Arizona republican., 1922-05-09
TUESDAY MORNING. MAY ., 1922
Propriety of manners and consid-
Grafton for others are the taUo man
characteristics of a gentleman.
-Beaconsfield
The Budget Report

Ii has not been long since first heard Of the
billion dollar congress- term of reproach. For
ty years ago. the appropriations annually about
s175. 100000 and they had not been far from those
figures during the preceding years In 1887 they
went above the s2OOO0oOoO mark The increase
thereafter was not steadily progressive, but gener
ally it was So so after 1909 the appropriations
never fell below s60OO0O0OO The first appropriation
in excess of billion dollars was in 1917 For the
two following years they were $1S,000,OO0,0OO and
k25OOoo 100000 dropping to s4s5O0OooOO in 1920 and
s47S90OooOO in 1921. 1922 that is for the year
ending June 80 this year. they were ss,s6O,OOo.oOo.
Now for the first time we are hearing, not of
billion dollar appropriation, but more than billion
dollar saving-s1 6oOOOOOOO for the ensuing fiscal
year. as shown in the report of Director Dawes of
the Budget, made public Sunday The report
itself comprises 90 quarto and consists save
for the opening statement occupying eight pages, of
tabulatons showing what savings been proposed
and how they to be effected.
More than thirty pages of the report is given to
the estimated savings be effected by the transfer
Of supplies and supplies between departments
under the new system of coordination installed by
General Dawes. For instance. itemized schedule
of material transferred from the shipping board to
other government departments from July 1. 1921, to
March 81 1922 shows total saving of nearly $276-
0oO To show the detail of this estimate find
transfers the navy department to other depart
ments and bureaus effect an estimated saving Of
more than sS0OOOoO; from the war to other depart
ments and bureaus, more than $11OoOOOO
There is long list of economies, For in
stance in the state department rigid system of
curtailing use of the telegraph throughout the
foreign service including methods of coding and rout
ing with special monthly reports and strict account
ing control reduced this item of s22s2s9.2S
for nine months of the last fiscal year to $9S,94sSs
for nine months of the present year-a saving of
more than $165.O0O. In the matter alone Of rentals
Of estate for the housing of property
in different parts OF the country through the efforts
of co-ordnators there was savcl $4,000; in tele-
phone coordination. $56ss BY the cooperation of
the various departments and utilization of avail
able resources the expenses of the Conference on
Limitation of Armaments was held down to 100000
covered by a special appropriation. All these are
mentioned onIys illustrations of the Tightening up
process which was introduced by the director.
Under the old system and especially during the
war period and Immediately after there utter
lack of coordination. The money of the govern
ment was thrown away in all directions.
We suppose there will be partisan ques-
tioning of the report is too much to expect that
It will escape challenge. There will be who win
unwillngly let it become campaign ammunition, and
have no partisan feeling but who resent the attack
upon the old wasteful order.
To these the director makes no appeal when he
says: "The bureau of the budget is impersonal
and non-partisan business agent. In this particular
report where its estimates may become basis Of
contention in approaching political contest, its
figures should be conservative and meet the test of
examination only in the present but in the future
when existing partisan differences forgotten and
The record for impartialty and -partisanshp of
The budget bureau is considered in retrospect by the
unprejudiced mind of the government economist and
student
Misconceptions of what has been done very
Easy to create in either direction Those who would
unduly magnify the improving effects of the mpo-
stion of executive plan and pressure need only to
the reduction in actual cash expenditures.
Those who desire unduy to minimize the beneficial
results of the new executive plan of management of
governmental business will attempt to impose other
arbitrary bases for estimation economies which
are unjustifiable from business standpoint
IN treating governmental business questions the
clarifying method is always reached through the
adoption of the point of which should be taken
IN private enterprise confronting analogous condi-
tions in its business. The idea that governmental
business can be successfully administered under
different set principles different methods than
In private business is falaey which has already cost
his government too dearly be further encouraged
as basis for partisan discussion
Conferences