Evening star., 1923-01-28
UNCLE SANS TAXI BILL
AMOUNTS TO MILLIONS
Senators Planning to Cut Down the Ex'
travagant Use Of Government
Automobiles by Employees.

many others were turned over to
various executive departments of the
government. Employees Of the gov
ernment began to ride at government
expense as they had never done before.
Now these automobiles assigned to
the various departments are wear
ing out in many instances. But the
employees have the habit. They want
new machines, purchase by the gov
ernment, and this is causing a stew.
The purchase OF the automobiles. by
the way. does not represent the
greatest part of the expense. There
are chauffeurs to be paid, repairs
to be made, gasoline and oil and
parts to be purchased, all swelling
the bill Uncle Sam is paying.
In the old days, before the automo-
bile came into common use, horse
drawn passenger vehicles used to be
provided out of government funds for
a very limited number of government
officials and employees. The Presi-
dent, Of course. and the members OF
the cabinet were provided with car
riages. But the other employees of the
government for the most part had to
travel either in their own carriages or
the street cars or "old shanks' mare"
Thousands of U. 8. Cars.
But today. the critics Of the gov
ernment automobile declare. thou
sands of employees are travelling in all
kinds of cars for which the govern
ment pays. 1t has been charged in
Congress that many of these cars are
used, not for government, but for
private purposes, notwithstanding the
fact that they have had painted on
them in large letters the legend that
they are official cars of the federal
government or of the District.
Senator McKellar recently suggest
ed that the passenger cars, outside OF
the While House cars, be confined to
the Vice President, the Speaker of the
House, the general of the Army. the
ranking admiral of the Navy and the
members of the cabinet, a total of
fourteen passenger cars. Cut out all
the rest, he says.
1t is not probable that any such
drastic cut will be made, however.
For there are officials, 1t Is said. who
must have transportation on official
duties, or else the business of the
government will lag.
Proposed Government Garage.
In some quarters it has been sug-
gested that central garage be es-
tablished-or perhaps several gar
ages-in Washington, where govern
ment cars can be held ready at all
times to take officials of the govern
ment on business Of the government
from place to place. In other words,
every time 1t is necessary for a bu-
reau chief or some other employe
to make a quick trip to some other
office on official business. a call could
be put in for a government tax, and
a central service so established, which
it is contended, would reduce the cost
enormously.
The abuse of the use Of government
cars is by no means confined to Wash
ington, 1t is charged. The various de-
partments of the government, IL Is
SalQ, nave IudHy Col o opCi dlco py VI
ficiaIs in the field, in other cities.
Why, Senator McKellar asks, should
government official who goes from
his home to his Office day after day.
and for the most part does not re-
uuire transportation until he leaves
the office to go home, be provided with
g. government automobile? Yet, he
contends. that is what is going on to
a considerable extent -
ID. G. Government Cars.
The report of the District Commits
sioners on automobiles, in reply to
the Mcclellan resolution shows that
the District government owns some
112 passenger cars, and that it al
lows government employees monthly
from s26 to $40 for the upkeep of
their own cars used in the Districts
business, making a total Of ITO pas
senger cars now being used at the ex-
pense of the government by the Dis
trict government alone. This Is only
q drop in the bucket, It is said, how
ever, when 1t comes to the total num-
Der of passenger cars owned and
operated for the government here and
away from Washington.