Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-01-29

pruning, and the Federal plant seems
to be one of them.
1.-THE estimates for 1880 show a pos
sible surplus of $60.576.182. This result
is reached without figuring into the
equation pending legislation and pos
sible court action that may add millions
70 our expenditures and seriously threat
en- that narrow safety margin of $60,-
100000. Facing these conditions, the
President stated that no estimates would
meet with his approval that would con-
tribute to a deficit in 1890 Appeals for
funds must be confined to purposes OF
such supreme Importance and urgency
as would obviously warrant the risk of
| ieopardizing the 1880 balance From a
budget standpoint no other course is
possible. and supplemental estimates are
having hard time. Proponents of these
supplementals urge that their needs. as
voiced in their estimates, meet in full
these requirements Of Importance and
urgency.
THE members of certain denomina-
ton decided to remodel the church. Ap-
peal was made to one of the members TO
contribute toward the building fund. He
demurred, saying he owed great deal
of money to various people in the town
! and could not afford to contribute.
| Don't you owe the Lord something? p
asked one Of the soliciting committee.
Yes; s'pose do was the frank reply:
but He amt pressing me like these
others are
I'VE try in reviewing estimates to de-
eide on the merits of each case and not
allow ourselves to be convinced by the
eloquence shown or the pressure applied
by the advocates of particular projects.
Some of the Federal representatives are
gifted above others in the advocacy of
| their wants. It Is the duty Of the Bud
| get Bureau to see that priority OF merit
is recognized irrespective Of the strength
or weakness of the presentation.
The Nations Debt.
I'VE still have national debt While
we are committed to its reduction and
final extinction we will miss it in a way
| when 1t Is gone for 1t stands as a con-
| slant, eloquent appeal for economy in
operation Its consistent reduction Is q
| measure Ia p large way of the edectfve-
I ness of our administration. Every dol
/ lar whitfield from its all too magnificent
4 proportions Is q tribute to thrift In Gov
eminent.
"The books Of the Treasury August
1 81, 1919, showed gross national debt
of $26, 596y 701, 64801. BY application o1
/ the various SURPRISES Of the years OF
| 1920 to 1928, amounting to $3,09l ,000,-
900, through the operations Of the cum
I ulatiye sinking fund act, by foreign pay
ments, the brilliant refunding operations
of the Treasury Department and othe1
factors, on June 80 last that crushing
total was reduced to $17.604, 900, 201 .43
This gave us an actual reduction In
little less than nine years OF $8,922, 4O8,-
446.58-an average reduction over
period Of nine years OF 81 600 .0OO, OOt
year. Could anything be more elo-
quent of the stability Of our great Gov
eminent and the wisdom that has gov
erned Its administration!
I'VE are committed to the important
task of bringing that debt balance down
| to $4,000, oO0, 600 in three years. From
July to December 81 last. the debt was
reduced by $500 600, 900 which means ali
annual saving Of $11, 000. 900 in interest
1.-THE more see of our great Treas
ury Department the more am Inn
pressed with the punctilious care witt
which 1t watches over even pennies anc
| fractions of pennies. This same great
care governs all its procedures, which
| are never modified until every last
shadow of doubt as to the wisdom o!
such modification is removed. ! reac
of the clerk OF Western town VINO
might well have served an apprentice
ship in the Treasury Department. Hi
was noted for the accuracy and COM
pleteneSs of his records. One evening
| while the town council was In session
an earthquake rudely shook the town
house. The council abandoned the
shaking building in fear and haste. The
| nj
form closed the record of the session
with these words. ON motion of the
townhouse the council adjourned
Treasury Methods Safe.
"While we may in this facetious way
speak of the Treasury and its devotion
to established procedures. we mus
admit that its methods are safe ant
sound. During the World War while
We were concerned as to the draft
worried about the construction OF can
tonmentS troubled regarding supplies
and fearful about transportation, we
never gave anxious thought to the
Treasury. Facing financial demands OF
| a magnitude never before known, con-
fronted with financial problems OF the
most extraordinary character. it stood
like q Gibraltar, weathering every
i storm. All honor to those WORTHLESS who
1 through the years have so ably carried
on this great activity, and on the roll
Of honor we give high place to those
| who through the World War and since
have so admirably administered Its
great interests.
"There are hundreds Of live, active
organizations, created for the purpose
of getting money out Of the Federal
Treasury. The Budget Bureau is an
| orooni1ntfnn crnafod and set aNart hv
| Congress for the defense Of the Treas
ury. In the fight for protection of the
| taxpayers money we meet always well
organized, amply financed opposition
The budget director, as the Presidents
| representative, Is almost overwhelmed
at times with floods of letters. tele-
grams, personal appeals and pressure
| of various kinds for favorable recon-
| mendation to the President for funds
| from the Treasury for purposes which
| he, with his impartial view of the
entire field of Federal operation, knows
should not be approved. If ever the
budget is set aside through the efforts
of its enemies, and they are many, some
one should tell to the beneflciaries OF
the budget, whose name is legion, the
story Of the colored worker in South
| ern cotton field on sweltering day in
| August, who, pointing an accusing
| finger at the sun blazing in scorching
splendor overhead, asked complainingly,
| Where was you last January, when
needed you so bad?'
I'm June. 1927, the Loyal Order of
Woodpeckers was organized In the Fed
eral service to give thousands of Federal
workers definite place in the cam
paign for thrift To become membeg