The Mena weekly star., 1921-09-15
SHOWS HOW US TAX MONEY ISSPENT
Return to Pre-War Basis of Economy Is Not Expected at National Capi- tol-Intcrest on Public Debt
 Reaches Billion Dollar Mark.
By II. K. REYNOLDS. Tntefaa fionai News Service Stan ls..-rnnr.rll ll .I.-nt

Washington, Sept. S.--Grumbling as he nays his income tax and irritated by the extra cent or two which he pushes across the bar at the soda fountain, Mir. Average Citizen occas- ionaliy feels the pinch of Federal taxation, talks 1t over with his neigh bor. and decides that an awful lot of money is needed to keep the Govern ment running, but seldom realizes where all the dollars that Uncle Sam gathers into his Treasury go.
 Secretary of the Treasury Mellon, in his first estimate of the cost of op- eratinr the Government, figures that about four and a half billion dollars would be required to keep the official wheels of the nation revolving during the present fiscal year. The Secretary told Congress how much the Govern ment needed, showed neat rows of faures to prove his deductions, and then the House proceeded to slice there and trim here in accordance with their own ideas of how much money Uncle Sam could get along with-or with out.
 Departmental estimates of expenses are being given the careful "once over" nowadays under the suspicious eve of Charles Dawes, official watch dog of the public treasury, but bureau chiefs, those who decide how much they need to keep things going--are set in their ways and hard to budge. The effects of the war, when the per sennel of many departments increased enormously, are still felt; and altho efforts have been made to return to normal working conditions, it is im- probable that the comparatively cheaply operated government of pre- war days will ever be restored.
 Billion Required for Interest.
 The biggest single item in Secre- tary Melons list of estimated expen- ditures for this fiscal year is the in- terest on the public debt, which is placed at almost q billion dollars, or nearly one fourth of the total require. ments of the Government.
 There is to be, it is estimated, ar expenditure of $5a5 ,206,204 to the rail roads, under the Transportation act of 1920, and $551 ,354, ,865 for the retire. ment of the public debt, as required by law The debt payments ifieludei Sinking fund, $265, ,865; War Say ings Securities, Si00,000, ,000; miscel- laneous debt redemptions, Si00000, Purchase of Liberty Bonds from for eign repayments, S30, 0,500 ,000; redemp- tions of bonds and notes from estate taxes, $25,000,000; retirement If Pitt man act certificates, $70,000,000; re- tirement from F. K. B. franchise tax receipts, $60,000,000
 ean,a Ofhar Cnandare
 The legislative branch of the Gov ernment estimates that it will need $I7,213,S13 during the present year, while the Executive Department will get less thantw million, it's expenses being estimated at $l,s97,7 ,751.
 The estimates list their require. ments as follows:
 State Department, $10,344,000; De partnent of Justice, $17,000, ,000; Post Office Department, $2,200, 900; Interior Department, including pensions and Indian claims, $322, ,000,000; Depart ment of Agriculture, $123 100000; De- partment of Commerce. $19,923, ,000; Department of Labor, $5 ,252, ,887; inde- pendent offices, $l3,854,5l6; District of Columbia, $22, ,1S7,663; miscellaneous, $62 2,500, ,000; postal deficiency, $60,000, 900; Bureau of War Risk Insurance, S2S6. 6.000,000; Public Health Service, SAT 100000; collecting revenue, s53,- i10,139; ali other Treasury depart ments, $99,457 ,795; Federal Board of Vocational Education, Sl62,655, ,1S4; Panama Canal. $l0.000.000.