Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-07-18

& Coolidge.
That being so, we
viii have to take the 100000 from
some other department. Which shall
We take it from?"
Quick as a pistol shot came his
answer: Take it from the Army or
navy"
The next time I went to the White
House 1 mentioned this to President
Coolidge. He listened with accustomed
gravity.
Well" he said presently. "how would
T. do to let every cabinet member pre-
O7re the estimate for some department
cther than his own. Let the Secretary
ot the Interior prepare the Treasury
estimate; the Secretary of State pre-
rare the Attorney Generals estimate
and so on. Don't you think we'd have
more modest budget if we dido"
Now a few words about the Budget
bureau itself and the splendid men and
women in the Federal service who have
Vorked long and Loyalty with the bureau.
All told there are fewer than 40 en-
rloyes of the bureau, including three
messengers and two persons on duty
18th the Redistribution Board. We have
huilt no great, expensive organization in
ne name of economy. Around that nu-
cleus, however, has grown vast and
i7r-flung organization for economy
composed of tens of thousands OF Gov
trnment employees .
A Small Force, a Big Idea.
A few trained assistants and investi-
gators on the Budget Bureaus modest
ray roll, a few clerks, the three mes
SINGERS and the bureaus roster is COM
pletG But back of that small force are
a policy and an idea, and back of the
policy and the idea is great majority
ar and away the overwhelming major
h.
lie service.
To them. the great, silent working
army, is due the credit for what has
hoen achieved in budget savings. With
ut their splendid cooperation economy
would be only hooking word Savings
"9nnot be made where there lacks the
will to save.
In the last seven years have come to
NOV the workers as never before. And
Now. as I look back, their faces throng
H-fore me. see these devoted workers
for the public veal proud in the dignity
- their labor, accomplishing in the in
oiequacy of their pay. unwavering in
,eir loyalty to the Government. I'M
hitting in the quantity and the quality
II their service
Scientists there are among them of
-'orld renown. distinguished in their
respective fields for brilliant research
md achievement, but seldom heard of
outside those fields, little known to the
~ublic they serve. Scientists struggling
- make ends meet on meager pay who
could not be hired away from public
''uty by private industry at many times
their present incomes.
They find their recompense not in
re paltry dollars paid them, but in
he consciousness they serve a nation
ell. They are pioneers in the twi-
ght which separates today's achieve
vents from tomorrow's, pushing on to-
ard the unknown on many distant
'~ont. Here they delve into the mys-
-ories left in the crucible: there they
1ht back the insect hordes that
lreaten mankind's larder: wonder they
watch master minds against encroach-
~1ents of disease and pain, and still
7rther on one finds them questioning
lie infinite concerning the secrets of
The universe.
Happier Lives for Posterity.
They are part of the Government
Of the United States. which serves you
and me. Our children and our chill
dren's' children will have happier lives
because Of them.
And here is a great army going daily
II the dull routine that must be done
r;ell and thoroughly to serve the Ma
ton properly. Fresh young faces are |
emong them: old faces. too, scanned by
he passage of the years, dimming eyes
ltlaat have seen the coming and going |
sof many heads of departments, boards, |
. commissions and bureaus.
Such comings and goings have been |
only incidents in their lives; to them |
here is but one Government of the |
United States. and it goes on forever. |
I They serve Serenely. proudly, doing |
their daily routine with care and exact |
ness that the Government and the peo-
/ pie may be served well.
Why even the humblest clerks and |
] messengers and charwomen, it seems |
: 10 me, are proud of the badge of public |
service. Proud to serve the Nation, |
( each in his own way and to his own |
5capacity. have found them So Oc-
casional exceptions only prove the rule. |
7 Fellows all, as have come to know |
them, in high adventure.