Evening star., 1941-03-18

many non Qe- I'LL |
fense projects
while at the same David Lawrence.
time the ranks of industry and busi-
ness are being depleted to supply |
personnel for so-called essential in
dustries and for Government itself, |
The city of Washington is ap- |
preaching boom similar to that OF
World War days New divisions in
the defense machinery are being
created and personnel is being
brought here from all parts of the
country, making houses and apart
ments scarce and introducing some
of the elements of congestion which
occurred in 1917 and 1918.
But unfortunately nobody in the
administration seems to have
thought of the idea of establishing
priorities inside the Government so
that the taxpayers money will not
be eaten up by projects which, how
ever meritoriouS in themselves, are
not needed now. Many of the law
yers, clerks, stenographerS and tech
nicians who are part of the normal
functions of Government could be
used in the new defense agencies.
There has been talk of skeletoniZing
various non-essential businesses till
after the war. If this is necessary,
it will hardly be attempted with any
degree of enthusiasm by the people
when here in Washington the prin-
ciple is fagrantly disregarded.
Executive Order Needed.
The ordinary functions of Govern
ment can be carried on with much |
less personnel and will cost much
less money if the President by ex-
ecutive order were to rule that no
additional employees will be placed
on the defense pay roll unless abso-
lutely unobtainable in the regular
departments of the Government.
The burden of taxes is growing.
The citizens of America have main-
tanned in the last few months re-
markable spirit of cooperation not
withstanding some of the most un-
fair tactics on the part of the Gov
ernment. This spirit of unity will
not last long unless the adminiStra-
ton plays fair and sincerely tries to
cut down non-defense expenses. One
way to do it is to absorb the normal
agencies and give them defense tasks
to do. Much of the paper work of |
the War and Navy Departments can
be done by trained Government per-
sonnel in other bureaus and di-
visions.
An example of the unfairness Of
+1 In tr,
passage of tax law in the autumn
of 1910 which levied assessments on
wages and salaries earned as far
back as the preceding January. Not
withstanding that the citizens had
DO warning, and hence either ex-
pended or committed their funds on
certain irrevocable items, the Gov
eminent came along with a tax on
money already spent. The retro
active tax is vicious instrument |
of Government. The only way the |
administration can endeavor to JUS |
tify it's action is to say that the war |
came on the country suddenly. But,
on the other hand, this does not |
excuse the policy of the administra-
ton in failing to cut expenses and |
particularly In making no effort at
present to cut down non-defense
expenses or to use the non-defense |
agencies for defense work.
Pay Roll Highest in History.
The civilian pay roll is the highest |
IN history, irrespective of defense
agencies. The growth is illustrated !
IN the Interior Department, where
In 1888 there were 1908 employees.
This has gone up to 42,4O8 in 1941.
The money appropriated has gone
from $56 1888 SIT in 1888 to $163, ,972,- |
052 in 1941. When Congress grants .
these requests the bureaucratS can |
not, of course, be expected to refuse
them or to cut down their own |
spending powers.
With the cry for patriotic toler-
ance of a severe tax program, there
is bound to be a protest from tax
payers unless the administration
curtails non-eSsential work. Most
everything done in Government can
be justified on some ground or other.
But that is not the criterion today.
The principle of priorities is being
applied to the Nation and it can
be applied to Government. There
are certain tasks which can wait till
the national emergency is over.
There are certain jobs that need not
be filled when vacancies occur. There
are certain officials who can be tenn
porarily transferred to defense prof.
ects without in any way altering
their status under existing appro-
priation bills. Nor need civil service
employees be in any way affected
when transferred from regular work
to emergency duties in the War
or Navy Departments or defense
agencies.
Says Cooperation Is Lacking.
What is lacking is a spirit of CO.
operation on the part of the admin
istration with the taxpayers, who
want to see economies effected and
a prevention of waste. With $7,00O,-
600, ,000-appropriation bills being
passed without much of a murmur
there Is bound to grow up a psychol-l