The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-12-05
CUT HALF BILLION
Continued From Page one.)

(Continued From Page Onel
$595,595, and employees compensation
commission and compensation funds,
$2.7sS.000.
Dawes Makes Report.
| Accompanying the budget as sent to
congress is a detailed report from
Director General Dawes as to the
operation of the budget bureau since
its esta blishme nt five months ago, and
some pointed comments as to means
of continuing its efficient operation.
Discussing the reception of the budget
! by congress, General Dawes says he
feels that the estimate for expendi-
lures for 1928, upon which the budget
is based, will not be increased except
thru appropriations initiated by con-
gress or by the executive as result of
/ emergency or unforeseen conditions
arising after the preparation of the
| budget"
Reiterating his recommendation that
congress Immediately repeal all Outstand-
1 ing continuous appropriations and "revolv-
ing funds" General Dawes says the method
| Of appropriating money Observation-Disclosures
has resulted in a condition OF things
| either the executive, congress. or the sec
retary of the treasury to have before them
\ the government at any. particular time
THE whole habit of making continuous
appropriations to which the government
| has been committed in the past" he adds,
sis only an encouragement TO a lack OF
scrutiny of public work by the head of the
department under which it is carried on,
and an encouragement to ShiftlessnesS and
carelessness on the part of the subordi-
mates more directly concerned in 1t.
This system of preparing the budget
will confine the attention of the executive,
of congress, and of the public to the one
great important question, to wit, the rela-
ton of the money actually to be SPENT by
the government to the money actually to
be received by the government in any
given year, all its outstanding obligations
gw.s1A Ff-,sN
enterprises considered. This will enable
congress, with more intelligence, to de-
termfne at any time both the necessity for
retrenchment and the ability Of the gov
eminent to engage in additional projects
to be initiated by congress outside of the
\ budgetary provisions"
Like Zig Corporation.
Likening the federal government to n
business corporation, General Dawes
points to these faults" which he says ex-
The president of the corporation (the
president of the United States) gave prac-
tically no attention to its ordinary routine
The administrative vice presidents (mem-
bers of the cabinet) were allowed to run
their several departments as if each sep
arate department was an independent au-
thority in all matters of routine business.
Because of lack of any outlined bust
ness plan no system existed for making
purchases or in selling material along bust
ness lines under a unified policy
No balance sheet of the corporation as a
Z
The treasurer kept no accurate account
of the contingent obligations of the various
federal departments. thus resulting in mon
ey being drawn from him continuously in
excess of the estimated annuaI running
expenses.
The corporation. IN effect seldom re-
considered an unwise project entered into
by any department.
The administrative heads Of the depart
ments were selected as a rule with little
reference to their business qualifications
and were compelled to rely largely upon
the advice of subordinates welded to the
theory of the right of independent opera
ton of the depa rtment."
General Dawes concludes his report with
this statement:
in making this report the director of
the budget will state that his connection
with the bureau is limited as to time. In
accordance with an understanding which
he had with the president at the time of
his appointment His purpose In making
this announcement at this time Is to en-
phasize the fact that his recommendations
are made n an impersonal way with funda-
mental business principles and their proper
preservation in their application to gov
ernmentaI business administration alone
in mind.