Evening star., 1923-06-27

lish the budget and make sure Of it's
acceptance. Out Of the long -dme prac-
tices the varied and many govern
ment departments felt themselves in
tors In the great machinery OF gov
ernment administration. They often
got all they could from Congress and
made II a point to spend all they got.
Under the budget plan we were
able to reverse the policy and awaken
the public service. We not only in
sisted that requests for appropria-
tions should stand the minutest in
quiry, but after reduced appropria-
tfons were granted we insisted on
expending less than the appropria-
tions. There was no proposal to d.
minish government activities required
by law or demanded by public need.
but there WAS first the commitment
to efficiency and then commendable
strife for economy.
Ended Old Practice.
We effaced the inexcusable and very
costly impression that government
departments must expend all their
appropriations, that no available casn
should return to the Treasury. And
we sought to inspire as well as exact
in tho practices OF economy.
Ono illustration will not be amiss.
On June 8, 1921, before the budget
was in operation, word came to me
that the business head Of one of our
institutions. far from Washingtono; on
which he had in excess of actual
needs. Ordinarily such a matter
would never reach the chief execu-
tive. But this one did, and / wired
warning. and followed 1t with
letter reciting the need Of retrench-
ment everywhere. and expressed the
hope that every government ofnclal
with spending authority would aid In
reducing the government outlay. The
appeal was effective, and this one
government agent not only saved
fiscal year. but in 1922 he saved $751;
600 more He proved what could be
done, and we are seeking to do It
everywhere.
Do not imagine 1t has all been easy:
1t Is very popular to expend. and
there are ruffled feelings in every case
of denial. But there are gratifying
results In firm resolution and the in
sistent application of business
methods.
Cites Instance.
The budget director is the agent
of the President. and he speaks on
the authority of the governments
chief executive. One day last winter
the director came to me in great
anxiety. telling me that a department
chief would not sanction an 100000
cut in his estimates. At that time we
were seeking to prevent threatened
excess of expenditures over receipts
amounting to SS00,000,000 for the next
fiscal year.
] sent for the department head. and
he was still insistent in his opposi-
tion to the reduced estimate. 1 called
for a conference of the department
experts and the budget experts. and
fa1 ha
would decide. They conferred. and
instead OF returning to me for de-
cision. the estimate was cut more
than s12,000.000. The point is that
we have introduced business methods
in government, and instead of op-
Grating blindly and to suit individual
departments which had never Wis
ualized the government as a whole,
and felt no concern about the rails
ing of funds, we are scrutinizing,
hating mounting cost, but making
long strides in reducing the cost of
government activities.
Perhaps the budget system would
not accomplish SO much for taxing
and spending divisions smaller than
the state, but q resolute commitment I
to strike at all extravaganza and ex-
pend public funds as one would for
himself in his personal and business
affairs will accomplish wonders.
oIten tnmInuIuineSSs
1t is largely unmindfulness that
piles up the burden. Able and hon
orable men often press for a federal
expenditure to be made in their own
community or in other ways helpful
to their own interests which they
would strongly oppose IL they were
not directly concerned. This Is true
Of federal appropriation as well as
municipal, county and state expendi-
ture. and I know of no remedy unless
public officials are brought to un-
derstand the menace in excessive tax
burdens and Indebtedness, beyond
extinguishment except in drastic ac-
tion, and resolve to employ practicable
business methods in government ev-
erywhere, and resist the assault of
the spenders.
1t is too early to know whether
there is republic of ancient times
with which appropriately to parallel
our own. We know of their rise
and fall. and we may learn the les
sons in their failures. A simple
living. thrifty people. with simple.
honest and just government, never
failed to grow in influence and power
The coming of extravaganza and
profiigacy in private life and waste
fulness and excesses in public life
ever proclaimed the failures which
history has recorded.
/ would not urge the stingy
skinny. boarding life of individuals.
ment. The latter must always rise
to deliberate public demand. But
private life and public practices are
inseparably associated.
I would have our government ade-
quate in every locality and In every
activity, and public sentiment will
demand it and secure it. and require