Evening star., 1932-04-12
VANDENBERG CALLS
FOR DRASTIC CUTS.
Senator Sees Pressing Need
for Economy Program
in Radio Plea.

The only way back to solvent hap
piness" lies in drastic reduction Of
the national budget.
The best politics" at the moment is
mo politics.
With these statements as a founda-
ton, Senator Vandenberg. Republican
Michigan, last night voiced a plea for
the greatest good for the greatest
number" as he outlined the necessity
for curtailing national expenditures in
an address in the National Radio
Forum arranged by The Evening Star
and broadcast over the coast-to-coast
network of the National Broadcast
ing Co.
Points to Saving Need.
Pointing out that the Federal con-
tribution to the taxation burden Is
roughly 80 per cent, he declared that
the national budget must be balanced
In order to save the public credit. The
cost OF government, based today on
ooom-time income, must be cut to
meet present Debated business condi-
tlons. Government faces the necessity
OF saving nearly three-quarters of a
billion dollars, he said, and only bone
desp retrenchment and impartial un-
partisan, courageous reorganization can
meet the need.
There is no way that Uncle Sam
can get single dollar of real money
without taking it sooner or later from
the pockets Of his people" Senator
Vandenberg declared. There is no
way to stop this exaction except by
stopping expenditures. Unfortunately
this hurts those who are thus penalized
or deprived, but our responsibility Is
to the greatest good for the greatest
number. The American people have a
right to reduced budgets in every field
OF government. They should encourage
this disposition on the part Of their
public servants by declining to Join in
demanding new drafts or In opposing
rational curtailments.
Text of Address.
The text of Senator Vandenberrs
address follows
The costs of Federal State and local
government nust come down. There is
no alternative. Public and private SOL
Vency require it Boom income ended
some time ago. Boom outgo must SUBJ
nit to comparable deflation. The tax
payer is at the end of both his patience
and his purse. Not even perplexing
prohibition excites as much universal
conversation today as does governne entail
economy. A mere shifting Of taxes from
one target to another Is not enough,
although equity demands some shifts.
But the need of the hour is to Law the
ak at the root of the tree of public
expenditures. To prune the foliage is
not enough. The American people de-
mand major operations They have a
right to this relief. Government itself
will otherwise go bankrupt. The chal-
lenge cannot be ignored.
"All government in the United States.
meaning Federal. State and local. cost
Sl4, ,000, 900, 900 in 1880, or s45 900 900
every week day Of the year. To pay
this bill took the equivalent cash value
OF the entire annual production of all
our motor factories, all our iron and
steel furnaces, all our rolling mills, all
our slaughter house and meat packing,
all our mems and women,s clothing in
dustTy. The drain is devastating. It
cannot go on. We must retrench and
The Federal contribution to this
burden Is, roughly, 80 per cent of it
perhaps $4,000, 600 or $4,000, 900 every
week day that rolls by. But the Fed
eral income is now less than half this
amount. What shall we do about it?
Elementary common sense thunders at
us with its monitory answer: Cut your
garment to your cloth! Live within
your means! Get down to earthl
Economical
Stresses Balanced Budget
"Of course, the Federal budget must
be balanced In order to save the public
credit. This is our sheet-anchor in the
storm. Only a crazy man would cut
the chain. Unfortunately, so much Of
the budget is in fixed charges, like ap-
proxin ately a billion on oebt account
and another billion in veterans allow
ances, that the economy range Is
sharply circumscribed. As result, no
matter how brave the assault upon the
balance Of Federal expenditures may
be, temporary additional Federal levies
are unavoidable. Nobody wants to paw