Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-08-23


! Solidatlon OF unnecessary and overlap
/ ping agencies, a committee was APP
pointed. A representative of tie PreSi-
dent acted as chairman. It prepared a
| plan Of reorganization. The plan was
| flied in the archives. 1t still remains
there. After seven years of Republican
| control the structure of Government is
| worse than II was in 1921 1t is fully
/ as bad ais the system which existed in
New York State before we secured by
constitutional amendment the legiSla-
/ ton which consolidated more than 100
/ Offices, commissions and boards into IS
Co-ordinated departments, each reSpon-
Slh!e 10 the governor. In contrast with
this, the Republican party in control
at Washington. when faced with the
alternative Of loss Of patronage fer the
faithful hr more efficient and economi-
. cal management Of the Government.
permittcG the old order 70 continue for
the bendfit Of the patronage seekers
The appropriations for independent
bureaus and offices not responsible to
any cabinet officer increased from
/ $4,000. 600 in 1914 to si63,0 900 in
1921 and 10 $556.000,0 900 in 1928. No
/ wonder that a cabinet officer Of the
/ Republican President of 1921 said If
you could visualize the Government a.
business or administrative unit you
! would see something like one Of these
! groteSqtge SpeCtaCles of a big oyster
! shell TO! which. III the course Of years
big and irregular masses of baTnacleS
have attached themselves without SYM
metry or relevancy And the Chamber
| Of Commerce of the United States said
/ III its annual report this year No
progress has been made en- the plan of
! reorganization Of the Governments de-
I parimentS SIS advocated by the cham
| Der The administration spokesman
| answers only: We have given an Geo.
nomical administration and that has
| been repeated so often that some peo-
| pie begin TO believe it without the
| Slightest proof I assert that there is
| no PROF..
/ Points TO Increase
in Federal Appropriations.
/ The appropriation bills signed by
the President OF the United States for
the last year are just one-half a billion
dollars more than they were for the
/ first year Of his administration The
| appropriations for the Executive de-
partment itself Jthe President and Vice
PresidenD have increased more than 10
per cent under President Coolidge.
The figures for expenditure as dis
tinguished from appropriations tell the
same story. Aside from interest on the
public debt. which has been reduced by
retirement of bonds or by refinancing
at lower interest rate, the actual ex-
penditureS for governmental activities
during the fiscal year ending in 1928
were Just S346 900. 900 more than in
President Coolidge's first year.
II the defenders of the adminiStra-
ton answer that taxes have been re-
duced. they find themselves in a similar
r. lpr,~ BAa ~, Soxra
S24 1000, 900 more than in the first year
Of the Coolidge administration. While
tax rates have been reduced and some
wartime taxes abandoned. the Govern
ment actually took from the people in
income taxes 1898 600 600 more during
the last fiscal year than during the first
year OF the Coolidge administration
And even these reductions in tax rates
have been brought about primarily be-
cause the administration has commit
ted the Government to appropriations
authorized, but not made. amounting
approximately 10 one billion dollars.
which Is an obligation that is being
passed on TO succeeding adminiStTa-
tions. / wish 10 focus the public atten- |
tion on these fundamental facts and |
figures when it Is fed with picturesque |
tribes about petty economies, such as |
eliminating stripes from mail bags and |
extlnguishing electric lights in the
Offices at night
With this has gone governmental
policy Of refusal to make necessary ex-
penditures for purposes which would
have effected real economy. The
Postmaster General states that there
was large annual waste in the hand
ling OF mail. resulting from lack OF mod
eTn facilities and equipment. Scarcely
IN ff1sa rfrsy ha "a,
quarters for the transaction OF Federal
business. The Government pays rent
In the city OF Washington alone OF more
than one million dollars annually 1t
Is estimated that the Government is
paying rentals Of twenty million dollars
IN the Nation. True economy would
be effected by the erection Of Federal
buildings, especially III the numerous
instances where sites acquired many
years ago have been left vacant because
the administration did not desire To
nave these expenditures appear in the
budget. II Is not economy TO refuse To
spend money and to have our soldiers
living in barracks which the chief of
stan OF the Army recently stated were
indecent and below the standard for
the meaneSt type Of housing permitted
anywhere. And the wise, properly
timed construction Of needed public i'm
proVementS would substantially tend to
lessen the evils Of unemployment.
Promises Reorganization
OF Government Activities.
If the people commission me TO do
Il, ] shall. With the aid Of the Congress,
effect a real reorganization and con-
soiidatlou OF governmental activities
upon business basis and institute the
real economy which comes from prudent
expenditure. / shall aid programs for
the relief 0f unemployment. recogniz-
ing It's deep. human and social signifi-
canoe and shall strive to accomplish
d national well-being resting upon the
prosperity of the individual men and
women who constitute the Nation.
Acting upon the principle of Equal
opportunity for ali, special privileges
for none / shall ask Congress 10 carry
out the tariff declaration Of our plat
form. To be sure, the Republican party
will attempt IN the campaign To mis-
represent Democratic attitude 10 the
/ tariff The Democratic party does not
and under my leadership Will not, ad-
yocate any sudden or drastic fevoiu-
lion III our economic system which
would cause business upheaVal and pop
niar distress. This principle vas rec
/ 0gniZed as far back ag the passage of
the Underwood tariff bill Our plat
form reatates IT IN unmistakable Ian
gaagel The Democratic party stands
bqQarGiy tor the maintenance Of iegiti-
mate business and high standard of
wages for American labor Both can
be maintained and at the same time
/ the tariff can be taken out Of The realm
Vi politics anG treated on d strictly
business basis.
"A leading Republican, writing III
/ Criticism u the present tariff laW, said
/ II stands As one q! The most III drawn
/ pieces Of legislation III recent political
/ history II ~ probably near the actual
/ truth. 10 say that. taking tor grant