The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1933-03-13
THE PRESIDENTS ECONOMY
PROGRAM

The expenses of the federal government
must be reduced. The budget must be bal
anced. The government must stop spend
ing more money than it collects, or can
possibly collect, in taxes.
That is the essence of President Roose-
velt's economy program for the govern
ment In the late campaign the President
pledged that he would reduce the expenses
of government 25 per cent. if elected.
Twenty-Five per cent. of the governments
expense account amounts to around bill
lion dollars. Probably three-fourths of the
people of the country agree with the Presi-
dent that the expense account can, and
should be, reduced to the amount of bill
lion dollars year, and more. The reduc-
ton probably will have to be made grad
ually, following the initial reduction which
President Roosevelt proposes.
The federal government is in the same
position as the States and smaller political
divisions of the country. The governments
largest item of expense is that for debt SER
vice. The next largest item in the govern
ment's expense account is the apprOpria-
tons for pensions and other expenses OF
caring for the soldiers Of the World war
and other wars. The government is per-
forming multitude of services for the
people which add hundreds Of millions to
the expense account. Many of these SER
vices are useless. The money expended for
them is wasted Other services Of some
benefit to the people can be dispensed with
in a time like this. AS The Times-News un-
derstands the matter, President Roosevelt
proposes to cut off useless services, depart
ments,. bureaus, commissions. He also pro-
poses a reduction of the expenses of essen
tial services. The President also proposes
to reduce the cost of aid to eX-sOldiers, by
cutting off the pensions of certain classes.
The government expense account has
reached present proportions because Con-
gress has gone along piling up appropria-
tions without regard to the government
ability to pay. Congress has shown little
disposition or intention to reduce expenses.
The new Congress may be unlike past Cor
crosses, or it may take course similar to
that taken in the past. The President takes
the position that reduction of the cost OF
government is absolutely necessary, and
he says to the Congress that if it lacks the
courage to make the necessary reductions,
it he is invested with the power he Will
reOrganize the government and balance
the budget.
Government pap-suckers are opposing
the Presidents economy program. All who
will lose their jobs, or have their salaries
reduced, are, naturally, opposing the econ
omy program. All who expect to get some
thing from the government for little OF
nothing in return, are banded together tt
oppose the economy program. Many ex
soldiers who will lose their government
pay, or who may have their government
pay red6eed, are, naturally, opposed to the
economy program.
All of these classes together constitute &
small proportion of the population of the
country, but they constitute we'll organized
and active minorities. Government emf
ployes have families and friends and al
are banded together to hold on to what
they have and block the economy pro
gram. The same is true of all classes op
posed to reduction of government expendi
lures. ~ ... 49,.
Most of the classes referred to have pow
erful Hobbies in Washington. They have
tens of thousands of people over the coun
try actively engaged in bringing pressur,