Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1928-06-08
ROOKvILLB. MD.
Greatest Expenditures In The
COuutry's History.

Appropriations made by the session Of
Congress which adjourned last week.
amounting TO more than four and one half
billion dollars. exceed the appropriations
made by any session Of Congress when
the nation was not engaged in war since the
beginning Of the country. The Seventeen
Congress is already being called the Spend
thrift Congress. In the light of the rec
ord Of expenditures by the Coolidge ad-
ministTation and Of the appropriations
made for the next fiscal year by the re-
Gently adjourned session. Coolidge econo-
my" can hardly be one of the boasts uttered
by Republican orators during the approach
ing election campaign.
Despite the Coolidge economy" boasts
being made by supporters of the Coolidge
administration. government expenditures
Coolidge entered the White House in 1928.
For the fiscal year 1924, the first year
under President Coolidge. government ex-
penditures were $4,079.625.4 93. For the
priations were $4.33l .8l4 .2S5. an increase
Of more than $3.50. 100000 over the first
Coolidge year. For the fiscal year 1929.
opening July LIST. appropriations made by
the recent session Of Congress were ap-
proximately $4.6OO.OOO. 900, an increase
of approximately $27O.O0O 900 over the
1928 appropriations and OF more than
one-half billion dollars in excess of the
expenditures during the first year of Mr.
Coolidges Presidency. In the light of these
facts. Republican campaign orators will
have to remain silent on the subject of
Coolidge economy" Another couple OF
years Of the same sort Of economy. and
the burden Federal taxpayers would have
to carry would exceed five billions dollars
annually.
These enormous Increases are being made
in spite of the steadily decreasing sums
required TO pay interest on the war debt.
If the amount Of money that is used for
the payment of interest on the war debt
be excluded il will be found that the ord-
nary expenses Of the government are sew
eral hundred million dollars annually more
than when President Coolidge entered the
White House.
These figures given in the foregoing take
no account Of money authorized by Con-
sress to be expended. They cover only
actual appropriations. II authorizations of
Lad he al
would be increased by several hundred
millions Of dollars. 10 addition. too. other
authorizations were made by one branch of
Congress, but are yet to be acted upon by
both Houses. They will add several hun
dred millions more TO the cost Of govern
ment under the Coolidge Republican admin
istratiOn. For example, the House Of Rep
Tesentatives authorized an expenditure of
$27O 100000 for additional ships to the
navy. The bill did not come to a vote in
the Senate. remaining on the calendar of
that body TO be voted on next December.
After that authorization is made. the money
will be appropriated.
The reason for the enormous increase in
government expenditures does not lie in
measures Of food control in the Mississippi
valley. As matter Of fact, OF the approx
mately $4,000. 100000 appropriated by
the recent session Of Congress. only $i5.-
100000 was actually appropriated for
food control That cannot therefore be
pointed to as justification for the huge
increase in the cost Of government.
II is a matter Of record that the cost of
government has mounted every year of
the Coolidge administration. and appro-
priations made for the fiscal year 1929
will make the cost Of government for the
new year the greatest In any year of the
conntry's history. except those years in
which appropriations were made for the
conduct Of a war