Evening star., 1921-04-12
of the Congress:

Members of the Congress-:
You have been called in extraor-
dinary session to give your consld'
Grafton to national problems far
too pressing to be long neglected.
We face our tasks Of legislation
and administration amid conditions
as difficult as our government mas
ever contemplated. Under our po-
. itical system the people Of the
United States have charged the
new Congress and the new admin
istration with the solution-the re-
adjustments. reconstruction ana
restoration which must follow In
the wake Of war.
1t may be regretted that we were
80 fiIy prepared for wars AFTER
math, 80 little made ready to return
to the ways Of peace, but we are
not to be discouraged. Indeed. We
must be the more firmly resolved to
undertake our work with high
hope. and invite every factor in our
citizenship to join in the effort to
find our normal. onward way again.
The American people have ap-
praised the situation. and with that
tolerance and patience which go
with understanding they will give
to US the influence Of deliberate
public opinion which ultimately be-
comes the edict Of any popular gov.
ernment. They are measuring
some Of the stern necessitieA and
will join in the give and take
which is SO essential to firm re-es.
tablishment.
Home Problems FiFBt.
First in mind must be the solu-
tion of our problems at home, even
though some phases of them are
inseparably linked with our for
eign relations The surest pro-
cedure in every government IL to
put its own house in order.
know Of no more pressing
problem at home than to restrict
our national expenditures within
the limits Of our national income.
and at the same time measurably
lift the burdens Of war taxation
from the shoulders Of the Ameri-
can people.
One can not be unmindful that
economy is a much-employed cry.
most frequently stressed in pre-
election appeals, but 1t is ours to
make it an outstanding and ever
impelling purpose in both legisla-
tion and administration. The un-
restrained tendency to needless
expenditure and the attending
growth Of public Indebtedness. ex-
tending from federal authority to
that of state and municipality and
including the smallest political
subdivision, constitute the most
dangerous phase of government
today. The nation can not 70.
strain except in its own activities.
but it can be exemplar In a whole
some reversal.
The staggering load Of war debt
must be cared for in orderly fund
ing and gradual liquidation. We
shall hasten the solution and aid
effectively in lifting the tax bur-
dens il we strike resolutely at ex-
penditure. 1t is far more easily
said than done. In the fever OF
war our expenditures were so little
questioned, the emergency was 50
impelling. appropriation was SO un-
impeded that we little noted mill
sns and counted the Treasury in
taustible. 1t will strengthen
ou.N resolution il we ever keep in
mind that a continuation Of such a
course means inevitable disaster.
Heavy Burden Of Debt.
Our current expenditures are rum
ming at the rate of approximately
five billions a year, and the bur-
den is unbearable. There are two
agencies to be employed in cor
rection: One is rigid resistance in
appropriation and the other il the
utmost economy in administration.
Let US have both. have already
charged department heads with
this necessity. am sure Congress
will agree; and both Congress and
the administration may safely
count on the support of all right
minded citizens. because the bur-
den is theirs. The pressure for ex-
Readiture, swelling the doX in one