Evening star., 1932-12-11
Oil and Water.

The Democrats, and first among them
Franklin D. Roosevelt, President-elect.
have promised the country economy
and a great reduction in the expendi-
lures for the Government At the same
time an army of Democrats, seeking
Government positions of all kinds, is
about to march on the Capital. The
advance guard has been coming in for
weeks already. How to reconcile a cut
in Government expenses with the de-
mands by the faithful Democrats for
jobs and more jobs Is likely to prove as
difficult a problem for the incoming
President as the settlement of the for
eign debt question.
Eliminating Government bureaus and
commissions, Topping off employees here
and there, Gov. Roosevelt may make q
hit with the run-of the mine citizens
Of the country. But to those supporters
of the Democratic cause who look to
Washington now as the promised land
every job that is stricken from the
Government pay roll will look like a
crime The Job hunter will shudder
when economy is mentioned. Therein
lies. indeed, the greatest difficulty an
executive has in bringing about govern
mental economy. Not only Is pressure
brought upon the White House by the
individuals seeking jobs, but their de-
mands are backed up by a myriad Of
friends and acquaintances And when
it Is not possible to reach the President
himself, then friendly Senator or
Representative may be prevailed upon
to give his aid. After all, it Is the Con-
gress which holds the purse strings,
which has the right to say which jobs
are to be continued or created and
which are not
The Democrats have been out Of Of
flee for dozen years, the last three of
them very lean years. They have al
ready taken steps, some Of them, to see
what can be done in the matter Of re-
moving Republicans now on the civil
service rolls, so that Democrats may
supplant them. This may be contrary
to the spirit of the civil service, but
job is a job In the old days the
"spoils system" was in full effect, and
to the victor in elections always went
the patronage, the Government pay
roll. That was changed. and wisely,
when the civil service system was set
UP. Men and women, who have worked
long years for the Government, who
have become expert in their positions
not only are entitled to be retained be-
cause Of faithful service. but they can
give far more efficient service than
newcomers. whose chief merit may be
the character Of the political ticket
they vote.
Generally 1t is admitted that the ex-
penditures Of the Government have be-
come too heavy. But the major por-
ton Of this expense is for war, or
rather for past wars. If nation in
dulges in war, 1t has, as rule, to pay
for the Indulgence This country is to-
day paying for the share 1t took, and
for the share some others took, in the
World War For a generation these ex-
penditures are likely to increase and
then there will come q subsidence. un-
less In the interim the United States
again takes up arms. 1t is a question
whether the ordinary expenses Of the
Government Of this great country can
be cut extensively. There are many
services which the Government per-
forms today for the people which they
have come to look upon as a vested
right. Furthermore, the turning out of
office or slashing of the pay of q huge
number of Government workers can
have only the effect Of increasing un-
employment in this country at this
time.