26 JUNE 1920, Page 3

Thevalue of public protests against departmental extravagance has been shown

this week by the issue of a revised Estimate for the Ministry of Transport. Sir Eric Geddes protested last week against the attacks on his department, but he has, had the good sense to reduce his salary list from £392,000 to 5.312,000 and -to cut down the allowance for motor-cars from £54,000 to £15,000. The • net saving thus made is /.85,000 on a total estimate of £1,433,000, whereas the Select Committee on National Expendi- ture recommmended a reduction-of only f70,000. But the moral effect on. the departments is not to be measured by the precise amount of money saved in this case. When it is seenin Whitehall that even Sir Eric Geddes may not multiply officials at high salaries, the other Ministries willfeel it prudent to study economy.