The New York herald., 1921-06-04
New York Herald Bureau,
Washington, ID. c.. June 2.

Government economy is like the pro-
verbal needle in the haystack. Before
anybody will expend time and energy
or tax his wits in the pursuit of either,
some powerful moving cause. some
motive aside from the mere pleasure
% the pursuit itself, must be infused
% keep up enthusiasm and promote
action. Great Birnam Forest itself
took legs and rose in mighty fury
asainst the arrogant Macbeth before
nc saw the numbering of his iniqui-
tOus days. Public Ncinion will have to
uproot itself and descend with over
whelming force upon the legislators
and the official spenders of the Gov
srnment before the end of reckless en-
travagance will come and economy and
efficient management be set up ia it's
place
1t was the cautionary note of Sec
retary of the Treasury Mellon that
urged Congress to leave nothing un-
done 10 stop the waste which keeps
the annual cost of the Government Up
TO $4,000. 100000. But il is only the
composite voice of the nation, resound-
ing like a thunderclap in the car Of
Congress, that can drive home the
warning of the Secretary of the Treas
ury: THE nation cannot continue to
spend at this shocking rate"
President Harding in his message to
Congress reiterated that the burden was
unbearable and that two methods of
relief are open: "One is rigid resistance
In appropriation and the other is the
utmost economy in administration" He
could well have added the third and
most important of all--that the public
rise in a single voice and demand that
not another dollar be spent except II be
proved beyond doubt an imperative peace
time necessity This the public has not
done.
Public Expression In Lacking.
Public insistence on Government econ
omy has been wofully wanting. Con-
trary to what might be assumed this
Jack of public expression. which I'm in
stances of much less importance has
made itself felt through letters and teie-
grams from all parts of the country,
has been a real embarrassment to legis-
lators who see the need for cutting down
expenses. Nothing could have been so
effective as these outspoken protests If
they had been available to combat or
ganized efforts of groups of citizens or
politicians in forcing through new ap-
propriations or continuing old ones car
rying special or local benefits. Many of
these might have been eliminated for the
general good.
There is possibly n good reason for
the lack of public interest in government
extravagance. or at least for the absence
OF public protest against 1t. The public
itself has not come TO realize what the
colossal expenditures mean. what keeps
them up 10 a figure five times AS large
as before the war. The public has not
regained the perspective which makes 1t
see a dollar as a dollar. or even
million dollars a sum which is any
more than a trife when spent on Gov
ernment functions. When the total ex-
sidered the contrast between the 1921
figure OF six billions and the 1914 figure
OF one billion Is striking enough.
But when the individual items are
segregated and the increases Of $4,000
here 500, 900 there and 100000 else
where are considered the general atti-
tude and the general excuse Is that
these are unavoidable that the cost OF
living has gone up and the cost OF gov
ernment has assembled with II. This
Is not true. IL is not the cost OF gov
ernment. as government is generally
conceived to mean. that has gone up.
OF the government that eats into gov
ernment receipts and piles up the bur-
den on the taxpayer.
The cost of primary government func-
tions and of such activities as public
works. research. development and odu-
cation represent but small proportion
OF the national expense bill. II is the
cost Of keeping up activities inherited
from the war: the cost OF the army and
navy. the cost OF administering the
swarms of bureaus and boards. This is
graphically shown in a table prepared
by Or. r. B. Rosa in scientific study
OF government disbursements in 1920:
Per Cent.
Obligations arising from recent and
previous wars ......s.......f ....... ISL
primary o.overnment functions Qegisa-
tive. executive and judieiaD D.......... 80
Researeh' s educational and development
,-o~t ................. fOI
10000
This table again shows what was
pointed out in previous article. That
under the cloak OF war obligations. and
with the aid OF sentiment aroused with
that as a slogan. hundreds OF millions
Of dollars are being spent 70 no other
purpose than the benefit OF tho spend ers
and limited number OF others who are
lucky enough to be able by special in
fuence To count themselves in on the
spoils The above fgures are for 1920.
but the proportionate expenditures OF
each group are approximately the same.
both for 1921 and 1922.
RccLiessness IL Everywhere.
This state OF affairs. II It were imite
10 one section OF the Government. show
ing unlimited and unwarranted expan-
sion all In one direction, would undoubt-
cdly be enough to arouse Congress to A