The Bienville Democrat. [volume] (Arcadia, Bienville Parish, La.) 1912-1980, 1921-12-29


Interest on the public debit" l,O2O, OOD, 900
Pensions ....................... 2l3000, 900
War-risk insurance ............. ll7,NQ,WO
Purchase of federal farm-loan
ponds OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. W,W),W
IOtal Observation-Disclosures. ..S5, l6,pV0,V0
Substantially all the expenditures
entering into this total, and a large
share Of the expenditures on various
minor accounts, represent burdens d.
rectly traceabe to the war, to past
wars or to preparedness for future
wars. These figures serve to indicate
the direction which sincere efforts to
reduce the cost Of the government
must take.
Then found Mr.. Gilbert, the under.
secretary OF the treasury, saying:
There has been much idle talk to the
effect that the excessive cost Of govern
ment Is due to .inefficlency and extrava-
gance In the executive departments.
Without doubt there has been waste and
inefflciency In the various government de-
partments and establishments, and much
can be accomplished, and has already
been accomplished, by the introduction
OF efficient and economic methods OF adj
ministration and the ellminati lion Of du-
pllcatlon and unnecessary work. 1t might
we'll be possible to save as much as
@,ooo,W or SlO0,OO0,0OO by careful and sci.
entifc reorganization Of the governments
business
The figures show that over 30 per
cent Of the total annual expenditures
Of the government are related to war.
Out Of total expenditures during 1920 of
about $64OO,OO,OC0, about 51s billions rep
resented expenditures directly traceable
to the war, to past wars, or to prepared
ness for future wars. OF this, about
HbW,0OOO went for the army and navy,
over $5O,OOO.OOO for the shipping board,
over 81 ,oO0,OO0,0D for the railroads. another
3l0O,0O0.0O for interest on the public debt,
almost HOO,O00,0O for purchase of obliga-
tons OF foreign governments on account
OF their war expenditures, and the remain
der for pensions, war risk allotments and
miscellaneous items related to war. An
analysis Of the expenditures Of the first
six months Of the fiscal year 1921 gives
similar results The figures also show
that the total cost of running what may
be termed the civil establishment proper,
that Is to say, the various government
departments, boards and commissions and
the legislative establishment, have not
much exceeded $25OOOO,OO0 even in the ab-
normal war years.
l sought details. If more than so
per cent Of the entire disbursements
Of 1920 went for past and prospective
wars, how much had we been spend.
Ing to keep the world safe for democ.
racy? We are all familiar with the
argument that the best way to prevent
war Is to be prepared for war. /
thought / might find out whether that
was true. | went back into the rec.
ords and found that year by year.
from 1884 to 1919 inclusive, the treas.
ury department had kept an account
OF the actual disbursements-not an.
preparations, mind you, but actual
money expended-of the War depart.
ment, the Navy department and for
pensions. When l got all the figures
before me l couldn't add them I'D,
In the bureau Of internal revenue
they loaned me a machine and an
operator, and so know and can tell
you that from 1884 to and through !
1919 the War Department actually dis.
bursed 500, ,39O,OS.65. In the same
period the Navy Department spent
s8,9O7 1860, OS2.S4; and pensioners of
past wars got s5,634,O79694.23.
That Is a laundering total of s2o,.
Dos. 759,O4l.49 for the army and ns7y
alone, leaving out of account the
1884, 079, 694.23 forlpensions.
! will let you decide whether any
part OF the Twenty-Five billion dollars
spent for preparedness and for war
prevented our going to war or found
Is prepared when We went to war;
rhe three items l have enumerated
ire only ribs Of the skeleton of the
'ost Of war preparation and activity.
have not been ableSto excavate any
'ther detail figures. But It is known
hat the war Of 1912 cost about sl33.
1850.
The cost Of the Mexican war is esti-
mated to have been s@,N5,62l.
The total cost Of the Civil war, tax.
ng the period from June 30, 1861, to
une 80, 1855, may be figured closely
t $3.5OO,OOO.0OO. =
The treasury In the winter Of 1920.
| estimated In a report sent to con.
'ess through the secretary that the
Of the World war to US to that
had been $24, 1OOOOO,OOO, exclu. .
I our loans to the allies and I
foreign nations. !. I
~ see the cost pf wars is CO.
no matter how much money |
d by way Of preparation. J