Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-05-23


sumes that even in time of peace the
same autOcratic authority might well be
exercised in the general interest. Many
men thoughtlessly urge that Governments
take over the control, even the con-
duct, of many industries and facilities
during the war; there followed a great
Increase in wages, a vast expansion of
business activity; therefore why not as
sumo that continuance OF such control
and management In time Of peace would
enable continuance of the same liberality
In compensation and profits, the same
intense business activity?
SOCIETY COULD NOT
BEAR BURDENS.
Those who look below the surface
know Il at the things which governments
accomplished during the war were &C
complished at a staggering cost a cost
which society could not bear long; a cost
that has left society burdened with
debts which mortgage generations of the
future. They know that the feverish
seeming Of prosperity was not genuine,
was literally burning up its stocks Of
capital; and that this destruction Of cap
ital was responsible for the reaction and
depression which are now felt uniyer
sally. In this process the burdens OF
government were immensely INCREASED,
and it is for US now to find means Of
tightening those burdens.
Government. to a greater extent now
than ever before. is under obligation to
give the greatest service for the lowest
possible cost. But it is for certain Oh
vious reasons difficult to do this. he
cause government is not under the ne
cessity to earn profits nor to obey laws
which regulate competition. These are
the prime guarantees Of efficiency and
fair dealing in private business. They
do not apply to government. and there
fore government should be placed so far
QG Hmnpr ct Eurn NJ
methods which are applied in private
business to secure these ends. Govern
ment should be broad, conscientious and
intelligent enough to subject itself TO
these rules; despite that its quality OF
sovereignty would place IL beyond them
If 1t chose to assume that position. Every
principle and device which promotes eff
hciency IN private business should be
adopted and applied in government az
fairs. l will trust the public official who
decides his public problem as though it
were his very own.
ITO bring economy and efficiency into
government is a task second to none In
difficulty. Few people In or out OF the
growth OF Government business In the
last decades before the World War; still
fewer at all realize the pace TO which that
growth has been speeded up since the
war started. The multiplication Of de-
partments, bureaus, divisions, functions,
has resulted in a sort of geometrical in
crease in the tasks which confront the
heads Of executive departments when they
face reconstruction problems. They find
that with their time already mortgaged
in favor Of tasks which demand more
hours than the day provides they must
devise means for doing yet more work,
with less money.
PROSPECT NOT
EXTREMELY HOPELESS.
Fortunately. the prospect is not so
hnnaIaNS MIGHT he
present organization is so bad that the
1nslstent application of a few estab-
lished principles of sound bubsiness or
ganizatiOn- will result in immediate econ
omies and provide margin of available
means to meet new demands The party
in power is pledged to economy and
efficiency and you may pc assured that
energy is being directed to redeem that
pledge to the last degree and with all
promptness.
AT the beginning of his administra-
ton, President Taft secured from Con-
gress the establishment of an economy
and efficiency commission. IL made a
comprehensive survey Of activities or
ganiZation and personnel Of the whole
Government establishment. The report
of that survey was never printed. But
It is available and can be consulted TO
determine where wastages and overlap
pings OF function are. The commission
further presents particular suggestions
as TO how specific economies could be eff
money saved.
The problem has beer vastly compI-
Gated and increased as a result Of the
war
'The present Congress has already pro-
vided for a joint committee on the reor-
ganization of the administrative branch
of the Government. A representative of
the executive will serve with this COM
mittee, so that there Is in progress now
thorough study OF the whole problem.
The task will require some time and ulti-
mate results must await 1t. More, IL will
demand a resolute courage to effect the
abolition Of the useless and the CO.
ordination Of the useful.
LOOKS FORWARD To
BUDGET SYSTEM.
But meanwhile we shall, I trust. have
a budget system In operation under the
law. before the opening Of the new fiscal
year. This is a long step toward intro,
ducing into Government the sound
methods that great private business es-
adjustments have adopted. l need not
emphasize TO you, gentlemen, that an
omalous situation of the Government
heretofore in having a great number of
spending committees, apportiOnine
moneys to various purposes without any
study of the relationship between those
various purposes and regardless of the
relationship of these aggregated spend
ings to the revenue in sight. No bust
ness, no humblest household, could be
NhAS COuuuCA6Q ledu10B INTO ais
aster.
Establishment Of a budget system is
tn foundation on which reorganizat ton
must be based. 1t is hardly conceivable,
indeed, that a budget system could be
established and carried for any consider
able time without forcing attention to
the evils and effecting the reform of many
deficiencies In the present system. But
the budget program win not do every
thing. 1t must not be accounted a fiscal
and efficiency panacea, for it will not be-
There must still be much and continuing
effort to keep expenses down, to insure
full value for every dollar Of the tax
payers money the Government spends.
AT thtE point, let me say, too much
stress cannot be laid on the fact that
eternal vigilance is the price of economy
and efficiency. Nothing is easier in a
Government establishment than to con
tinue in existence officers, positions, en-
Payments, once they are created. 1t re-
quires a determined, stony hearted devo-
ton to the public interest There must
be utter sacrifice OF all sympathy for the
place holder whose real reason for keep
ing his position is that he wants the
salary. There must be constant exam
nations to determine how, in the proc
esses of evolving functions and methods.