Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-10-17

Curacao, in the West Indian Islands
cutting out Office lights sufficient to
save the Government Sl4 a year.
He spoke at great length about the
blue stripes that we see on mail bags
and figured how much the Government
would save by leaving the blue stripe
off the bag at the same time taking
no account of the great loss in money
and inconvenience to the people of Chi
cago only last Christmas, when, &C
cording to the postmaster in that city
there was not a sufficient num-
Der of mail bags to distribute the Chris
mas mail. While he was talking about
stripes he also eliminated the red stripe
in Government towels.
He explained about seven barrels of
spoiled SouseS seal shoulders shipped
| from Alaska that we're unfit for con-
sumption. l do not know to whom the
shoulders were shipped, but they were
spoiled en- route and, by great economy,
they were sold for crab bait and
brought the Government $50.
In every publication of the Budget
Bureau claims are made of billions of
dollars saved and, in order to back
them up. there are always some small
| economies listed. Here is a shining ex-
ample: In the 1925 report the director
said:
| The use of both sides of the paper
IN printing mmeographed publication
and administrative orders and circulars,
where there is no compelling reason
why only one SIDE of the paper should
be used, has been recommended"
Loyal Order Of Woodpecker.
In order to give color to the great
| saving of billions, there was organized
among Government employees the Loyal
Order of Woodpeckers. Let ME quote
the language of Gen. Lord himself,
All hail to The Loyal Order of Wood
peckerS. whose persistent tapping away
at waste will make cheerful music in
Government offices and workshops the
coming year! No reports will be
required and only such record kept as
the agencies themselves think necessary
or desirable"
There is another item Of great saw
Ing at the Augusta Arsenal. After re-
ducing his personnel the commander
sought further economy and he turned
off the electricity used for lighting the
roads and walks on moonlight nights.
Now. let it not be understood for a
moment by the American people who
will hear or read this speech that l am
attempting to belittle economy in the
management of the Government
would be the last man to suggest that,
because have insisted on it in The op-
Grafton of the Government in my own
State. What / do want to bring to
your attention in the printing of this
picture is the attempt that is being
made to lead the people to believe that
by the elimination of these insignificant
expenditures the Government is being
more cheaply operated today than it was
when President Coolidge first took office.
Refers to Hoover Speech.
The Republican candidate, Mr.. Hoover.
had large share in the painting of
this picture when in his speech of
acceptance he said:
BY rigorous economy Federal ex-
penSes have been reduced by two billion
dollars per annum."
No more misleading statement could
be made in campaign than this state
ment taken from the speech of accept
ance OF the Republican candidate. He
knows better, or should know better. He
knows, or he should know, that the
two-billion dollar reduction is the diff
ference between the peace time cost of
government and the wartime cost of
government, If he were talking out
ghtforwardly and fairly to the
American people, that is what he would
say He chooses, however, to attempt
TO conceal the true state of facts I
challenge him to make good his state
ment that Republican economy made
difference of two billion dollars in the
cost OF running the Government. He
knows that Is not so and he could never
In his lifetime make good his misleading
claim.
The finishing touches were put to the
false picture by the Secretary of the
Treasury, Mr.. Mellon, in a talk over
the radio only few nights ago, when
he said that Gov. Smith and the other
Democratic speakers were seeking to
withhold credit from the Coolidge ad-
ministration for reducing expenditures.
Well, we certainly are, because there
has been no reduction. In fact, the
expenditures have been increased. And
Mr.. Mellon and Mr.. Hoover know that
to be the fact.
Charges G. o. r. Alibi.
Now that 1 have finished the false
picture, let me paint for you the real
picture. Anticipating just such speech
as this, the Republican campaign man.
ayers produced their alibi in advance.
They destroy the false picture when in
their campaign book of 1928 they say
the following:
Neither Is there any denial that
more money is being appropriated to
operate the Government than was ap-
propriated three or four years ago"
In painting the real picture, it is
obvious that comparison between
1921, when the country was on a war
time basis, and the peace time of 1928
would in no way reflect the true situ-
alton
In the real picture let me first call
your attention to the fact that 81 600. =
100000 worth of assets acquired during
the Wilson administration for the pur-
pose of progressing the war we're turn
ed into cash in peace time by the sue
ceediag Republican administrations
and no credit given on the Wilson side
Of the ledger This the Secretary of
the Treasury admits in his annual re-
ports.
The annual report of the Secretary
Of the Treasury for the year 1927
shows that If it had not been for the
assets left behind by the Wilson ad-
ministration there would have been
deficits in the years 1923 and 1925. and
very substantial reductions in the sur
plus in the years 1924, 1925, 1927 and
1928. The public TO discover this would
be compelled to delve into the Treasury
reports We would never hear of it from
Republican campaign orators We would