The Nome nugget., 1949-12-14
TO SPEND OR NOT TO SPEND

Nearly everybody agrees, when they think about 1t seriously that the national budget ought to be balanced This country big enough and prosperous enough to permit proper federal activities to be paid for on current basis Then there extensive debts that were assumed in the Thirties and during the Yet the President has forecast that government spending ths year will run the nation five and onehaf billion dollars further into debt
 It has not been the custom of the federal government during the past 20 years, to end fiscal year in the black It would appear that many of present leaders in government do whether the nation gets back onto the black side of the ledger How is that the present administration is out of touch with the de- sres of the public, unable to say. Apparently, It knows how to spend and cant stop
 InaSmuch certain persons, bureaus, groups, and projects always calling for money from the govern ment for pet undertakings they wish to promote, It seems safe to say that the administration is not out o touch with these things These penderS have the VOce Evidently Washington has long since learned that it is easier spend than not spend. Habits that way are hard break Politically pays to be free and easy
 But without accusing the American public in general of not knowing just what does want in regard to gov ernment spending, affirm that most people simply look at government finances like they do their own Some folks are SpenderS, but most adult Americans know that it is folly to live beyond ones income Most of them have experienced bit of debt inStalment buying and this has taught them the value of paying one goes
 Maybe it is for such reasons that the public wants have the federal budget balanced In addition am that folks realize the strength that comes only to na- tion of debt that getting out of debt govern ment that is in danger of defautng it's obligations that resorts to and more borrowing to take on added obligations of all sorts and gets more in debt not going to be a strong government when the test comes.
 Everybody wants the budget balanced All right then how? Shall do by raising taxes or by cutting down our expenses? That's where the rub comes! President Truman wants to balance it by higher taxes and more spending, although there seems to be some question whether this method would get the books evened off At any rate the President wants to have taxes and he wants to spend more too.
 survey completed in October by Dr. Henry C. Link of the Psychological Corporation indicates that most of the public dsagrees with President Truman the sub ject of government expense and taxes At least the American people of the opinion that the way to bal ance the national budget is through reducing expend- tures This survey reports that it has seldom found such overwhelming agreement a subject, among all groups.
 They asked the question: Do you think the Govern ment should balance the budget by reducing expenses or raising taxes The large majority of 84 per cent answered: By reducing expenses Only per cent "by raising taxes and only 10 per cent uncertain said by both methods It would that this coming session of Congress would be the logical time to tackle this problem, and cut all government spending to the very minimum.