Evening star., 1928-01-31
FINANCIAL ROBLEMS OF u. S.
DISCUSSED BY BUREAU CHIEF
General Pays High Tribute to Admins
trators-Views Requests for
Appropriations.

There can be no doubt where our duty
lies We follow the Presidents lead.
His policy is our policy: his wish our
desire; his fight our fight his victory
our victory. From now on every doubt
full project is condemned: every ques-
t!onable expenditure under indictment.
That only which is imperatively neces-
sary for the public welfare has right of
way. If C~er opportunity and duty
knocked at the same door at the same
time 1t is here and now.
Saying Something.
"The budget director has been ac-
cused of assuming authority not his
own: Of interfering with the preroga-
tives of Congress-: of being a sort of
trouble maker unfortunately created to
meddle with the legitimate functions Of
Federal agencies and worthy organiza
tions who could thrive nightly witt.
For the following appropriate story I
am indebted to Gov. Moore, Of New
Jersey:
AN Irishman bought a parrot that
could speak several languages, and mad
It sent to his house. On arrival home
in the evening he asked his wife:
MARY. hoW's the bird?'
"'He's not done yet replied Mary.
"'Not done yet? What do ye' mean?'
"Im cockin' it
"Cookin' it? Whv. that bird could
talk fiuently in nine languages
IF he could do that, why didn't he
say something?'
For these many months the budget
director has possessed his soul IN
patience, comforting himself with the
.I.sl t0 tNn niN tn
verse IN several languages is valuable.
is priceless. This policy. however. did
not work out well with the parrot.
He should have said something.
THE budget director derives his
authority solely from the law and the
President of the United States whose
policies he tries to carry out. These
policies have always been clear cut.
He has never promulgated a policy
that was not thus clearly outlined by
the President: he has never enforced
a program that was not the Presl-
dents program; he has never know
ingly assumed authority beyond that
definitely delegated to him BY the
Chief Executive. He has tried to be
humble. Chagrin at his own short
comings have greatly assisted in the
maintenance of becoming humility.
Saving All Along Line.
'I call your attention to the report
of the budget director for 1927. This
unimpressive and modest pamphlet OF
2l9 pages makes no appeal to the I'M
initiated II has no pictures. no charts.
1t contains nothing TO attract the at
tention of the casual reader. II is.
however. illuminated with intriguing
stories Of faithful service By our Fed
eral workers Within its salmon
colored covers is the romance of Fed
eral economy. In terse. dry-as-dust
statement Is a revelation OF the loyal.
successful and patriotic effort Of the
people all through the service 10 con-
serve the taxpayers money. The most
casual survey of these reports OF
economies effected by the departments
and establishments will convince the
most skeptical that saving has become
habit in the service: that the prac-
tice OF economy is not a perfunctory
performance but an interesting, IN
spring and highly profitable pursuit.
Exclusive of savings made by the
co-ordinating boards. which are by no
means negligible, the various items. big
and little, that can be stated In fig
ures. total Sl90l6, 76049. and most of
the savings are modest. The Navy
heads the list with savings amount
ing to s3.734.37S93. which became
available for needed equipment. The
Army follows with a record Of S3.535.-
SAC. The United States Shipping
Board and Merchant Fleet Corporation
claims third place with Sa.52T 900 10
its credit Fourth In the list Is the
Veterans Bureau reporting economies
amounting 10 S2066, ,54390.
An alert employe OF the Depart
ment Of Agriculture devised a con-
trivance TO use glue instead OF seal
ing wax on shoppers OF tuberculin bot
ties. AS result one man can Go
the work that required 10 under the
old method.
The Bureau Of Standards. where
they do so many wonderful things,
mail pouches made high-grade bond
paper and saved $1,000.
The General Supply Committee in
stead OF buying piecemeal made n
definite quantity purchase of paper
clips--those rather indispensable desk
Notwithstanding S3.SS0. II We
can supplement that with crusade 10
limit the use OF these clips 10 the pur-
poses intended. and use less for eobbed
hair holders. pipe cleaners. watch
chains. ear reamers. Shirt-sleeve ad-
juSterS. Ford repair parts, toothp!ckS
bachelor buttons. cuff links and toys
TO use while telcphoning. We can add
something 20 that saving.
Postal Savings.
I'VE we're all interested In the sav-
ing made by the Post Once Department
In eliminating the blue stripe from It's
mail sacks. That saving OF cent
yard on the 5000 900 yards OF canvas
used annually goes on from year To year
lust as the unnecessary expense had
previously gone on from year 10 year,
The Post once people come TO uS
now with another interesting saving
hold In my hand an Application for
Domestic Money Order ApproSl-
mately 100000. 600 OF these forms are
used each year. The department has
reduced the size Of that application
by one -ouarter Of an inch. saving there
by Salsa year,
ITO show that our savings are not
oil confined To small figures. please
note that the Government Printing
once saved 100000 III the cost of
postal cards and domestic money or
ders for the Post once Department,
very largely through improved produe-
ton methods,
''The use OF rubber drilling and ras
board instead Of WOODEN blanketing on
fiat printing presses IN the Bureau
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