The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-05-15

| Washington, ID. c., May 1o--Al-
though the United States, with the
! principal nations of the world, has
agreed to cut down its naval and
military expenses very consider
ably in the interests OF world peace
and international economy, yet oil
all the tremendous amount of mon
ey spent by the American govern
ment, nearly three-Quarters is fol
purposes of war This does moi
mean that IS per cent of the outlay
| of government is for martial prep
arations, payment for past wars
making up the larger part of the
item.
The whole expenditure by the
government for 1922 amounts u
| S3,S01, 1855. OF this great total
no less than $2,771, S97,976 is to
provide for the army and navy, and
pay debts incurred by wars of the
past The sum of $728,S74,9I9 is
for national defense. The rest is
! the payment of interest, pensions
and the like incurred in wars OF
the past. This sum includes mon
ey for the United States shipping
board, however.
For the postoffice department
about s575 100000 is provided. but
this sum is made up from postal
revenues, and therefore the post
office department is self-support-
! ing. However, the sum must be
included among government ex-
penses regardless of how that ex7
pense is met
fc1rroa nav ho SLIGHTLY
changed by subsequent acts of con-
gress, but as a general comparison,
will hold good. Adoption of the
bonus plan by congress and its ap-
proval by President Harding would
add an enormous item to the cost
OF wars, and make that item in the
national budget an even more over
towering figure than it is now.
The normal government expense
amounts to about IL per cent of
the whole outlay of money. Public
works expenditures amount to only
about 35 per cent of the total
Against considerably more than
50 900 100000 to be spent on &C
count of wars-past and possible
future clashes-only a little more
than s1o0,000,000 will be spent by
the federal government on good
roads. The constructive depart
ment of agriculture will have to
spend on its work of scientific re-
search and public education only
about s50.00O.000. The department
of the interior, another construc-
tive arm of the government, will
have for it's work only about $685.
0OO 900.
Some Economy Shown.
Since the great expenditures of
war times, the government actual
ly has economical tremendously.
It's expenditures of those days
make the annual budget of today
appear small by comparison. But
those days will leave their impress
sion for many years to come in the
payment of interest charges on
bonds, and a sinking fund for the
retirement Of government obliga-
tons at their maturity.
The interest on the public debt,
most of which was caused by the
World war. amounts to nearly a
billion dollars year. The sinking
fund requires nearly $2S0,000,000
annually.
For taking care Of veterans of
the World war, it is estimated that
nearly s390,o0o, 900 will be spent
during the fiscal year 1922. This
figure does not take into account
the bonus legislation now before
congress. If that becomes a law,
the expenditures for this purpose
will be enormously greater-it is
impossible at this time to predict
accurately just how much greater.
The treasury department was
in the income taxes
paid at the first quarterly date
March Is last-and at present it
appears that. estimates of the
amount of revenue to be derived
from this source were too high.
Allowance was made for a falling
off from the amount received last