Evening star., 1932-12-30
OFFICIAL AUTOS
MISS ECONOMY AK
Every One Seems to "Rate"
Car-Canada Discards
So Government Cars.


ated In the fashion of the government
Of Canada, there would be no problem
of buying a new limousine to fit the
silk topper of Postmaster General, and
Washington's cabinets big" and lit
tle," would hustle about In hired taxis.
instead of sumptuouS, Government
owned and Governments auto
mobiles
Last year, when the depression seemed
at its worst in Canada, Prime Minister
Bennett, whose powers In the Domin-
ion are almost dictatorial, determined
it was incompatible with the interests
Of economy for his cabinet ministers
to be brought to business and social
functions In luxurious cars, at govern
ment expense. He disposed of the cars
and forced members Of his ofncial fam
uy to hire taxis.
In the United States, however, 1t Is
different.
81 Automobiles Maintained
With a Federal deficit increasing at
the rate of S5,000,00 q day, and ex-
pected to reach $4,000 000. .000, 900 be-
fore the fiscal year Is out, cabinet men,
bers and their undersecretaries. and in
some cases just plain secretaries, have
at their beck and call expensive auto
ment-maintained, and Government-op.
Grated, just as in the palmy days OF
1923 and 1929.
There are approximately "a OF these
cars, and why they have escaped the
economy wave. no one knows.
Even the practice OF assigning cars
to these officials Is not uniform. For
instance, Secretary Of the Treasury
Mills has no ofacial Government
owned car. None Of his predecessors
have had.
On the other hand, the Commerce
Department has four expensive limou-
sines, more than any other executive
department. There are several which
have three.
It was a startled Canadian cabinet
that woke one morning to hnd an Or
der from the prime minister that their
cars be sold and that there be Subst1-
tuted in their places grants for trans
portation not greatly in excess Of what
they had been paying for chauffeur
hire.
Expensive Makes.
In the United States, although there
is a notable exception in the case Of
the White House, which obtains its cars
under a leasing arrangement from car
manufacturers, the Government must
purchase these official cars. They cost
from $4,000 to $4,000 each, and since
they rarely are used more than three
years, new cars usually are purchased
at the beginning Of each administration.
Each car requires from $500 to $500 q
year for upkeep, and Government
chauffeurs receive from 1,200 to 31.500
q year.
At the White House, II cars are in
Jro ha
service and delivery trucks. The cars
are renewed each year under a special
leasing agreement. A lump sum Is paid
for the use Of the cars and the manu-
facturer bears every other expense in
connection with their operation, except
housing and gasoline. ...
During the Hoover administration. IT.
has cost no more to operate IL cars
under this arrangement than 1t did to
operate 5 similar cars IL years ago.
When the White House turns its cars
back to the manufacturers, the latter
have no difficulty disposing Of them,
for % acars ssu used Is~1is BY the white % House" %
And, surprising as it may seem, the
White House pays no more annually
for its automobiles than It would cost
to purchase good, medium-priced au-
tornobiles.
The President and Mrs. Hoover have
state cars. Of course, and there is an
other large car for the US Of visiting
dignitaries. Mrs. Hoover. however, pur-
chased q small car for her personal
errands.
Secretaries Have Chauffeur.
Three presidential secretaries, Theo-
dore G. Joslin, Lawrence Richey and
Walter H. Newton, all have limousines
and chauffeurs assigned to them. If
these officials were Canadian. instead
of American, they would be riding about
in taxis, both on off1cial and social
missions, instead OF in the large, high-
powered cars that are spotted instantly!
on the street as white House cars"
The others at the White House are
divided between the secret service,
which protects the President wherever
that used by the executive mansion
housekeeper in going to market.
Vice President Curtis, whose position
so far as dignity is concerned is in the
same class with the President. has as
signed to him, Of course, limousine
and chauffeur.
Likewise, Speaker Garner rates"
Limousine and chauffeur But, despite
all the good-natured raillery which
passed between Garner and the late
Speaker Mick" Longworth a. to who
would gain the use of the Speakers
car" Garner never has used 1t. The
II finally was purchased for the use
Of David S. Barry, sergeant at arms of
the Senate. Garner preferred to use
street cars or taxis.
So far as the executive departments
are concerned, all of them have, in ad-
dftion to the huge seoans assigned to
their heads, several smaller cars for
official business, such tas carrying de-
partment chiefs to the Capitol for
hearings and collecting mail.
Secretary Of State Stimson has one