Evening star., 1923-01-28
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.

7 7 NcLE Sans taxi biil-the
cost Of providing, maintains.
ing and operating passenger
automobiles for the officials
and employees of the government
has grown to tremendous proper
tions. 1t has been variously esti-
mated by members of Congress to
reach the huge total of from $10,-
100000 to $20.000,000 annually.
War on the eXtravagant use Of
automobiles for the benefit largely
1t Is charged-of the employees Of the
government themselves, rather for
the government service has been de-
clared by Senator Mckellar of Ten
nessee, by Senator Smoot of Utah
and others. The word has gone forth
that there must be curtailment, and
that another year is going to see
great reduction in the number Of
passenger cars operated at the expense
OF the government.
The Senate not. long ago adopted
a resolution offered by Senator Nc
Kellar, calling for detailed state
ments of the number of passenger
cars maintained by all the executive
departments, the independent bureaus.
and the government Of the District Of
Columbia, giving the names of all
the officials and employees to whom
these automobiles are assigned.
These reports are now coming in.
Determined to Cut Expenses.
During the consideration of various
l;r til
before the Senate. the Tennessee
Senator has offered amendment after
amendment. seeking to eliminate
appropriations for the purchase of
new passenger cars and for their up
keep. Although his amendments
were all defeated, it does not mean
at all that the case has been closed
against the use of passenger cars
by government officials, at govern
ment expense. in Washington and
elsewhere. AS matter Of fact
Senator Smoot OF Utah, a member
of the Senate committee on appro-
priations, stated fatty that the time
had come when Congress would have
to adopt some plan to cut down the
number of these automobiles. He
said that by the time another set
OF appropriation bills has rolled
around, plan will have been worked
out.
Senator Curtis OF Kansas. another
member Of the appropriations COM
mittee, is also insistent that some
thing be done to cut down the ex-
pense of passenger automobiles for
he n
in his opinion three out of five of
the passengers cars now operated by
the government could be done away
with, without injury to the govern
ment service.
When all the reports of the various
departments and bureaus have been
received. showing what is being ex-
pended annually for passengers cars,
Senator Mckelfar expects to direct
the matter to the attention Of Con-
Rress again, and if possible to get
legislation at the present session of
Congress to eliminate many OF the
cars. He Is of the opinion that by
putting through bill specifying just
what officials of the federal govern
ment and the District government
may nave cars, the matter can De
handled and even though appropria-
lions have been made for the next
fiscal year. the money will be saved,
for it will not be possible to expend
it. after the legislation he desires
has been put through.
Practice Borne of the War.
The development of the use Of
passenger automobiles in the govern
anent service dates really from the
war. Prior to that, there were COM
parauvely few passenger cars pur-
chased and operated by the govern
n1ent for government employees. But
when the United States went into
the war, the government bought
thousands and tens of thousands of
automobiles. Most of these for the War
Department. When the war ended
the government had these cars on its
hands. To have dumped them on the
market would have rocked the auto
,nobiie industry of the country, it
was claimed. Any way, the govern
ment hung on to thousands Of these
cars. Some of them rotted away,