Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1925-12-11
COOLIDGE CHANGES
ECONOMY POLICY
Prudent Handling of Budges
Substituted for 0Id-Time
Drastic Cutting.
By Consolidated Press.

BY Consolidated Press.
Economy to the bone has run its
course. Economy based on recognl-
ton that government is q gradually
expanding institution has come TO
take its place There is more than
passing significance in this change
of policy. 1t will guide the whole
session of Congress, and may indirect
ly influence the course of business.
For President Coolidge has been
hearing during the last two years
that his economy program has been
hurting business and lowering the
morale of Government bureaus by
keeping them in constantly unset
tied state He has been urged to
substitute prudent economy for
drastic economy. Members of Con
gress have insisted that it is one
thing to cut expenses in time OF
etreSs, but it's quite another to cut
them when the Government Is show
ing a comfortable surplus every year.
Could Save Millions.
There never was a time when the
Government couldn't save scores OF
millions by stopping purely paternal-
iStic activities. But the demand from
the country. reflected in Congress
through various pieces of legislation
has been for Government aid. HaV-
ing been educated in that direction
1t Is difficult now to turn the tide
back.
Mr.. Coolidge started out to cut
expenses to the very minimum. Ru-
reau chiefs abandoned many needed
activities Personnel was cut down
So long as the President dictated
the policy his SubordinateS fell in
line. Then the first break came wher
MIR. Coolidge was told that public
buildings throughout the country
were congeSted and in need of en-
larGement. He saw that the hous-
ing of the Government here required
additional funds. In other words, an
expanding Government could not be
run on q constantly diminished
budget. Added TO this was the plant
of business men that the stories about
using last years straw hat Influenced
the public to a degree of economy not
justified by the prosperous condition
of the country.
Mr.. Coolidge has been between two
fires. He has on the one hand desired
to give the Government the benefit of
added appropriations. but he has
sought at the same time to hold Con
gress back from it's temptation to
spend. 1t is a serious question now
how much the little hint of tolerance
toward increased expense contained in
the Presidents budget message will be
construed by Congress as permission
TO put through pet projects, most of
which can be plausibiy defended.
The Presidents Viewpoint.
In asking for budget of s3,ssO,716,
942, the President goes beyond last
years figures by about Sl69 900, 900
He feels now that last year was the
minimum.
1t was worth something to have
cut till the very lowest point was
reached. Now there is a better under.
standing of just what peace-time eX-
penditures must include. Best of all
however, from Mr.. Cooiidge's view
point, is the educational process by
which the relationship between re.
duCed expenditures and lower taxes
has been implanted in the public miro.
Mr.. Coolidge. thus far has taken
the responsibility for economy and
has made It possible to reduce taxes.
Now he transfers that burden to Con
gress, where the pressure for tax
relief must sooner or later make itself
felt, should the House and Senate
adopt a policy of spending as much
revenue as comes in. The demand for
surplus will inevitably arise after
the fiscal year from June 80, 1926, to
June 80, 1927, has passed. and the
country is on the threshold Of an
other presidential election
Copyright. 1920
Of the staffs of all the newspapers in