Evening star., 1949-05-15

Der 3.lIi.7al. OF the iis.s&s total
increase IN FEDERAL civilian EN-
ployes since the postwar low.
66.2o3 have been added by the
Military Establishment, and - $40
by the civilian agencies, The Mill
tary Establishment now employs
more than one civilian for every
two men IN uniform.
The new budget requests provide
for $4,000 new permanent posi-
tions exclusive Of temporary Ap-
pointments) in the Federal civil
ian service. There were already
too many. The payroll next year.
under budget proposals would run
to more than seS billion. This
could be reduced at least q billion
dollars without inpairing any Fed
eral function.
IS. These suggested reductions
total 33is billion. II applied 10
the Presidents expenditure re-
quests as they were submitted In
January. they would leave bal
ance OF $3S3 billion. exclusive Of
the supplementals for the Mill
tary Alliance and remote area aid,
Further reduction Of $500 million
or Ia per cent would bring the
tota! reduction TO 81 billion. And,
no one familiar with the vast Fed
eral operations covered by that
s38.3 billion will doubt that pru-
dent appropriating by Congress
and ef-icient administration by
the Executive Branch could save
fliz per cent in these activities.
This 81 billion OF savings
would equal the request OF the
President for - billion IN sd-
ditional general revenue taxes,
Elimination or postponement
Of the Presidents request for So
cialised medicine and expansion
of social security coverase and
immediate increase In its tax rates
would not only help reduce expen-
d,tures next year, but II would
also preclude nearly 81 billion
In new employment taxes.
by these suggestions the budget
would be balanced: taxes would
not be increased. and the cost OF
the Federal Government In future
wears would be reduced as well.
Freedoms Endangered
"If we do not choose to reduce
these Federal expenditures. the
alternative is more taxes or defl-
cts, more Government competi-
ton and more RECOMMENDATION.
And. we know that private enter
prise Is the foundation stone upon
which this Nation has built Its
freedoms and its progress. 1t is
a good system. and in most re-
spects 1t Is tough and durable.
But. We know that 1t cannot sur
vive excessive regimentation; 1t
cannot survive excessive taxation;
and 1t cannot survive excessive
Government competition.
There Is . world full OF ex-
amples to prove that neither So
cialist nor communist countries
could meet such obligations as our
Government had assumed even
before the Presidents new pro-
posals were submitted this year.
without American solvency our
constitutional freedoms would dis
appear at home and there would
be no deterrent to communism
abroad. Under existing circum-
stances, It Is no exaggeration TO
say there IL literally nothing on
earth more important than the
preservation Of the fiscal integrity
Of the Federal Government OF the
United States and the financial
stability Of our free enterprise
system. It is q dangerous situa-
ton indeed when we can count
only on sustained imitation and
higher taxes on inflated income
and business to produce revenue
of the magnitude required to
meet vast social expenditures at
home and economic. social and
military programs abroad.
Our friends overseas who seek
American aid and comforts must
realize the only hope for their re-
covery and security lies in our
continued solvency and therefore.
for the security Of all. the stability
Of our system priority over any
and all programs Of international
subsidies which would severely
strain our economy.
by the same token. those
among us at home. who through
membership in pressure groups.
and otherwise. continue to wiring
more and more political pap from
the Federal Treasury should make
a place in their consciences for
the fact that impairment OF our
financial soundness would serve
the enemies Of representative gov
ernment far more than any letnal
-~.~ox. %hav ro.,ld devise p"