The Newark journal., 1922-01-05
Copyright. Western Newspaper Union
WHY YOU'RE INTERESTED

WHY YOU'RE INTERESTED
 l wish you would take what is written here as personal report ad- dressed directly to you from me about your business. Don't think of it or read 1t as an article about politics, ' ST remote public affairs at Washing ton. It Is not that at all It is what I ask you to think It, q personal business report to you relating to your Individual concerns. your pocketbook and your welfare. I have no other interest than to tell you the exact truth.
 Assume that you have sent me to Washington to find cut 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 senators 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 deference and awe as group of eminent states men, or you may call them in fiippancy and too nasty 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 1t efficiently and with q sngle-minded devotion to your interests?
 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 meht s the high cost of armament i; preparation for war. About % 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 I have concluded this series of articles 1 expect to show you con elusively that the impelling motive that induced President Harding to call the present conference in Washington to consider limitation of armaments was financial. The pressing need of considering q proposal for q redae- ton or limitation by agreement of war expenditure was not made entirely on the ground of morality or righteous ness. hut IS a plan for cutting down the operating expenses of the govern ment
 If the United States government were an individual Se would say that ft was broke, for It's expenses exceed it's income.
 Your interest is simply this: that whatever decision Is made you will have to pay the bill If today We didn't have these army and navy ex- penses you would have to pay in taxes less than S1 900 100000 a year instead of S5,ooG, ,o00.00e. That means we would have about S4oo0,0o0 GOO more a year to spend on our private needs and pleasures. I frankly confess that I would enjoy having foSr-nftts of my taxes knocked off. Wouldn't you?
 Secretary Weeks of the War de- pertinent gave public warning little while ago that the government would require of us about Si70o0.00o In the next thirty months to meet cur rent expenses and other obligations. Persona who have given close study to that possibility say that the need will be nearer $20,o00,0oo. than s17ooo,- GOO. The great hulk of that is for past and prospective war expenditures.
 For thls, you and congress and the Executive departments at Washington are responsible. You more than any body else. for 1t Is your money that Is being spent and you can stop it. In US simplest terms the procedure Is thls You earn the money. congress takes It away from you in the form of taxes and then congress and the Executive departments spend If.
 A great part of 1t Is wasted. This Is established, conceded, confessed ana acknowledged by congress, which authorizes the expenditures, and by the executive officers of the govern ment. who do the actual spending. IL Is ycur money tint you have earned in your business. on your farm, or bv the labor of your hands. that is beng expended ard wasted at Washington
 Every cent that Is extravagahtiy or needlessIy expended by the govern ment you could hnye in your pocket to meet the increased cos: of foo@ iooe' ing and clothing, doctors biiis ana amusemcnts. CT 10 put away aud save against rainy dny. If you only oe manded deter:ninedly and 'inltedls that governmental extravaganza shou'o cease.
 can tell you some of the conditions of governmental spending and now your money Is chucked about anu can tell you how you can stop II. lh' power is yours. and until you eAer else It waste and extrayagshee VII net step.
 UNCLE SAM AS EMPLOfEF
 The I'ufted States government is tA'