Show bureaucrats As the new york times observes though we have got used to the spectacle of enormous government spending and to some remarkable comparisons as a result it is none the less rather startling to learn that on june 30 last there were civil employed emp loyes on the federal governments payroll 2550 more even than at the world war peak of november 11 1918 this is one more reason why about 25 cents out of every dollar we earn goes directly or indirectly into the insatiable maw of government our entrance into the world war caused the number of government workers entirely aside from those in the military forces to be doubled by 1923 the number of employed emp loyes had dropped almost to the prewar pre war level then a slow rise set in which became a fast rise in 1933 there were government tax eaters in 1932 and in 1935 and where workers lived at the expense of the rest of us in 1936 some eat at a tax supported table today most startling of all is the fact that the number of government workers workers seems to increase regardless of changes for the better in business conditions the yens years 1932 and 1933 going by all the statistics were the worst of the depression but more than additional dit ional people were employed by the government in 1937 when a comparatively high level of industrial production was reached and the national income was substantially greater As the new york times also says the increase in government employed emp loyes is in some respects even more impressive evidence than total expenditures of the relentless growth of government functions and of government regulation and control it is not surprising that in spite of the highest taxes in our peace time history the treasury is still unable to balance outgo with income and the national debt soars to incredible heights |