Evening star., 1946-01-20
A Look at the LEDGER

rem. VINO auQlLS CTe Governments
books, is gravely concerned over
what he sees there. He believes it
is high time that every taxpayer
who has not only his own welfare
but the welfare of the country at
heart should share his concern over
the state of Federal finances. In
recent address before the Chamber
of Commerce of Asheville, N. c., Mr..
Warren painted picture which
should have SOLDERING effect on all
but those whom he described as the
"free spending philosophers who in
Sist that an enormous, back-break-
ing national mortgage is a good
thing" and who brand as an alarm
ist" any one "brazen enough to recite
the facts"
BY that standard of appraisal,
Mr.. Warren is an alarmist of first
degree, for he had no hesitancy in
citing the facts, as only one in his
official post of vantage is qualified
to cite them. He pointed out that
the pouring out of billions of dol
lars by the Federal Government in
its economic war against the depres-
sion, followed by the spending of
additional billions in its military war
against the Germans and the Japs,
has piled up deficit so large as to
be beyond the comprehension of
persons not accustomed to dealing
in astronomical figures The yearly
interest on the staggering total (280
billions) is greater than the entire
Federal budget a few short years
ago, he said. And with this huge
increase in deficit spending there
has been an inevitable top-heavy
expansion of Government, with con-
trolls reaching farther and farther
into private industry and private
homes.
Mr.. Warren, though justifiably
depressed over the outlook, is not
without hope. But he believes that
only widespread awakening by the
American people to the dangers of
national bankruptcy that may lie
ahead can effect a change for the
better. The remedies are clear, he
says, but there is little chance of
applying them unless the, taxpayers
insist that their Government apply
them. First of all, the CONTROLLER
General pleads for a drastic. reor-
ganization of governmental agencies
to eliminate waste and ineff1ciency.
Incidentally, the President was given
authority to streamline the Govern
ment under the Reorganiza ton Act
passed last month. Mr.. Warren
places second On the list of remedial
measures a strenuous effort to bal
ance the national budget through a
sharp reduction Of Federal expendi-
lures. This will require wholehearted
support by the people of congress
sional economy moves. Third. Mr..
Warren calls for a more conscien-
tious type of public service by those
intrusted with the responsibility of
spending other peoples money.
Fourth, he urges re-examination
by Congress of it's blank check"
grants of spending authority to cer-
tain executive agencies. And, finally,
he advocates that the States assume
proper share of their responsible
ties toward the Union instead of
looking to the Federal Government
for more and more assistance.
These suggested remedies for the
Governments fiscal ills are not new,
of course. but now that the war is
over they deserve to be revived and
re-emphasized at every opportunity.
For, as Mr.. Warren says, it will re-
quire an aroused tax-paying citi-
zenry, voicing popular mandate to
their legislative and executive serv-
ants, to turn the Government back
on the road to sound financial
,,o1io;n~