The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1922-03-27
HARDING'S FIRST YEAR
PRAISED BY COOLIDGE
Vice President Declares LARGE Reduc.
tions Have Been Made In
Public Expenses


New York. March 27.-The first
year of President Hard.ng's admins
tration has been a period Of progress
with an almost incredible achievement
in economies, Vice President Coolidge
declared yesterday before the Brook
lyn Institute OF Arts and Sciences.
Asserting that public employees had
been reduced nearly 60,0O0 the Army
by $4,000 and large reductions pro.
posed in the naval forces, all Of which
were beginning to show in the Gov
ernments appropriations and ex-
pendtiures, the Vice President said:
Prior to the war the annual appro-
priations were little over a billion
dollars. For the last fiscal year they
were slightly more than five and one
half billions For the present fiscal
year 1t is estimated ttat this will be
reduced to somewhat less than four
billions. and for the next fiscal year.
for which appropriations are now be-
ing made, there will be a reduction to
about three and one half billions, The
interest and payments required for
the public debt are about one billion
three hundred and fifty millions. The
cost of ministering to the require
bents Of the veterans bureau is about
half a billion The cost Of the Army
and Navy is over eight hundred mil
lions, and another quarter OF a billion
goes into pensions.
II from present expenditures there
be deducted those items that arose
from the war and the eytra amount
now being expended on good roads
and the Army and Navy, the present
cost OF running the Government would
not exceed the prewar cost by more
than two or three hundred millions.
This represents an achievement in
economy which Is almost incredible.
Stating that the Washington arms
conference proceeded on the funda-
mental theory of substituting reason
for force in international relations, -
Mr.. Coolidge asserted.
II has been a year OF progress al
together worthy of great people. II
does not mean that the burdens OF
existence are TO be lifted from man
kind. 1t does not mean that military
establishments are to be no longer re-
Quired. An agreement to maintain a
parity between navies is not an
agreement TO abolish nayies There
will be q great saving OF expenses,
| but Il will not be so much in present
costs as in future requirements, These
great remedial policies which are be-
ing adopted are fundamental In prin
clple. They mean that hereafter a
larger proportion of human effort can
20 into productive activity. They dim
insh the material waste Of extrava
gance in government and the spiritual
waste of distrust in diplomacy. Lib
erty has taken increased guarantees
Reason is more firmly enthroned
Hope and faith are revealed more
clearly as the great realities,
He referred TO the refusal of Mexico
to execute the treaty offered to her
(which would have recognized heG
government and declared her adher
ance to those principals Of pol'tica
rights OF persons and of property
which are the necessary mark of
civilized state" He added;
A more friendly interest in the peo
pie Of Russia has been declared in on
willingness TO consider commercial
relations on the presentation Of evi
dence that there is to be maintained
those rights Of free labor, respect fo
contracts and security OF property
without which there can be no com
merce, and our good faith demonstrat
ed by great private charities and an
preparation of twenty million OF dol
lars for the relief of her starvini
, people