The diamond drill., 1922-02-03

An analysis OF government expenditures
for the fiscal year 1920. on the basis OF
! daily treasury statements. develops the
striking fact that OF the net ordinary dis
bursements OF s.4os 10000 about 20 per
| cent consisted OF expenditures under the
| following heads:
| Purchase OF obligations OF for
eign governments .......I.....3 4Zi.ooo,ooo
| War department ................. l,ell, coo coo
| Navy department ................ 736,Woco
1 Shipping board .................. bSl,Wo,Voo
| Federal control OF transporta-
ton systems and payments
TO the railroads under the
transportation act, 1870 ....... 1857 100000
Interest on the public debit. l.02o,0oo.coo
Pensions ......................... 2ls.ooo. 600
| War-rlsk insurance .........,... ll7,Oo0,OoO
| Purchase OF federal farm-loan
bonds ............................ So,Wo,VO
Total ......s-.f.s...s........ss -, tlovvV'v"
Substantially all the expenditures
entering into this total, and large
share OF the expenditures on various
| minor accounts, represent burdens di-
rectly traceable TO the war, 10 past
wars or 10 preparedness for future
wars. These figures serve TO indicate
the direction which sincere efforts 10
reduce the cost OF the government
must take.
Then found Mr.. Gilbert, the under.
secretary Of the treasury, saying:
There has been much idle talk 20 the
effect that the excessive cost OF govern
ment In due TO inefficiency and extrava-
gance In the executive departments.
Without doubt there has been waste and
llnal L. In naaS Sul d.
pariments and establishments. and much
can be accomplished. and has already
been accomplished. by the introduction
OF efficient and economic methods or ad-
ministration and the elimination OF du-
plication and unnecessary work. It might
well be possible 10 save as much as
so. 900 900 or n0o. 900 by careful and sci
entific reorganization OF the governments
business.
The figures show that over 20 per
cent OF the total annual expenditures
OF the government are related TO war.
out OF total expenditures during 1920 OF
about t6, 400. 600, 600. about 81 billions rep
resented expenditures directly traceable
20 the war. 10 past wars, or TO prepared
ness for future wars. or this, about
s.. 600. 10000 went for the army and navy.
over 100000 for the shipping board,
over 81 .oSo. 10000 for the railroads. another
81 10000 for interest on the public debt,
almost $50 10000 for purchase OF obliga-
tions OF foreign governments on account
OF their war expenditures. and the remain
der for pensions. war risk allotments and
miscellaneous items related 10 war. An
analysis OF the expenditures OF the first
six months OF the fiscal year 1927 gives
similar results. The figures also show
that the total cost of running what may
he termed the civil establishment proper,
that is TO say. the various government
departments. boards and commissions and
the legislative establishment. have not
much exceeded t5oooc,coo even in the alb
normal war years
l sought details. IL more than 90
per cent OF the entire disbursements
of 1920 went for past and prospective
wars. how much had we been spend
ing 10 keep the world safe for democ-
racy? We are all familiar with the
argument that the best way TO prevent
war is TO be prepared for war.
thought l might find out whether that
was true. went back into the rec
ords and found that year by year,
from 1884 10 1919 inclusive, the treas
ury department had kept an account
of the actual dsbursements--not ap-
preparations, mind you, but actual
money expended-of the War depart
ment, the Navy department and for
pensions. When 1 got all the figures
before me ! couldn't add them up.
In the bureau of internal revenue
they loaned me a machine and an
operator, and SO ! know and can tell
you that from 1884 10 and through
1919 the War Department actually dis
bursed s23.002, 800. .00s.85. In the same
period the Navy Department spent
S6907 800. .032.s4; and pensioners Of
past wars got S5.634, ,0T9, ,6e4.23.
That is laundering total OF SO.
900. .759, ,041.49 for the army and navy
alone, leaving out OF account the
81, 1884, ,079. .o9423 for pensions.
will let you decide whether any
part OF the twenty-nine billion dollars
spent for preparedness and for war
prevented our going 10 war or found
US prepared when we went TO war.
The three items have enumerated
are only ribs OF the skeleton OF the
cost OF war preparation and activity.
I have not been able TO excavate any
other detail figures. But II Is known
that the war OF 1872 cost about S133.-
703.s $50.
The cost OF the Mexican war is estI-
mated to have been 03.005. .621.
The total cost Of the Civil war. TAX.
Ing the period from June 30. 1851. TO
June 30. 1896. may be figured closely
at S3.5oo. 100000.
The treasury In the winter OF 1900
II estimated In report sent TO con-
gress through the secretary that the
cost Of the World war 10 us 10 that
date had been S24.i0o.0oo0 900. exclu.
slve Of our loans TO the allies and
other foreign nations.
So you see the cost Of wars IL 20.
ing up. NO matter how much money
We spend by way Of preparation