Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-07-30

Suggestions from the White House
to the Government departments that
rigid economy be maintained by watch
ing expenditures are commended by
the public. 1t is accepted as fact
that there are ways in which spending
may be reduced, but emphasis Is placed
upon the incidental suggestion Of the
President that public works should be
maintained as a means of providing
employment.
'Superf1cially there appears to be q
conflict" says the st. Paul Pioneer
Press, between President Hoover's
policy of speeding up public construc-
ton to relieve unemployment and his
present. announcement that rigid econ
omy will be introduced in the Federal
departments to offset a possible de-
crease in revenues this fiscal year. 1t
would seem little useful from the view
point of unemployment to increase
Government expenditures In one sphere,
that of construction, If the increase is
to be Cancelled out by retrenchment
elsewhere. But the operations Of the
Government are not all of the same
kind. In many cases it may prove pos
sible to introduce economies without
a corresponding reduction in employ
ment. President Hoover has taken
thought of the difficulty and is not
unaware of the appearance of a con-
tradiction in the two policies. He an
nounces an investigation by heads OF
departments to discover methods, If any
exist, whereby economies may be brought
about for the present fiscal year with
out interfering in the program OF aid
to unemployment
It is pointed out by the Charleston
Evening Post that while the Presidents
advice to the Government departments
seems sensible and logical enough, -
former President Coolidge said the
other day that now was the time for
those who have money to spend 1t, in
order that those who have none should
find employment, and thus the wheels
of industry would be kept going and
prosperity would return to the land.
Which also has its points," concludes
the Evening Post, with the added COM
ment: when Calvin Coolidge recon-
mends q policy of spending it is not
to be passed over with indifference.
Mr.. Hoover, as an economist, is an
other matter. Yet he, too, urged that
the heads of business and industry
should loosen their treasures during
the lean period and strain point or
two to keep things going"
\ y + ~.
Public works programs, in the opinion
of the Jackson Citizen Patriot, offer
mo excuse for extravaganza" and that
paper adds: ut Is an obligation on the
Federal Government to set an example
In economy for the State and local
governmental units. If there is con-
Sistent economy in the national admin
istration, the people always have a
good example to call to the attention
- cd
And economy does not necessarily mean
curtailment. It simply means making
every dollar count for 100 cents"
Attention Is directed by the Kala-
n.azoo Gazette to the fact that during
the last several years the country has
been riding on a wave of steadily grow
ing prosperity and has thus been able
to meet the demands Of constantly riS-
ing appropriations. Within the last IL
months" continues the Gazette, "the
tide Of afiiuence has subsidized to q no.
ticeable degree, and the hood OF ex-
penditureS ought to be checked corre-
spondingly. There Is no way of
reducing the appropriations already
voted by Congress, but neither Is there
any mandate to the effect that the
Government must spend all the money
thus authorized. If the various depart
ments can find some way to hold their
expenses well below the sums authorized,
1t may be possible to continue the re-
duced tax rate for another year at least.
That would help greatly to stimulate
the Nations business at a time when
stimulation is In every way desirable"
while the present endeavor results
from o desire to take precautions against
any falling or In revenue and resulting
deficit" advises the Manchester Union,
sit can be remarked that the public
ought to ind no fault with governmental
economy at any time. A deficit In the
Treasury is an excellent thing to avoid
The President takes enx0 10 make clear