The New York herald., 1921-05-24
THEY DID NOT DIE INVAIN' CRIES PRESIDENT

! IN VAIN!
Government has In recent times assumed
a more complex relationship to the pub
iic than 1t ever sustained before. The
mobilization Of man power Industrial
forces and financial resources. which
was made necessary In the wars exi-
gencies. could only have been accom-
plished through the exertion OF the
utmost powers of government.
Those powers were exerted to the
extreme limit. and stupendously i'm
! portant results were attained. AS re-
! suit of that demonstration of Govern
ment's capacity to force great results in
emergencies there has grown up n
school of thought which assumes that
even In time Of peace the same auto
cratic authority might well be exer-
cised in the general interest.
MANY mon thoughtlessly urge that
Government took over control, even the
conduct. Of many industries and faciii-
ties during the war there followed a
great increase In wages, a vast expan-
sion OF business activity: therefore why
not assume that continuance of such
control and management in time OF
peace would enable continuance or the
same liberality in compensation and
profits. the same intense business ac-
tivityo
Those who look below the surface
know that the things which Govern
ments accomplished during tine war
were accomplished at a staggering cost !;
cost which society could not bear for
long. a cost that has left society bur-
dened with debts which mortgage gener-
ations of the future.
Was Burning Cp Capital.
"They know that the feverish seem
ing OF prosperity was not genuine. but
was possible only because society was
I literally burning up It's stocks of capi-
tai; and that this destruction OF capt
tai was responsible for the reaction
and 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 find
means Of Tightening those burdens.
Government to greater extent now
than ever before. is under obligation to
give the greatest service for the lowest
possible cost. But it Is for certain obvi-
Gus reasons difficult to do this because
Government IL not under the necessity
to earn profits; Eor TO obey laws which
regulate competition. These are the
prime guarantees Of efficiency and fair
dealing in private business. They 90 not
apply to Goveenmrnt: and therefore Gov
ernment should be placed, so FAR as pos
sible. under strict sway OF the methods
which are applied to private business to
secure these eEds.
Government should be broad. con-
scientious and intelligent enough 10 sub
ject itself to these rules. despite that its
quality OF sovereignty would place it
beyond them IL 1t chose 10 assume that
position. Every principle and device
which promotes efficiency III private
business should be adapted and applied
in Government affairs.
IL will trust the public official who
decides his public problems as though
it were his very own.
''To bring economy and efficiency into
Government Is task second to none in
difficulty. Few people. in or out of tile
Government. have any conception 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
I since the war started.
The multiplication OF departments.
bureaus. divisions, functions, has re-
suited In sort of geometrical increase
/ in the tasks which confront the heads
OF executive departments when they face
reconstruction problems. They find that
with their time already morisaged 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
1 hopeless as might appear, because the
present organ.za ton is so bad that the
instant application OF n few estab-
lished principles of sound business or
ganization will result in immediate econ
omies and provide margin OF availa-
bic means to meet new demands. The
party In power Is pledged 10 economy
ard efficiency, and you may be assured
that every energy Is being directed 10
redeem that pledge to the last degree
and with all promptness.
"At the beginning of his administra-
I ton President Taft secured from Con-
gress the establishment of an Economy
and Efficiency Commission II made a
comprehensive survey OF activities, or
ganization and personnel Of the whole
! Government establishment. The report
or that survey was never printed. But
Il Is available. and can be consulted TO
determ.ne where wastages and over
mission further presented particular
suggestions as 10 how specific econo-
mics could be effected. efficiency estab-
I lisheG. and much money saved
Problem More Complicated.
"Tns problem has been vastly com
p,cated and increased as a result of the
war. The present Congress has al!eady
provided for a Joint Committee on Reor-
ganization of the Administrative Branch
% the Government representative
Of the Executive will serve with this
committee, so that there is now In
progress thorough study OF the whole
problem.
"The task will require some time. and
ultimate results must await ii. More. IL
will demand q resolute courage 10 effect
the abolition OF the useless and the CO.
ordination OF the useful.
But meanwhile We shall ! trust. have
a budget system i'm operation under the
law before the opening OF the new fiscal
year. This is a long step toward intro
ducing into Government the sound meth-
ods that great private business estab-
lishments have adopted
Here the President laid aside his notes
| for a minute and digressed to say
II understand that Congressional con-
ferees are in accord on the budSet bill
and IL should become @ law befose the
end OF the week"
The President dlgressed further al diff
4 ferent points Of his speech to say:
"The war Stacker is less intolerable
/ than the traitor OF peace who fails to do