Evening star., 1933-12-14
The Political Mill
By C.. Could Lincoln.

The race between Government ex-
penditures and the pickup of private
business and private employment is on
ir dead earnest. 1t Is clear that pri-
vate business and private employment
must overtake and pass the expendi-
lures Of the Government if there is
to be real recovery in this country
and unless there Is such recovery the
Government will not be able to pay
what it has already contracted to
pay. The talk now Is of govern
mental appropriations for the next
fiscal year-and part for the COM
ing calendar year-of $5,375, 900 900 to
$4,000, 900, 900 or even more. OF this
sum, 81, 900 100000 are estimates for
the ordinary" expenditures of the
Government, and $2,775, ,000, 900 are es-
Inmates Of emergency expenditures by
the Government, in continuation OF
the recovery program. All Of this is to
be superimposed on the appropriations
already made by the Government for
the present year, which have been fol-
lowed by expenditures or the allotment
Of funds to be expended. The Con-
gress appropriated $4,000, 100000 for the
public works program, one item in a
total Government obligation for recov-
cry generally estimated at S11 1,000,-
000, 900, although very large part of
this obligation falls under the Recon-
struction Finance Corporation, and
other sections under the Home Loan
Bank and Farm Credit Administra-
ton operations, all of which are ex-
pected to be repaid eventually.
While there will undoubtedly be de-
mands on Capitol Hill and elsewhere
that halt be called on Government
expenditures, the opinion prevails that
the administration will be given such
funds as 1t may demand. The fact of
the matter is that having put its hand
TO the plow there seems no turning
back at this stage. The hope will con-
tinue to exist that a real upturn of
business in this country. accompanied
by large e-employment in private busi-
ness, will make it unnecessary to spend
all the money that Congress authorizes.
That, too, was the hope of many during
the year now closing. But now it Is
quite apparent that all of the money
special session last Spring will be ex-
lars will be needed.
How this is going to affect the taxes
imposed by Congress on the people
remains to be seen. Certainly 1t is
not going to result in lower taxation.
Yet the Government must make pro-
vision to meet these additional ex-
penditures. Here again hope lies in
an upturn Of business. The more busi-
ness, the greater the revenue to the
Government from income, corporation
and excise taxes. The liquor taxes
will bring in their share of additional
revenue, and revision of the admins
trative features of the revenue laws
are expected to add nearly $500 900, 900
more annually in revenue. But will
these increases in revenue be enough?
There is already talk of searching for
new sources of revenue TO tap.
The hopeful part about this whole
business is found in improvement in
business in various parts Of the coun-
try. This improvement is expected to
grow, especially now that the Govern
ment is spending hundreds of millions
for its civil works program, as well as
for its public works program, and Is
sending to the wheat, cotton and to-
bacco farmers hundreds Of millions of
dollars In payment of contracts for
curtailment of crops. From New Eng
land and from the West Coast. as
well as from some of the great States
OF the Middle West, come reports that
things are picking up.
The administration is pouring out its
millions in many ways to aid the un-
employed and to stimulate business and
agriculture. 1t has brought about the
adoption Of codes for industry, looking
to higher wages for private employees
and higher prices for commodities.
There is one step that the administrs-
ton has seemed loath to take, how
ever, that would not only give mate
rial aid to some 100000 workers, but
would also put the Government in line
with its own program of increased pay
to employees. That is the restoration
OF the Is per cent pay cut imposed on
all Government employees, civil and
military alike. When the new budget
is sent to Congress by the President,
will the proposed increases in appro'
priations for public works, for the civil
works and for other activities result
In new demand that the Government
save money by cutting the wages of its
employees? The comparatively few
millions of dollars which the Govern
ment saves from this cut in Govern
ment salaries and wages, in the light
of its other billions of expenditures, is
not going to make a great deal of diff
ference in the end.
The President has revealed that
another $3.50, 0,000. 900 will be needed to
keep the civil works program in oper-
alton to April or May /, making a total
outlay of S750,0000 900 for this civil
works operation. While the civil works
expenditures are in reality dole, they
call upon the recipients of the dole for
real work and labor, which is a far
better method than the mere passing
out Of a weekly stipend in the form of
public charity without any employment.
The Government will have also ex-
pended $500,000,000 for relief of the
and destitute in straight
gifts. or doles. If it were not for the
reports that business is picking up
and that foreign trade is also on the
increase the picture would be pretty
black.
An election for mayor in the city of
Newton, Mass, on Tuesday holds more
than passing interest Sinclair Weeks,
son of the late John w. Weeks, Secre-
tary of War in the Harding and Cool
idge administrations, and still earlier a
Senator and a Representative from
was reelected mayor.
Mr.. Weeks success keeps him. it is said.
In line for election to Congress from the
ninth congressional district whenever
the veteran Robert Luce elects to retire.
This does not mean, however, that Mr..
Luce is planning retirement at this
time. He has been elected eight times
q member Of the House, and doubtless
can be reelected next year. The dis
trict Is strongly Republican. Mr.. Weeks
opponent in the mayoralty race was
another Republican, Thomas w. White,
at one time right-hand man of the
late President Calvin Coolidge in Re-
publican politics in the Bay State.
Newton is so strongly Republican that
the nonncrafs rouor hod 1pnlr i,,