New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-09-07
Millions Cut
From Bpadg
Harding Says
(contlaucd from pauo oue)


tillery was, according to the same tes-
timony, of American manufacture.
approximately s3,500,000,oo0 have
been poured out under the direction
of the Shipping Board; yet have from
the War Department the curious bit of
information that only one vessel built
by the Shipping Board ever carried any
This was cargo boat, the Liberty.
which, according to the War Depart
ment records, in October, 1917, carried
approximately fifty soldiers to Europe
These were the only soldiers, according
to the record. that were transported to
Europe before the armistice in vessel
built by the Shipping Board.
"Accordin gto the most conservative
estimate which has come to me the
Railroad Administration has cost the
government between one and quarter
and one and half billion dollars, and
the end is not yet.
Such is the summary of some of
the extravagances incident to war. 1t
is gratifying to be able to say, there
fore, that probably no other govern
ment in the world has during similar
period so drastically reduced expendi-
lures as has the government of the
United States during the past two
years on the insistence of the Repub.
lican Congress. Moreover, / am happy
to assure you that the administrative
departments are now in full sympathy
with the program of rigorous and un-
RENTING economy, through which, l
believe, we will be able during the next
year to cover back into the Treasury
sc large a sum that the aggregate Of
taxation may be reduced to $500 ,OO0,-
600 q year.
Soldiers Cared For
at should be remembered that the
service of the national debt demands q
billion and a quarter of dollarN annu-
ally; that nearly a half-billion dollars
year was appropriated for war risk
insurance, vocational training, the
maintenance of hospitals--in short, for
the care Of those suffering the disa-
bilities arising from the war, and that
approximately quarter of q billion
dollars more is appropriated for PEN
sions on account of earlier wars.
I'm short, half the present total ex-
penditures of the government arises
from wars of the past. Similar bur-
dens are imposed upon the taxpayers
of other countries, and well-nigh
q possible
repetition of gigantic conflict gives rise
to the common hope that the confer
ence in November may tighten the bur
dens Of both armament and taxation,
not only for this but for other lands.
Almost without exception the gov
ernments of other countries are faced
with great deficits. Their people not
only suffer from the general business
depression, unemployment, chaotic ex-
changes and disorder in agricultural
prices, but they carry very heavy bur-
dens Of taxation, which, nevertheless, is
insufficient to meet the current ex-
penditures of their governments. We
must not overestimate our good for
tune and the prudence of our Congress
which permits US to balance revenue
and expenditure at time when deficits
are the rule throughout the world.
Budget JVill Help
eve shall be greatly aided in a
policy of progressively reducing expen-
diture, by the budget law, Republican
in origin, design, enactment, and exc
cution. It was the first of series of
the measures placed on the statute
books at the present extra session OF
Congress, but I do not hesitate to say
that in ordinary times 1t alone would
have been considered highly credit
able chief product Of years legis-
lative program. Yet in a time of such
legislative activity as the resent it is
only one among many measures of the
first importance to be enacted. 1t was
quickly followed by the enactment of
the immigration law, calculated both to
limit the inflow Of population during
a period Of depression and to hasten
the day when we may effect the true
Americanization of all new corners to
our shores.
''The series of measures looking to
the amelioration of conditions in the
great agricultural industries would, in
other times, have constituted a strik-
ing legislative product of a years ses-
sion. These include the law for the
control of the packing industry, the
act for the regulation of grain cx-
of credits to farmers through the War
Finance Corporation, to enable them to
carry their crops until the markets will
absorb them.
Recess Taken Wisely
"The establishment of veterans
bureau insures contamination of
those reforms in caring for our dis
abled men which we're inaugurated by
Executive order. We have established
peace and are seeking to establish the
generous production and profitable ex-
change of foodstuffs and commodities
under the conditions of peace and
corollary assurance of good wages and
general employment.
"In order that the Senate Finance
Committee may devote it's uninter-
rupted attention to the permanent
tariff and revenue measures, Congress
wisely determined upon a thirty day
recess. We may confidently hope, am
sure, that after the recess and before
the end of the extraordinary session
Congress will adopt both the tariff and
taxation measures, and that along with
these it will pass the bill to permit
funding the debt owed us by foreign
governments This, | hope, will shortly