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THfci COmUHXTY G— 11 CHURCH, OF DAKOTA, XLLXHQXS. CLAUDE R. SHAVER, MINISTER p^yi ni. Dakota, Illinois, March 23, 1939. Hon.Marriner S. iiccles, Chm. federal Reserve Board, Washington, D. C. Dear Sir:- Cut this way we read with some approval your opinion as to government economy;but we see no evidence of said economy being applied in the places where most shrewd business minds usually seek to apply it - viz, in connection with "overhead" e^enses. How, it was loudly proclaimed when the New Dealers were asking for the people's support six years ago,that expenses would be reduced twenty-five percent;but,instead of that we have seen the contrary to an unheard of extent.Surely you have it in your power to turn this tide of extravagance,and to press the matter of reduction of expenses in the one field that is being; entirely overlooked, I^refer to the matter of all government salaries over $2000• including legislative and administrative, array and navy judicial and bureaucratic. Surely these public servants(?) who ought to have some patriotic spirit of self-sacrifice, should feel that after this long orgy of spending(which has gotten us nowhere)there should be some evidence of business-like administration in the overhead accounts. Any corporation which has been "going into the red" for eight years,would not tolerate the vast extravagance that now prevail^.g.why should retired Supreme &ourt Justices receive so much more than their colleagues did when in office a few years ago. I had supposed the matter of government re-organization might include this business-like principle;but I see no evidence of such policy;rather the contrary. heard some time ago of "Bconoau ic Royalist but there was nothing in the vocabulary of those phrase makers which would correspond with "Political Toryists^-who now seem to be dominating our government,forgetful of that "Forgotten Man" who makes up the large mass of American electorate,and who is plodding along on small income trying to keep free from government paternalism« it is my thought that a strong self-denial policy in the above matter of government salaries would be a good example as well as reasonable precedent for the rail roads and other semi"public servants" to take into account;especially such as are now clamoring for government subsidy. How can rail-road and life insureaesj presidents have the courage to ask big salaries when their managemfinl produces only a "d^icit" in the yearfs report. Do you wonder that rail road workers1 unions resent a cut in their wages,when presided and vice presidents ride in private cars and draw fabulous salaries. I sometimes wonder,if uommunists have not just here a very pointed reason for asserting their theoriesjand,if our legis lators who get very "jittery" over Hitler and Mussolini,can not take a hint from these rabid dictators. This needs no special response;but is merely an expression of an "average citizen" from the village life of the milcfle west. I^e sp e c t f ul 1 ly/subm i 11 < March 28, 1939- Rev. Claude R. Shaver, The Community Church, Dakota, Illinois. My dear Mr. Shaver: Chairman Eccles requested me to acknowledge receipt of your letter of March 23• I am enclosing a copy of his recent statement because it would appear from your letter that you have gotten an erroneous impression of it. The Chairman asked me to thank you for your courtesy in writing. Very truly yours, Elliott Thurston, Special Assistant to the Chairman. enclosure ET:b tr> A % T5> \ %
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