Evening star., 1924-02-28
CAN YOUR TAXES BE CUT?
A Series of Articles on the Cost of Government;
-. - Where the Money Goes, and Why. -.
BY JOHN F. SINCLAIR,
Author OF Can Europe Hold Together"

rpense Of the White House. Let US
see what the executive department of
cur 'goVernnen costs annually.
First, there is the salary OF the
President of the United States. H.
now receives $4,000 a year, or $3.50
month. This is paid to the Presi-
dent each month. The salary of the
President was the cause of much dis
cussion in the First C.agress. The
Constitution of the United States did
not fix his salary, merely saying that
he should receive compensation for
his services. Washington had noti-
fed his fellow citizens that he desired
no salary. But Washington was d
rich man. The limits suggested in
Congress ranged from $4,000 to $75,-
600. 1t was finally placed at $4,000,
where Is remained until President
Grants second term. Then. March 8,
1872, it was increased by Congress to
$4,000. There 1t remained until March
4, 1907. Congress passed an act ZAP
propriatfng for travelling expenses of
the President of the United States, to
be expended at his discretion. and ac-
$4,000 annually" Then, in the sec
ond session Of the Sixtieth Congress.
the Presidents salary was fixed at
$4,000 year. So today the Presi-
dent receives approximately 100000
year and the White House:
What White House Clerks Cost.
In the matter of organization the
| Vice President Of the United States
Is considered as part Of the executive
department, and not the legislative.
even though as Vice President he
presides over the United States Sen
ate. So the salary OF the Vice Presi-
ION iS ~
ment expense 1t is now $4,000 an
nually.
Then come the salaries and ~ex-
penses of the executive offices. Be-
sides the secretary TO the President,
who receives $500 a year, there are
thirty-seVen other employees associat-
ed with the business Of the depart
ment. These cost the United States
| $4,000 in 1928, and are estimated at
$4,000 in 1924.
The Executive Mansion grounds cost
s11.500 in 1923 but this item will be
House police cost $4,000 In 1929 and
are expected to cost s5S.000 in 1924
Then comes the big expense Of re-
pairing, lighting and heating the
White House. This is paid for by the
United States government and not by
United States government s82 800 in
| 1925. and sS7,550 has been laid aside
for 1924 Another extraordinary ex-
pense for. the White House repairs
has been laid aside for 1924 OF s24.-
$50: no such appropriation was made
For all expenses. then. IN the exaeu-
tive department-includ salaries Of
, President and Vice President and up
keep OF White House-a total Of
sS4a.26S was spent for the fiscal year
ending June 80. 1928. This has been
{ N Gd " nEf fo 81
s416,S94.
So far as government expenditures
are concerned this is mere bagatelle.
1t amounts TO less than one-haIf a
cent per capita for 1923. It means q
collection each year totaling 5 cents
from every twelve people in America.
|, Uses Cent In 800.
For every hundred dollars raised IN
America for the government Of the
United States, just I cent OF it is used
by the executive department to carry
on their work. For every million dol
lars spent by this government in 1923.
the President and his official family in
the executive department spent one
hundred dollars OF il. Manifestly, IL
reduced. the efforts should be made
at the places where the vast expendi-
ture occurs Let US make few COM
parsons.
the people or the United States
could build an executive mansion
costing s1,0oooso IN each one Of the
forty-eight states in the United
States, pay each governor $4,000 a
year: each Of the forty-eight lieuten-
ant-governors $4,000 year, and give
each state the same amount appro-
priated in 1929. for the executive de-
partrent Of our government-and it
would not equal what we spent in
1928 on the Navy OF the United States
every ninety days. nor what we spent
on the Veterans Bureau every sixty
days in the year. Uncle Sam is ex-
pensive. He spends $4,000 Il min
ute. But the executive department
spends only s2.40'of it. So we pass
on from the executive department. to
the legislative department of our gov
ernnent.
Copyright. 1924. IN United States and Grea,
Britain, by North American Newspaper
Alliance. AL rights reserved.)
TOmofrovs What 1t Costs to Run
Congress.