Evening star., 1921-07-02
Editorial Digest
Uncle Sans New WATCHDOG.


Out Of the mass Of commendat1on for
the Presidents appointment Of Charles
@. Dawes as director of the budget three
interesting points emerge. First. the
comment stirred up by Mr.. Dawes re-
mark on the ''pitiful" machinery with
which his department must function and
his plan for securing volunteers from
the ranks Of American finance for as
sistance; second. the fear that the new
director will be blocked in his economy
efforts by Congress. and. third. feeling
that the appointment is proof Of Presi-
dent Harding's sincerity In urging a
war on waste with more business In
government
A feeling Of deep satisfaction express
ed over the appointment and strong
faith in the app6intee is non- partisan
and general. Newspapers Of all political
faiths and representing all parts OF the
country praise the ability and energy Of
"Helen Maria" Dawes. who. as the Ar
kansas Gazette (democratic) remarks.
'cussed his way into the hearts Of his
countrymen" during the recent congress
sional investigation on war expendi-
lures.
The New York Mail independently be-
lieves that "he will tackle the evasive
bureau chiefs like a dog would rabbit
and shake every ounce OF extravasant
Ionsense out of them." for. as the Grand
is the kind of fellow who has the
ba ok bone to WELD the knife upon all uI-
necessary appropriations. whether the
appropriator be hosor friend or bitter
foe" The Lynchburg News 1independ-
ent) agrees with the Baltimore Ameri-
can (republican) that 'if past success is
a future recommendation" the former
general will succeed. and the Newark
News independently declares that the
selection of Dawes will strike the coun-
try as little bit of all right"
There Is no man in America better
fitted in ability, in experience or in
temperament" says the Roanoke
World News (democratic): than Mr..
Dawes to direct the budget. The Salt
Lake Telegram independently gives
fairly representative example of west
ern comment when it remarks that
Mr.. Dawes is a thorough going bust
ness man" and "in no sense OF the
word a politician"
While thoroughly approving Gen.
Dawes the Pittsburgh Leader (pro-
gressive republican, feels that in re-
fusing him an adequate staff Congress
has provided budget. but failed to
provide for it's operationt thus show
ing it to be "a body with no business
ideas, or lacking in service to the
country"
The New York Tribune (republican)
expresses its approval of the call for
volunteers from the standpoint of pub
public attention is focused on re-
Organization of governmental opera
tions the easier it will be to rout the
forces which will oppose reorganiza-
ton from motives of self-interest."
In depending upon this method of
Times-Star Fepublican) sees an ex-
ample of the Colossal Dawes faith"
since leading business men" may
hesitate to give their services to a
government which after the war sub.
mitted them to endless inquisition"
A similar view is taken by the Ashe-
willie (N. c. Times (republican). which
believes that Undoubtedly many high
minded and capable business men will
consider, it a privilege to serve their
nation this way" but. it asks. will
the government in turn undertake to
guarantee to these meh that they will
not be subjected to the criticisms"
which were visited upon others who
served their country in a notable
manner during the war and were re-
warded with being charged with
scheming and dishonest selfshness?"
The New York world tdemocratic)
doesn't like the idea at all. 1t says:
The trouble with the situation as it
exists and has existed from time i'm
memorial Is that too many heads have
had to do with it. The great object
Of the budget legislation was to sub
stitute one supervising head in the
business for many heads. How one
hundred new heads are to help in ef-
fecting the substitution is not exactly
clear"
Some wAters feel that the Dawes
appointment means bitter fight with
Congress. elf he gives an inch ne
will be taken and bound in red tape
and cast into outer darkness" says
the Rocky Mountain News CDenver.
independently. but he has foreknowl-
edge and he is Of the right stuff: he will
bless him for having removed the
danger to the republic,
The Nebraska State Journal (Lin-
coin. independent republican, is not so
optimistic, for Dawes has much Of Con-
gress and most of off1cialdom~to whip.
1t isn't bit certain that he can whip
licking Of his life. But the fight. as
those who know Dawes can predict.
will be real doings with words and
deeds mixed in one magnificent.
beneficent melee. This is a war we
need"
It will be a war Of a.trition. the Chat
cratic) thinks. but "before Congress
starves the budget system and its chief
spirit. to death there is going to be an
interesting time in Washington" Re
calling what happened" when the former
general met the solons last year. the
pendent democratic) awaits with lively
curiosity to see what happens IL and
when they collide over the budget"