The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1931-12-24
PRESIDENT COSTS
$l9,3S0, YEARLY
Including $4,000 Salary Of
Chief Executive Annual
White House Expense
COSTS HAVE BEEN CUT
Additional Expenses Are Paid
Out of Chief Executives
Personal Funds

WdSIilIiS IOIl, Lee. Ll-lu ne dill
nual budget of the United States
government is book about the size
of a New York City telephone di-
rectory. It contains 1000 closely
printed pages, formidable with ia
bles, estimates and statements of
expense. In those tables, however,
are contained much gossip.
For instance, that book tells
what Mrs. Hoover pays her cook.
She pays her chef $500 a year and
his three assistants $500, $1,000 and
$1,000. The Hoover butlers-there
are two of them-get $1440 and
$1,000 respectively. Mr.. Hoover pays
his valet $500 a year. Incidental
ly, the valet, Boris, has been with
him since the days of the Polish
relief administration Immediately
after the war.
It also reveals that people have a
habit of sending things to Mr.. Hoo
yer with charges collect. An item
of $50 year is in the budget to
pay for collect kilograms and post
age due letters. It's under the
strange heading of Transportation
of things, $780,"
It will cost the American people
| $429, $50 to maintain the president
and his establishment during the
next fiscal year. Add to that Mr..
Hoover's salary of $4,000 a year
and that of Vice President Curtis
of $4,000 annually, and the whole
bill for maintaining the chief ex-
ecutive and his second in command
is $519, $3.50 year-more than a half
| a million dollars.
But the cost is going down. Mr..
Hoover has applied economy to his
own budget. For the last fiscal
year $472,380 was appropriated to
maintain the executive establish
ment in all its branches. Mr.. Hoo
yer saved $4,000 of that and this
year he is planning to save $1,000
| more.
The $4,000 saving was made
largely by the president foregoing
the installation of improvements in
the ventilating system which would
have added considerably to his own
comfort. The additional $4,000 saw
ing this year is contemplated in the
equipment fund-Mr. Hoover will
make the old desks and typewriters
last another year. The only item
in the Presidents own budget which
is increased is for repairs of the
White House. It was $10,S09 last
year. A thousand dollars is added
this year.
It takes 81 people to operate Mr..
Hoover's office. There are three
secretaries at $4,000 a year apiece:
an executive officer at $1,000 year;
a chief administrative officer at
$500; two senior administrative Of
ficers at $4,000; an administrative Of
ficer at 1888; an administrative as
sistant at $500; a junior admins
trative assistant at $2817; and so
down to a laborer at S1170. The
salary roll amounts to $126,180 a
year; there are contingent expenses
Of $4,000; printing costs $2700 and
travel and entertainment, $4,000,
the Presidents personal fund.
Over in the Mansion, where the
Hoovers live, and in the grounds,
60 more people are employed per.
manently and extra help is engaged
on occasion costing $14,8OO a year.
A manager" at $4,000 and an AS
sistant director of gardens at $4,000
are the highest paid. There are five
mechanics, chief cook and three
assistants, valet, clerk, painter, two
gardeners, a plumber, who gets only
$3.50 a year, II laborers, two but
lers, three footmen, seven house
cleaners, a doorman, five pantry
men, kitchen maid, chamber
maid, five laundresse, a maid and
others.
And this does not cover the cost
of personal employees whom Mr.. and
Mrs. Hoover pay from their own
funds.