WAR BUDGETS.
WAR WICK
Military Policy Of New Admins
tration Will Determine Econ
omy, Comptroller Says.
BY w. III. ATKINS.
IaternstiosaI News Service.


The military policy Of the next
Administration will determine the
measure of economy TO be effected
in Government expenditures. Comp
troller OF the Treasury Walter w.
Warwick gave this view today, dis
cussing the Governments business
future.
He asserted that as expenditures
for armament constitute 93 per cent
of all Government expenses, no very
large cut can be made in the entire
Government outlay without slashing
either the military or naval budgets.
CIVIC COST Is Low.
During the last year the expendi-
lures of the Government on account
OF war and for the national defense
amounted to nearly $4,000, O,O0O,OOO.
The civil departments. public works,
education, science. and other bureaus
were maintained at a cost OF per
cent of the total Government outlay.
Warwick said 1t will be impossible.
In attempting TO effect economies to
make any substantial reduction In ex-
penses Incurred in running the civil
or other peace establishments. IL
will be possible. he said. to co-ordi-
nate activities and regroup certain
activities with a considerable saving
OF money. but in the aggregate the
saving will be small, as compared
with the overwhelming percentage OF
total Government funds spent for war
or for purposes directly related TO
war projects.
"Change in military policy is es-
sential to a substantial reduction,
the Comptroller said. The future
need, he contends, Is national
budget, independent and centralized
control OF public accounts and public
purchases and reorganization OF
executive departments. Adoption OF
the budget system, he said. will be
the most important reform in financ-
ial administration of the Government
in q hundred years.
Until the budget system Is In op-
Grafton, and the Government Is put
upon a Arm business basis, the Comp
troller maintained that red tape"
cost-plus contracting. and other ''al-
legged excuses for inefficiency." will
have but little marked influence upon
Government efficiency.
War construction contracts made
on the cost-plus basis. which aroused
attacks in Congress, were defended
by the Comptroller. he lurther said
that a great deal of the 'rei tape"
observed in Government administra-
tion is necessary. under present stand
ards, for adequate checking and bal
ancing of accounts.
/ Non-partisan reoragnIzation OF
Government bureaus was urged by
the Comptroller as a necessary meas
ure to be worked out by a joint COM
mission representing both branches
of Congress.
Review of war contracts made on
the cost-plus basis has convinced the
Comptroller that no large amount Of
dishonesty was practiced by contrac-
tors, and said that IL enormous out
lays were made under conditions ap-
parently not justified, ii probably was
due authorizations granted to con-
tractors by men holding office. and
welding sufficient authority to eN-
tend or enlarge existing contracts.
The Comptroller said the war had
shown the futility of attempting to
apply private business methods to
running war establishments, as for
example the Emergency Fleet Cor
poration.