Evening star., 1939-12-05
The Political Mill
Government Is Greutest Business Of the Day,
With Is Cents Of Every 81 Going for Expenses

much larger. The States collec-
lively have been spending $780,
900 900 year on revenue Of $780,
600 900, and the local governments
So, 900, 100000 on income totaling
$4,50O, ,O00, 900.
Staggering Debts.
The consequences of this deficit
spending have been to place on the
backs Of the American people not
only heavy taxation, but also a debt
that Is staggering. Already the
Federal debt has approached the
$45 900, 900 900 limit set by law. The
Federal Government is paying out
for interest alone on the Federal
debt $l,o5o, ,0oo, 900 a year. That is
more than the Federal Govern
ment used to expend for all govern
mental purposes q generation ago.
But today the country has more
government-and government costs
money.
1t would be unfair not to say that
these costs of government do not
include benefits paid to many mil
lions of people. They include relief
payments, farm benefit payments,
the money placed in the old-age re-
serve fund and for social security
administration and grants. These
things cannot be had without the
expenditure of large sums of money.
For example, during the fiscal year
1940-which ends June 30 next year
and is the current fiscal year-$580,-
900 900 was set aside for the old
age reserve account and carried as
appropriations, and $3.50, 900 900 was
set aside, too, for social security
payments of one kind or another.
Costs Going Up Speedily.
Nevertheless, the costs of govern
ment, and particularly the Federal
Government, have been going up
steadily-and occasionally by leaps
and bounds-since. the Roosevelt ad-
ministration took over. Appropria-
tions for the year ending 1892, for
example. we're $5,l78,824 ,96795. That
was the last full year the Hoover
administration was in Office. In the
year 1898, mostly in the Hoover
administration. the appropriations
totaled $5,785 5252,64195. Here are
the appropriations for each succeed
ing fiscal year: 1884. 81 ,672. ~. .339 II;
1885, $7527, $50 9,327.e6; 1896, s9,579,-
757, ,3303l; 1887, $10.336, 1899 ,272 IS ;
1888. $11 1861 Bis, ,653.84; 1899, $751;
7S6, 1884.
Since 1888, the annual appropria-
tions-which is another way of say
ing expenditures although the figures
do not always fit exactly-have more
than doubled
In the opinion of Senator Capper-
and it is a view he is trying to get
over to the American voters-this
kind of thing cannot 60 on forever
nor even for very much longer. with
deficits running each year into the
billions. -Four courses, he said. are
open. First, reduce expenditures;
second, increase taxes; third. reduce
expenditures and also increase taxes;
fourth, keep on borrowing and
spending.
Would Reduce Expenditures.
my own choice" he said, would
be to reduce expenditures to meet
income, borrowing for only wha,
might be termed capital expendf'
lures - needed Government build.
ings, etc. do not believe the tax
payers of this country can carry q
much heavier load than they are
now carrying"
Well, cutting expenditures is easy
to say, but very difficult to accom-:
plish. There are so many items il
appears impossible to trim. Take
for example the $1,000, ,0000 900 that
must be expended for interest or