New Britain herald., 1925-03-06
ECONOMY ONLY POSSIBLE 2 ON PART OF TAX MONEY

ON PARE OF TAX MONEY
 The economy of President Cool 'dge urges in such attractive phrases is a good thing in itself. but how far is it possible to exercise econo- my In our government?
 Bringing the matter down to an easily understood basis, out of everR s1o0 paid in direct taxes to the gov ernment by any citizen, here is what we find:
 or the s1oo paid, s24 is required for interest on the national debt.
 Then SIS of every s10o is reauir- ed for debt reduction.
 Not a cent of the sc4 or s13 can be wasted, as no portion goes for administration or collection; the money must be paid, and economy, either in theory or practice, has no effect upon the situation.
 Then comes $15.5o out of every stoo for the relief of veterans. There has been waste in this department of government, due to the adminis- tration of Col. Forbes and others; yet everybody agrees that the work or relief is essential. Economy may be possible in this department, but 1t is probable that the $15.5O re- quired out of every S100 paid will i not be greatly reduced in the years to come.
 Then there Is the matter of pen sions. Out of every $1O0 paid 10 the government, S6 goes 10 this item. The margin of waste is not believed to be great.
 The foregoing is the total of ex- penses of past wars. It means that s5S.5O out of every st0O paid the government goes for the costs of former conflicts. This money is un- productive. and must continue to be paid until the last balance is wiped from the slate. That will require the best part of a generation.
 The present army establishment entails the payment of $9.50 out of "A fu 80. In other words, $1S.50 of the $te0 pays for the expenses of sol diers and sailors in uniform. The President is for keeping this ex- pendlture down to the bone, and neither the army or navy is costing as much as heads of those depart ments would wish.
 Totals the costs of past wars, with the cost of the present military and naval establishments, we find that S77 out of every Sl0O goes for these purposes. ID to this point not cent has been devoted to any other administrative part Of the govern- nent,
 Of the sc3 that remains of the si00 John Smith handed the in- t6rnal revenue collector, approyi mately $S is required for the ad- nlinistration of the treasury depart ment, which collects all this money and sees that 1t goes into the proper channels. This is the banking de- psrtment of the government presid- ed over by Secretary Mellon, and it costs nearly as much as the army or navy.
 And so we have $15 remaining out of the s1o0 on which there is pos sibility ot economizinr It isn't comparatively large sum for the eH- ercise of economy All the other Government departments, bureaus and employees, must get their run- ming expenses out of this s15, and 1t is doubtful if much more apprecia- bls economy can be brought about in the expenditure Of this Si5. If few dollars are chopped from this SIS it would be regarded as Q won derful administrative schieyemenf. but the result, compared with the sS5 that must be paid before the BIS is reached, will not be awe-in- spiring to the Impartial observer, who may not regard the matter from the same standpoint as the political observer.
 The only absolute certainty is that each year there will be less interest to pay than the year previously, in view of the possibility that the great national debt will be reduced yearly Finally it will be wiped off the books and our children will be able to en- joy the prospect of a real reduction in taxes-provided no unexpected debts are added meanwhile.
 The foregoing figures were com piled by Eliot wadsworth, assistant secretary Of the |, a. treasury