Evening star., 1952-06-05

the most telling Of the many
arguments against -concen- 1
tration of power in the Federal
Government. A national gov
ernment can always pay for
anything, even its own folly, by
the dangerous expedient of in
hating the currency-no lower
authority can. Firm action to
bring the national budget under
!, control in o time of great
prosperity is the first step back
to a sound dollar. 1t should be
a cardinal point of national poll
icy to use the legal authority
and great influence of the Gov
ernment to limit both initiation
and deflation so that the coun-
try may continue on an even
keel.
The next danger I list is ex-
cessive taxation; rates that de-
stroy incentive to excel in skill
and IN production. When ex-
Sternal menace or internal crisis
requires abnormal Government
expenditures, we must tenn
porarily use every possible
means to reduce inflationary
presSures, to avoid mortgaging
the lives of our children and to
achieve the goal we have set
ourselves. But long-continued
taxes that are only a little be-
low the confiscatory level will
destroy free government. To-
day, staggering Federal expendi-
lures. for civil and military
purposes, have scared to totals
beyond the comprehension of
ordinary citizens.
In a world threatened by
war a great proportion Of these
is ineScapable, else we would
stand helpless before the threat
that hoverS over the free world.
But because necessary expendi-
lures are so great it becomes
doubly necessary to see that
waste, duplication and extrav-
agance are eliminated. These
are the engines which propel
the budget from a reasonable
ceiling to a fantastic height.
They must be eliminated. In
particular our entire arms pro-
! gram must be under constant
scrutiny that not one dollar be
spent without full value re-
ceived. Armament, of it's ma
ture, is sterile; needless expense
is investment in bankruptcy.
Another evil which threat
ems us is the gradual absorp-
ton by the central government
of functions that belong to
local communities and to indi-
viduals. The sitting aud costly
bureaus that spring out of this
process are manned by, experts
in Self-perpetuation and cease
less expansion-to no profit in
terms of the national welfare.
Bureaucracy--helpless to lead
older nations to security and
pr0Sperity-will do no better
in America. Here, our first need
is to promote efficiency of
government within the France
work of the Constitution. The
Federal Government must be
SO organized that we feel con-
fident we haven't lost sight of
such things as thrift. frugality
and economy. Austerity in or
ganization is only a partial
cure. Needed also is the effi-
cient limitation of govern
mental functions and the curb
ing of their spread into new
and overlapping fields. And
most certainly America has the
right to expect that every one
OF its officials, elected or ap-
pointed. be fully worthy Of pub
lic confidence and trust.
Only aroused citizens can end
these evils that increasingly
grow into real threats to our
country disunity, imitation. ex-
cessive taxation, bureaucracy.
am more than ever convinced
that the salvation of every free
land rests ultimately in the
hands, the hearts. the minds Of
its own citizens. They and they
only can make 1t dynamic, pros
porous and strong. But the
American citizens reward for
dicharging this duty is the cer-
tainty that We will not only
remain strong and prosperous:
We shall ever Be the worlds most
shining example Of q free.