Milford chronicle., 1921-12-09
COPYRIGHT, Western Newspaper Union
WHY YOU'RE INTERESTED

WHY YOU'RE INTERESTED
I wish you would take what is
written here as a personal report ad-
dressed directly to you from me about
your business. Don't think Of it or
read it as an article about ''politics," "
or remote public affairs at Washing
ton. 1t is not that at all. It is what
I ask you to think 1t, personal
business report to you relating to your
individual concerns, your pOcketboOk
and your welfare. I have no other
interest than to tell you the exact
truth.
Assume that you have sent me to
Washington to find out for you what
your agents are doing, how they are
managing your affairs and spending
your money. I call them your agents
for that is all they are-the President,
the members of the cabinet, the
senators and all the members Of the
house of representatives. You hire
them, you pay them, and you can fire
them.
You may think of them in Difference
and awe as a group of eminent states
men, or you may call them in flippancy
and too hasty contempt ga lot Of
politicians" But whatever you call
them, they are your hired men. They
attend to your collective business,
which is called the public business.
Query: Are they doing it efficiently
and with a single-minded devotion to
your interests?
Perhaps the largest item in the high
cost of living is the high cost Of
government. And far and away the
largest item in the high cost of govern
ment is the high cost of armament;
preparation for war. About 80 per
cent of all government revenues, and
that means the money taken from you
as taxes, goes to pay for wars, past,
present and future.
Before I have concluded this series
Of articles I expect to show you con-
clusively that the impelling motive
that induced President Harding to call
the present conference in Washington
to consider limitation of armaments
was financial. The pressing need Of !
considering a proposal for a reduc-
ton or limitation by agreement of war
expenditure was not made entirely on |
the ground of morality or righteous
ness, but as a plan for cutting down |
the operating expenses Of the govern
ment.
If the United States government
were an individual we would say that
1t was broke, for its expenses exceed
it's income.
Your interest is simply this: that
whatever decision is made you will
have to pay the bill. If today we
didn't have these army and navy ex-
penses you would have to pay in taxes
less than $1,OoOO0O,OOO a year instead
Of $5,OO0,OO0,OOO. That means we
would have about $4,OO0,O0O,OO0 more
4 year to spend on our private needs
and pleasures. I frankly confess that
would enjoy having four-ffths of my
axes knocked off. Wouldn't you?
Secretary Weeks of the War de-
)artment gave public warning a little
while ago that the government would
'eQuire of us about $17,O00,OO0 in
he next thirty months to meet cur
ent expenses and other obligations.
Persons who have given close study to
hat possibility say that the need will
e nearer $2OO00O0O, than $17,O0O,-
90. The great bulk of that is for
asst and prospective war expenditures.
For this, you and congress and the
Executive departments at Washington
re responsible. You more than any
ody else, for it is your money that is
eing spent and you can stop it. In its
mplest terms the procedure is this: L
ou earn the money, congress takes it
way from you in the form Of taxes, h
nd then congress and the Executive II
apartments spend it.
A great part Of it is wasted. This is rs
Established, conceded, confessed, and
by congress, which
lthorizes the expenditures, and by
e executive officers Of the govern e.
ent, who do the actual spending. It
your money that you have earned
your business, on your farm, or by
e labor Of your hands, that is being Th
pended and wasted at Washington. M
Every cent that is extravagantly or Nc
expended by the govern Th
ent you could have in your pocket to m m
eet the increased cost Of food, lodg- Nc
g and clothing, doctors bills and IN
or to put away and save fec
ainst rainy day, If you only de- as
lnded determinedly and unitedly
1t governmental extravaganza should
lse. Tu
can tell you some of the conditions Fri
governmental spending and how Fri sri
If money is chucked about, and I +
! tell you how you can stop it. The WI
wer is yours, and until you exer- at;
e it waste and extravagance will
stop.