The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1921-05-23
SPEAKS At
NEW YORK
LUNCHEON
What Government Does In
War, Can't Be Done In
Peace.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS sERVicEI
NJ ErCAIl Y -. . 4 81 I.

ing today at luncheon given IN his
honor at the Academy OF Political
Alliance meeting
Everywhere va turn. we note lhat
government has in recen. time assum-
ed a more complex relationship to the
public than It ever sustained before.
The mobilization Of manpower. indus
trial forces and financial resources.
which was made necessary in the wars
cxigencies, have been accomplished
only through the exertion OF the ut
most powers OF government, Those
powers were exerted 70 the extreme
,linit and stupendously important re-
suits were attained AS result OF
that demonstration Of governments
capacity to force great results ~
emergencies there has grown UP
school OF thought which assumes thu
even in time OF peace the same auto
cratic authority might well be exer-
cised IN the general interests
Many men thoughtlessly urge that
governments took over the control
even the conduct OF many industries
and facilities during the war, there
followed a great increase in wages, a
vast expansion Of business activity.
therefore Why not assume that con-
tinuancs or such control and manage
ment in time of peace would enable
continuance of the same liberality IN
compensation and profits the same in
tense business activity
"Those who look below the surface
know that the things which govern
ments accomplished during the war
were accomplished at staggering
cost; cost which society could not
bear for long; a cost that has left So
ciety burdened with debts which
mortgage generations of the future
They know that the feverish seeming
TO prosperity was not genuine but was
possible only because society was 1T
orally burning up its stocks OF capital
and that this destruction OF capital
was responsible for the reaction ana
depression which are now felt uni
versally. In this process the burdens
Of government were Immensely in
creased and it is for US now to nnd
means OF tightening those burdens,
Government. to a greater extent
now than ever before, is under obligs-
tion to give the greatest service for
the lowest possible cost But 1t IS FOR
certain obvious reasons difficult to do
this because government is not under
the necessity to earn profits. nor q
obey laws which regulate competition
These are the prime guarantees OF ef
Aciency and fair dealing in private
business. They do not apply to gov
ernmert; and therefore government
should be placed, so far as possible
under a strict sway Of the methods
which arc applied in private business
to secure these ends. Government
should be broad. conscientious and In
teligent enough TO subject itself -
these rules; despite that its quality Of
sovereignty would place II beyono
them if 1t chose to assume that posi-
tion, Every principle and device
which promotes efficiency in private
bushes sshould be adapted and applied
in government affairs I will trust ire
public official who decides his public
problem as though 1t were his very
own.
ITO bring economy and ehlciencv
into government is a task second to
none in difficulty. Few people in or
out Of tho government. have any con
ception Of the growth of government
business in the last decades before the
world war, still fewer at all realize
the pace TO which that growth has
been speeded up since the war started,
The multiplication of departments; bu-
reaus. divisions functions has result
ed in sort of geometrical increase ip
the tasks which confront the heads Or
executive departments when they face
reconstruction problems. They find
that with their time already mortSaE-
cd in favor of tasks which demand
more hours than the day provides, they
must devise means for doing yet more
work. with less money
Fortunately, the prospect is not so
hopeless as might appear because the
present organization is not so had bur
that the insistent application Of a few
established principles OF sound busi-
ness organization will result in i'm
mediate economies and provide a mar
gin OF available means to meet new de-
mands. The party in power is pledged
to economy and efficiency and you may
be assured that energy is being direct
ed to redeem that pledge to tho las-
degree and with all promptness
The problem has been vastly COM
Dlioated and increased as a result or
the war The present congress has an
ready provided for a joint committee
on the reorganization Of the admins
trative branch OF the government.
representative OF the executive viii
serve with this committee, so that
there is now in progress a thorough
study OF the whole problem The task
will require time and ultimate results
must await IL. More. IL VIII demand A
resolute courage to effect the abolition
Of the useless and the cor ordination
Of the useful.
But meanwhile we shall I trust.
have a budget system In operation I'm
der the law. before the opening Of the
new fiscal year This is a long step
toward introducing into government
the sound methods that great private
business establishments have adopted.
! need not emphasize to you gentle
men to the anamouIous situation os the
government heretofore IN having
great number Of spending committees,
apportioning money 70 barious pur-
poses without any study os the reia-
between these various p..-
poses and regardless Of the relation
ship of these aggregated spendinss 70
the revenue in sight. No business. no
humblest household, could be thur rc,