Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1922-05-16
War COSTS
Nearly ThreG.fOurthS OF Money Spent
by Government Is for Military.
INTEREST FIGURES Are GIVEN
Government Will Get Some Revenue
From Scrappins Of Ships-Soldier
Bonus Would Increase the Burden.

From Scrapplng OF Ships-Soldier
Bonus Would Increase the Burden.
Although the United States, with
the principal nations of the world,
writes Frederick ]. Haskln, has agreed
to cut down its naval and military ex-
penses very considerably in the inter-
ests of world peace AND international
economy, yet of all the tremendous
amount of money spent by the Ameri-
can government, nearly three-fourths
is for the purposes of war;
This does not mean that rs per cent
of the outlay of the government is for
martial preparations, payment for past
wars making up the larger part of the
item.
The whole expenditure by the gov
ernment for 1922 amounts to s3,SO1,-
1858. or this great total, no less
than s2,771,S97,976 is to provide for
the army and navy and pay debts in
Cured by wars of the past. The sum
of $72S,S74,919 is for national defense.
The rest is the payment of interest,
pensions and the like incurred in wars
Of the past. This sum includes money
for the United States Shipping Board,
however
For the postoffice department about
$575,O00,OO0 is provided. but this sum
is made up from postal revenues, and
therefore the postoffice department Is
| n1f
must be included among, government
expenses regardless of how that ex-
pense is met s. .
These figures may be slightly
changed by subsequent acts OF con-
gress, but as a general comparison,
will hold good. Adoption of the bonus
plan by congress and It's approval by
President Harding would add an enor-
nous item to the costs Of wars, and
make that item in the national budget
an even more overpowering figure
than it is now.
The normal government expense
amounts to about II per cent Of the
whole outlay of money. Public works
expenditures amount to only about 3.5
per cent of the total,
Against considerably more than s2,-
O00,OO0,OOO to be spent on account OF
wars, past and possible future clash
es, only q little more than 100000
900 will be spent by the Federal gov
ernment Cl good roads. The con-
structive department Of agriculture
will have to spend on its work of sci
entific research and public education
only about $5O,OOO,OOO. The depart
mcnt of the interior, another construc-
tive arm of the government, will have
for its work only about $35,00O,000.
Some Economy Shown.
Since the great expenditure Of war
times, the government actually has
economical Tremendously It's expen-
ditures of those days make the annual
budget of today appear small by COM
parison. But those days will leave
their impression for many years to
come in the payment of interest
charges on bonds and a sinking fund
for the retirement Of government OBJ
legations at their maturity.
The interest OH the public debt,
most of which was caused by the
World war, amounts to nearly bill
lion dollars a year. The sinking fund
requires nearly $290,O00,0O0 annually
For taking care of veterans of the
World war, it is estimated that nearly
1890, 100000 will be spent during the
fiscal year 1922. This figure does not
take into account the bonus legisia-
tion now before congress. If that be-
comes 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 dis
appointed in the income taxes paid at
the first quarter date-March Is, last
and at present it appears that esti-
mates of the amount of revenue to be
derived from this source were too
high. Allowance was made for fall
ing off from the amount received last
year. but the amount Of unemploy-
ment and the lower scale Of wages
cut the return to the government ma
terially below the figure expected.
This will mean, without any addition
al outlay of money by the treasury
department, a deficit of possibly $780,
100000 or $25O,OOO,OOO. This deficit
will be met by the issuance Of short
term obligations of the United States
government, and will be taken up in
the course of next year.
However, expenditures for the gov
ernment are now fixed, to all intents
and purposes. They will be reduced
gradually, but not by such leaps and
bounds that the income necessary for
the government can be reduced. With
the possibility of the bonus bill be-
coming law, not only can there be no
reduction in government income, but
a Very large increase.
This years expenses are lower too'
because the government now Is COM
pletely out of the railroad business In
oyoanf fn,. tc Si,parviSiOn