Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-11-22
SAVINGS ON DISARMAMENT
TO BE LESS THAN EXPECTED
Most of War Expenses Being
Paid by Government Are
Already Incurred Naval
Cut of $4,000
BY RALPH BURTON
(Leased Wire Service to The JouruaD
DOWNRIGHT 1921

Copyright, 1921
WASHINGTON, Nov. 19.-Contra.
ry to general belief, the immediate
and actual savings from the proposed
program Of limiting ornaments as
outlined by Secretary Hughes will
be negligible, by comparison with
the enormous size of the national
budget. The more roseate views are
strongly discounted by officials of
the United States bureau Of eff
cheney, who estimate that at the
most liberal maximum the savings
from the cut would not exceed, for
this country, s150,000,000 a year,
and who declare that in consequence
the effect on the tax rate will hard
ly be noticeable. The good will come
in the possible prevention Of future
wars, but there is no relief from the
burdens of the past.
The impression that large savings
would result from limiting arma-
ments has been fostered, Of course,
by the statistics showing that by
far the greater part of the expendi-
lures Of the country go for mill
tary expenses'-to pay for past wars
or to prepare for new ones. Be
cause the national budget has in
creased from around one billion dol
lars in pre-war times to about four
billions now, and because national
expenditures are more than rs per
cent "for military purposes" the
public felt that so drastic liml-
tation of naval growth would be felt
heavily in the budget. AS a mat
ter Of fact, however, pensions and
care of the disabled call for more
than the total Of naval approprla-
tons.
The possibilities of the plan should
not be minimized. In the first place,
the Hughes proposals, if accepted,
will mean an end to the race for
involving England, Japan
and the United States, and will
thereby tend to diminish the dis
trust of one nation for another. The
naval holiday should have the eff
feet OF diminishing the possibilities
of war. The proposals would, more
over, not only mean immediate,
though comparat lively small savings,
but might prevent condition that
would lead to vastly increased naval
in the future. Main
tenance costs, Of course, will be
reduced, but the gains, as
Stunning that the proposals are &C
cepted, will be more potential than
and little relief from tax
burden is in sight.
Naval Alone Affected
30 hIJG ~
four billion dollars, the
only item that will be touched by
the naval limitations plan is that
provided for the growth and main
tenance of the navy-about four
hundred millions all told. Even If
now under way is halt
ed, the saving will not be net, for
claims of contractors will have to
be satisfied, and those claims will
be considerable.
The public will probably wonder
where the four billion dollars go,
if the limitation Of the navy amounts
to so little financially. A brief anal
ysis of the budget will show that
the United States has fixed obliga
tons that cannot be affected by any
economies in administration; they
must be met. In short, the cost OF
past wars, including the world war,
constitutes the principal part Of our
budget problem.
Appropriations for 1922 total, &C.
cording to figures prepared by the
clerks to the senate and house ap'
preparations committees, $3,9O9 ,282,'
2O9.46!s Approximately one-fourth of
this 1922, 650,000) represents interest
on the public debt-the war debt
a fixed charge in which there can
be reductions only as the debt itself
is reduced.
The sinking fund requirement is
1855, 754,864.87, and miscellaneous
items account for Sal, 81 1876 more.
The total of these obligations is
given as 81, 1886, 776, 360.87-more than
one-third the total appropriations for
the year. Figures compiled by the
bureau Of efficiency throw a little
more light on the obligations of past
wars. There are, in addition to the
charges mentioned, a provision of
1921, sol, 500 for the care of veterans
of the world war, and pensions for
soldiers who served before that time
for 1855, 100000 more.
Army to Stay Same
There is no expectations that the
size or expense of the army will
be materially reduced, and natural
ly the civil functions of the govern
ment will not be affected. Coming
down then. to an analysis of the
naval appropria tions, it will be found
that OF the four hundred million
provided for naval purposes, a COM
paratively small amount can be
saved.
Expenses Of the naval establish