Story : The Many Hands In Government by Bruno Hagspiel

    Emperor Frederick the Great of Germany had a hard time balancing his country's budget. He invited a group of financial experts to a banquet to discuss the situation. He said he could not understand why even with very high taxes, not enough money was coming into the government treasury.
An old general, who was seated at the far end of the table, arose and fished a large lump of ice from the punch bowl. He held the ice for a moment,  then passed it on to his neighbor, asking that it be passed from hand to hand until it reached the emperor. By the time it got to him, it was only about one fifth its original size.
    "The lesson is obvious, my Lord," said the general. "There are too many hands in the government."

---Bruno Hagspiel