The Washington times., 1921-06-24

There were certain men General
Pershing drew around him whom he
learned to depend upon implicitly.
Dawes was one of them.
Before Dawes became associated
with the work. the arrangements for
purchasing supplies for the Ameri-
can Expeditionary Forces in Europe
were faulty, not 60 say chaotic.
Dawes promptly tackled the whole
complicated problem enlisted as
lieutenants a number of brainy young
Americans of business training, and
soon had things moving more
sm moothly.
One form which recognition OF
this work took was his promotion
to the rank of brigadier-general.a and
he was also honored by the French
government.
It was characteristic OF Dawes to
announce within an hour of his talk
with President Harding yesterday
that he had decided upon the men
who would be drafted as his chief
assistants.
II was also characteristic of him
TO declare that he would conscript
brainy volunteers to help him in or
ganizing real machinery for produce
ing a national budget since. as he
said, "Only four men are given me
under the law: one might as well be
handed toothpick with which to
tunnel Pixies Peak"
The new Budget Directors direct
ness of method Is reflected by his
directness OF speech. Inasmuch as
the preparation of a national budget
on business-like lines is recognized
by financial and business men as 4
task of momentous Importance, af-
fecting every man, woman and child
- q
scertain that Dawes will encounter
little dificulty in getting men of the
first calibers to join him in this patriotic
public work without financial re-
muneration.
BUSINESS METHODS NETDED.
IT has often been commented abroad
that, while America has been able
TO produce some of the ablest busi-
ness men the world has ever known
and TO organize business enterprises
of unparalleled magnitude and eff
cheney, she had failed to introduce
business-like methods in the handling
of her national expenditures.
While taxes were so light as to
burden no one, the need for rigid su-
pervising of estimates and expendi-
lures was not keenly felt, but now
that taxation has become so serious
as to sap prosperity, the public are
aroused TO the imperative necessity
for remedial measures.
That President Harding means to
fulfill his repeated promises of dras-
ito economy and thorough-goingr re-
form is demonstrated by his selec-
tion of man of the type of Charles
q. Dawes as master of the budget.
It Is to be hoped that Dawes's MIL
itary experience will not unfit him to
employ tact and conciliation in deal
ing with Senators and Congressman
and others interested in the prepara-
tion of the budget.
budget director should prove
himself able to effect salutary econo-
mics and reforms without treading
unduly heavily upon the toes of wire
pulling lawmakers anxious to ingra-
tiate themselves with their constitu-
ents.
Also, he should take pains to win
the confidence of the public in the
fullest measure in order that his
recommendations may be supported
by public opinion, and thus have
weight when political opposition may
be encountered.
Where expenditures reach four
and-a-half thousand million dollars a
year, the institution of scientific,
business-iike budgetary methods
should effect savings totaling hun
dreds of millions of dollars, and thus
tighten the taxation load per family
anywhere from s25 to $50 year.
All OF us will watch with keen in
terest the activities of Mr.. Dawes
and his staff
(Copyri0ht by B. @. Forbes