, 1922-07-20
The Truth and the Saving

IHD PUBLIC DEBT has been reduced 81 Ola 600
ooo since the incoming of Metropolitan admin
istration March 4, 1921. The appropriations made
by this congress for the fiscal year Just beginning
are $32O,000,000 less than the appropriations made
for the last fiscal year.
Democratic leaders and papers are noobnoobin,
this showing Of economy by the Republican admin.
i%stration. They allege that it is not much of a
showing Undoubtedly from a Democratic stand.
point the reduction of the public debt by a billion
dollars and the reduction of the annual appropris.
lions by S32O,000,000 is a trifling matter. The Demo
cratic party has been accustomed to dealing with
large sums.
The Democratic administration under Wilson or.
pended 81 ,051, 511 1913 for aeroplanes and received
not a single fighting plane before the armistice.
Inc reduction made in the public debt last year by
the Republican party did not equal the amount of
money the Democratic administration actually
threw away in its scandalous aeroplane program.
me reduction of $1,OOO,OO0,000 in the public debt is
only onethird of the amount of money which the
Democratic administration spent in the ordnance
department under Mr.. Baker and for which it re-
ceiVed absolutely nothing. The reduction of a bill.
lion dollars in the public debt is $500, 900. 900 less
than the Democratic administration illegally loan.
ed to foreign countries without security after the
armistice was signed and the war was over. The
reduction of the public debt by $1,000, 600. 900 is
only one-third of the amount of money the McAdoo
railroad administration sank.
or the 24,000,O00,000 the Wilson administration
expended during the war period the records show
that $14,S00, 900 if it was squaundered without
the people of the country, the army and navy. the
soldiers fighting abroad or the government itself
IuptdihlHg anyIn1ng Whatever in return. This S15
0oOOoO,OOO of waste is now included in the 500. 600,
OOO,0OO of the public Indebtedness which the Renub.
ncan administration is attempting to pay off. If
~ pays OH a billion dollars a year it will take it Is
years TO wipe out that part of the public indebted.
ness which is directly due to Democratic waste.
criminal carelessness and downright fraud and cor,
ruption.
1t is no wonder, then that the Democratic lead.
ers having squandered SIS, 0OO,0 00, 900 without any.
thing TO show for it are not impressed by the saw.
ing o. so small an amount as a billion dollars. The
spendthrift and wastrel are never impressed with
economy. Those who throw money to the birds al.
ways poohpooh those who practice saving.
For the same reason, Democratic leaders are not
impressed with 100000, 900 reduction in apnponr.a.
lions by this Republican congress. That sum of
money during the Wilson regime of criminal waste
was merely small change.
Inc Democratic, administration spent Ss16 000.
ooo Tor poison gas and powder and received no gas
and no powder. 1t spent s360,4Z5,O 600 for artiller,e
and not a gun ever reached the firing line. It ex.
pended 355,917, 900 for small shells and obta;nod
only 5000. 1t expended $a3o,7S0O 900 for Iarge1
sells, mono Of which ever reached the firing line. All
told, 1T expended SS2S, DOC, 900 on ammunition none
OF which was ever delivered before the armistice.
1t expended 76,000,0 900 on nitrate plants. coke
ovens and picric acid plants and received no nj.
trates, no product of the coke ovens and n n n;cr;c
acid. 1t expended s12s,O00,000 for terminals that
were never used. 1t expended 81 200, 900, 900 in south.
ern states for army sites, 40.per cent, or $500 OO-
600, of which was criminally squandered. 1t bought
100000 pairs of shoes and 149, 100000 bread cans
TOT only S,6OO,0OO men. 1t bought 611,OO0 sets of
harness for S91, 900 animals. 1t bought e45 900 sad.
dies for $4,000, cavalry horses. 1t had at no time as
llmany as 100000 horses and mules of all kinds and
for these it bought 2,S50,000 matters (seven apiece) +:
1637,o0O horse brushes -four apiece 1000, 900 nose
bags five apiece). 1t bought 712,OO0 sets of spur
straps, 36 sets for each officer entitled to wear
spurs. 1t bought two branding irons for every
horse and mule it had in service and ordered them
to be made of expensive copper.
Small wonder then, in view of the above record
OF criminal waste, that Democratic leaders and
Democratic papers sneer at the Republican con-
gress which saves $320,000,000 in one year.