Evening star., 1921-09-07
GREAT PROGRESS CITED
IN CUTTING u S. EXPENSE
PRESIDENT Harding Also Sees Increased Ejf-
f7ciency in Federal Sers:~-Congress
Work Called '.MonumentaL"

to $3.5OO, 100000 a Year 1t should be
remembered that the service of the
national debt demands a billion and
a quarter of dollars annually; that
nearly half billion dollars "A year
was appropriated for war risk in
surance, vocational training, the
maintenance of hoSpitals-in short.
for the care of those suffering the
disabilities arising from the war; ana
that approximately quarter or
billion dollars more is appropriated
for pensions on account of earlier
, wars.
Wars Of Past Costly.
"In short half the present total eX-
penditures of the government arise
from wars of the past. Similar bur-
dens are imposed upon the Taxpayers
of other countries, and well night
universal protest against possible
repetition of gigantic conflict gives
rise to the common hope that the
conference in November may nshten
the burdens of both armament ana
taxation, mot only Tor this out lor
other lands.
almost without exception. the
governments of other countrise are
faced with great deficits. Their peo,
pie not only suffer from the general
i business depression. unemployment,
chaotic exchanges and disorder in
agricultural prcies. but they carry
very heavy burdens of taxation
which, nevertheless, is insufficient 10
| meet the current expenditures OF
their government. We must not
overestimate our good fortune and
| the prudence of our Congress. which
!, permits us to balance revenue and
! expenditure at time when deficits
are the rule throughout the world.
f, We shall be greatly aided in a policy
! of progressively reducing expenditure
I by the budget law. republican in
/ origin, design, enactment and eXecu.
ton. 1t was the first of a series of
measures placed on the statute books
at the present extra session OF Con-
| gress, but 1 do not hesitate to say
that in ordinary times it alone would
| have been considered highly credit
able chief product of a years legis-
lative program. Yet in time OF
such legislative activity as the pres
ures of the first Importance to be en-
acted. 1t was quickly followed by
| the enactment of the immigration
law, calculated both to limit the in
, flow of population during period
of depression and to hasten the day
canization of all newcomers to our
! shores.
| Cites Aid to Farmers.
THE series of measures looking to
! the amelioration of conditions in the
i great agricultural industries would
| in other times have constituted a
striking legislatiXyee product ;nu;t OF ,ba a
law for the control of the packing
industry, the act for the regulation of
grain exchanges and the law Tor the
! extension of credits to farmers
| through the War Finance Corporation
| to enable them to carry their crops
until the markets will absorb them
! The establishment of veterans bu-
| reau insures consummatlon OF those
| reforms in caring for our disabled men
which were inaugurated y executive
/ order. We have established peace
| and are seeking to establish the
! generous production and profitable
! exchange of foodstuffs and commodl-
ties under the conditions OF peace
! and corollary assurance of good
| wages and general employment.
I'm order that the Senate finance
| committee may devote its uninter-
rupted attention to the permanent
| wisely determined upon thirty-day
recess. We may confidently hope. |
am sure. that after the recess and
| before the end Of the extraordinary
! session Congress will adopt both the
| tariff and taxation measures, and
| that along with these it will pass
, the bill to permit funding the debt
| owed US by foreign governments
! This. / hope. will shortly be followed
| by ARRANGEMENTS under which the
debtor countries will begin paying
! interest on their obligations
| Likewise. / am confident that the
| bill facilitating the funding of the
| debt of the railways to the United
| States will become law during the
| extraordinary session. thus lnsurlng
! a large and immediate demand for
| employment of men now idle:
, Surveying the national situation
/ as whole. it is plain that we are
/ working our way out of welter OF
p-aSta and prodi0al SDending at a
| most impressive rate. We have made
! much progress toward retrenchment
| and greatly. increased efficiency.
i Il have all assurance that thought
! full men and women throughout the
| country will appreciate what has
been accomplished and sincerely sup
| port our efforts for yet more of
| achievement along the same lines.