The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1922-05-10
Mellon Fears
j. 5. Deficit
May Increase
By DAVID LAWRENCE
,Copyrisht by The ln;e,.iSencer)

WASHINGTON May 9-Scc-etary Mel
Ion sees no immediate prospect OF low
cr,ng the estimated deficit tn govern
ynent finances COR l9-& - APPROXIMATELY
sS4N. 600. .O00 and gives the Impression OF
fear that the dehcit May he Increased.
Inc secretary told this correspondent
that his recent estimate was base" up
on every available item OF revenue 'h''c
could be counted upon including the
possible payment OF interest by the bel-
uSh government on its war dcot.
The inquiry was prompted by rumorS
Of nev sources OF revenue or Increased
taxation which might be counted upon
70 wipe out the 1923 deficit but the
treasury anticipates none Of these. This
means that the statement just issued
nv charles G.. Dawes, director ~ tn"
budget. about which general debate
has been precipitated in congress. en-
braces only the fiscal year l92@. In a
nutshell see will show surplus .,
$4,000. 900 or thercabouts but 1873 Will
show a deficit which some officials
think may pass the half billion dollar
mark.
Surplus This Year
The question is naturally asked way
the government oookheepcrs prefer
surplus this year and big dshcit nHNt
wear The answer is TO be found IN the
demand OF political members ot con-
press ror ammunition 70 .use in the
autumn campaigns. They SAY franNty
that 1928 can take care OF itSe'l-tAaI
something might happen :" better IN"
eltuatiou-but that 49, - I" o. H"h-
sidered 8 \ unit because III" people wi''
vote on the past record rather ina"
future possibilities
fQHp unit ~ IS fOunI
,h,, the surplus OF S4S. .0O0.Qn0 was OBJ
tatned by 2osrpoulnE payment Of prac-
;:cai!v 800. 900. 900 which must be pad
N connection with government contr"j
ry railroads. 4 settlement ot which haH
been delayed II the $l00.000.n99 had
been paid this year, there would nave
been a dchcit for 1872 Tn" surplus
therefore is accidental and treasury ON
calls who are not Interested n the pol
ties Of the situation rc,uct,ntly admit
that the surplus ~ purely theoretical
They don't like 70 b" n the position OF
contradicting congressional Statement 5
but they cannot at the sam" time revise
their previous declarations N which the
rgu-es OF this year and next year were
given 70 the public.
Paper Savings
When II comes down to estimates OF
SAVING no official cares 10 comment on
tho practice which has grown up OF 70
rHrdIng an estimated eNp"nd'tur" HS N
rho same class as AN actual "\1"nd tur'
Some estimates Of government STinS
run as high aS \ billion dollars II beng
contcudcd that the executive depa~'
nents wanted 70 spend larger sums
than congress would authorize Many
n business IrAu counts as saved
gr.h 30. nPD q
books there is no artualY money show
ing the economy. There are 'wo schools :
or ,bouCht here Some believ" rcdn"'
,on nS estimated expenses can b" and
should be treated as an economy. Others
Insist that Il IS only 4 paper saving and
Is NOT reelected in any reduced taxation
for the rates this wear are not arp-"-
ciably lower than they were saSt year
20 that IL billion dollars vas saved
the tax payers ddn't feel Il and that
me test Of saving will bc N the TO-
duCed taxation rather than IN the BOOK
Keeping.
Members OF congress who ar" com
rclled TO Ming figures at N" puh!i" 'h;'
autumn will use director Dawes Sta'"'
rnert OF 1872 finances and point 10 Il e,
an achievement. II shows surplus -
SI5,noc,c ,cOn. What more can be asked
Az for 1928, Mr. Dawes made no r"f"r
rnce TO Il and neither win the mon NJ
ro- reelection except to say that III" frs;
estimate showed that 1872 would have 7
deficit but before The year was ont -
was rSlraculouSly converted into S'ir
plus.
Frying Pan 10 the Ffre
Some oC the forward looking men -
Tho administration. however. who's" 10
ntical vision extends beyond the lutunf:
election Of l9@2 arc disconnected by
what has happened. They think Il IS
only lNapinS from the frying pan into
:he fire To show'a surplus Of sA5.NNO.
600 in 1872 may be all right but tc wipe
out a deficit OF S34n. 100000 which has
every prospect OF being increased ov IN"
soldier bonus and other pending ."C.S
alton 10 a half billion dollars IS a ''a'
which will tax the .nC"nGi'r '' 't'
budget experts II not IN" -"S"H:'"+ 10.
the public
The congressional situation ~ -
may be benefited but the Tr"S'd"nt-..
contest Of 1924 - endangered By tn
strategy To this opt;miStS in congress
answer that by N" fan % 1928 th"'
will have been ahl" 20 turn n" ""rn';
and wipe out All d''!ir,;S. Soneth!n@
however which = 'u"s n m tn" tutur'
Cor anybody at present ~ ""ntr"d'''
Sufficient uutn tho y"nlr j. tho Surp."
rnr-c0s. 'Ntf.g tho slogan fOr a. an