The diamond drill., 1922-02-03
WHY YOU'RE INTERESTED

WHY YOU'RE INTERESTED
wish you would take what Is
written here as a personal report ad-
dressed directly 10 you from me about
your business. Don't think OF IL or
read IL as an article about politics"
or remote public Affairs at Washing
ton. II Is not that at NIL. IL Is what
I ask you 20 think IT, personal
business report TO you relating to your
Individual concerns. your pocketbook
and your welfare. l have no other
interest than to tell you the exact
truth.
Assume that you have sent me TO
Washington 10 find out for you what
your agents are doing. how they are
managing your affairs and spending
your money. I call them your agents
for that Is all they are-the President,
the members OF the cabinet, the
senator's and all the members OF the
house OF representatives. You hire
them. you pay them, and you can fire
them
You may think Of them In Difference
and awe as group OF eminent states
men. or you may call them In fiIppancy
and too hnsty contempt "a lot OF
politicians" But whatever you call
them, they are your hired men. They
attend TO your collective business,
which is called the public business.
Query: Are they doing II efficiently
and with singe-mlnded devotion TO
your interestsl
Perhaps the largest item In the high
cost OF living Is the high cost OF
government And far and away the
largest item in the high cost OF govern
ment is the high cost OF armament ;
preparation for war. About 30 per
cent OF all government revenues. and
that means the money taken from you
as taxes. goes TO pay for wars. past
present and future
Before | have concluded this series
OF articles | expect TO show you con
clusiyely that the impelllng motive
that induced President Harding 70 call
the present conference I'm Washington
10 consider Limitation of armaments
was financial, The pressing need OF
considering n proposal for a reduc-
tlon or limitation by agreement OF war
expenditure was not made entirely on
the ground Of morality or righteous
ness, hut as n plan for cutting down
the operating expenses Of the govern
ment.
III the United States government
were an individual we would say that
II was broke, for its expenses exceed
It's income.
Your interest is simply this: that
whatever decision is made you will
have to pay the bill. II today we
didn't have these army and navy ex-
penses you would have TO pay In taxes
less than 81 ,OO0, 100000 n year instead
OF $4,000, 100000. That means we
would have about S4,000,0OO 900 more
a year 10 spend on our private needs
and pleasures. / frankly confess that
I would enjoy having four-fifths OF my
taxes knocked of. Wouldn't your
Secretary Weeks OF the War de-
partment gave public warning a little
while ago that the government would
require OF us about $17000.000 In
the next thirty months TO meet cur.
rent expenses and other obligations
Persons who have given close study "a
that possibility say that the need will
be nearer $4,000, 900. than $1,000.
OO0 The great bulk Of that is for
past and prospective war expenditures
For this, you and congress and the
Executive departments at Washington
are responsible. You more than any
body else. for II is your money that Is
being spent and you can stop II. In It's
simplest terms the procedure Is this
You earn the money. congress takes II
away from you In the form OF taxes
and then congress and the Executive
departments spend II.
A great part Of II IL wasted. This is
established, conceded, confessed. and
acknowledged by congress, which
authorizes the expenditures, and by
the executive officers OF the govern
ment, who do the actual spending. II
Is your money that you have earned
In your business, on your farm. or by
the labor OF your hands. that is being
expended and wasted at Washington.
Every cent that Is extravagantly or
needlessly expended by the govern
ment you could have In your pocket to
meet the increased cost Of food, lodg.
ing and clothing, doctors bills and
amusements. or 10 put away and save
against a rainy day. II you only de-
manded determlnedly and unitedly
that governmental extravaganza should
cease
can tell you some OF the conditions
OF governmental spending and how
your money Is chucked about. and |
can tell you how you can stop II. The
power Is yours, and until you exer-
else II waste and extravaganza VIII
pof cfoD