28 MAY 1921, Page 3

On Tuesday a Treasury circular was issued requiring the Departments

to reduce their expenditure for next year by £113,000,000—that is to ‘say, by 20 per cent. The circular is signed by Mr. Hilton Young, the new Financial Secretary to the Treasury. We 'congratulate him if we may take this to mean that he intends to sweep clean. This demand for a definite reduction, irrespective of whatever the department may say about this or that item being "necessary," is much the nearest approach to rationing 'which we have yet had. 'The principle of rationing is conceded, and so is the principle of the maximum Budget of £950,000,000. Of course the plaint of the Departments will still go on that as the Government have ordained the carrying out of certain policies the thing cannot be done on the money.