"TAXPAYER'S' . SCHEME FOR FORCING ECONOMY ON' THE - GOVERNMENT: (T.O . :rassEDITOBistesena
; " EITICTITOR."1 Site,—May I suggest that in the scheme proposed we are begin' Mug sib the -wrongsentl? If the nation is..to practise economy, it must.surely begin-at- the bottom, _not -at the top,: with the individual and- not with the Government. What is the motive at.the -root. of the almost universal call:-for. economy at the present time? Is' it not that.taxes may be. reduced, and that we all may hive- moresmoneysto-spond on ourselves? The spirit of saving aroused- byt he-Nair Sieving- Committees- is now -dead.- Eipenditure-has-no- ,dciubt decreased during the -last• few months, and; wane (longer .witness the orgies ct extravagance which weresso-marked in le/Land:1920s But-we spend lessoely: because we -have: less- to spend.. We -have-not arrived at- the. point-of spending.lese thaa -we haves I cansimagine. the horror of the householder- at. the suggestion =of saving .from_ an -income reduced by the taxes and prices of the present time. Neverthe- less, I believe saving to be possible; provided he is not afraid to defy convention.. And at any rate the Government is in no better posititin-to- economize than.the individual. Schemes of national welfare in every direction must be scrapped for want of funds, and economies in matters of State policy are effected only by taking the-short view -and accepting serious risks. I maintain, therefore; that-lusone has aright to come forward as a critic of Government-extravagance who is not making a saving from his-own incomesand. I believe that- economy would be made'real by the formation of a league the members of which would each engage to save a -definite sum' annually from his income. Such a body would" be in the strongest position to bring pressure upon the -Government, who would be bound to take serious:notice of economy when it was-presented to them by economists and not by spendthrifts.—I am,. Sir, ste., J. K. Taorren, -Major-General.
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