Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-04-02
Proposed Redistribution of
Scientific Bureaus.
VIEWS OF PROF. MCGEE
DUPLICATION OF WORK FOR THE
GOVERNMENT.
Utility Of the Contemplated Depart
ment Of Commerce-House Com
mittee Hearing.

The House committee on commerce has
h, eH presented with proposition. which, II
adopted, will result in complete reorganl-
zat ton and Reconsideration of all of the many
scientific bureaus and branches of the gov
eminent service, the reorganization to be
made by the President during the next fis-
cal year.
The plan was presented recently by Pro-
fcssor W MCGEE of the bureau of
American ethnology IN the form of an
amendment proposed to the bill Great
ing the new department of commerce
and labor 1t was Endorsed by Professor
q. Pinchot chief of the bureau of forestry
v no declared Professor MCGEE the most
competent person connected with the gov
eminent service to advise along these lines
Astronomical and Scientific Work.
Astronomical work is carried on he
observed, mot only in the Naval Observa-
tory and the nautical almanac office OF the
Navy Department, but also in the coast
and geodetic survey of the Treasury De-
partment and the geological survey of the
Interior Department. as we'll as in the
Smithsonian Institution: while expert work
IN physics, including magnetism and al
lied branches is conducted in the coast and
geodetic survey. the geological survey. the
Smithsonian Institution. the naval obserya-
standards and incidentally in other bu-
reaus. Similarly, chemical researches are
conducted and requisite labora tories are
maintained in the Agricultural Department
the geological survey and the National
Museum. while certain chemical work will
be required in the new bureau of standards
In Ike manner, various branches of bio
logic work will he conducted I'm the bio
logical survey and other branches of the
Department of Agriculture, in the fish COM
mission, In the National Geological Park
and. to some extent. IN the forestry work
of the Interior Department, while cognate
researches in paleontolOgy are carried on
In the geological survey. So, also, topo-
graphic surveys are made by more or less
discrepant methods in the coast and geo.
detic survey and in the geological survey,
while stream gauging and other hydro
graphic work connected with irrigation and
Hoods is done independently by the geo.
!ogicai survey the weather bureau and the
irrigation office of the Agricultural Depart
ment. as well as by agencies connected
with the War Department.
The overlapping of functions is espe-
claily conspicuous in connection with sta
tistlcs; the leading agency Is the census of
flee. but allied work is conducted in the
division OF statistics of the Agricultural
DEPARTMENT. in the division Of statistics
OF the geological survey, In the bureau of
statistics of the Treasury Department In
the statistical branch Of the weather bu-
reau and fish commission, and in some
measure In the department of labor
said, was being carried on independently by
the geological survey and by one Of the
most important bureaus IN the Agricultural
department Other Implications We're also
mentioned, after which the professor ex-
planned that he did not wish to be under
stood as IN any way criticising either the
work OF these different bureaus or the
duplicated organizations. The whole sys-
TEN was a matter OF natural growth. and
the results obtained had been highly salts
factory.
Prof. MCGEE argued. however, that the
time was ripe for reorganization OF the
scientific work of the government This
reorganization. he commended was purely an
executive function. and should be con-
ducted by the President.
The Proposed Plan.
IL line with this, Prot. McGee offered
two amendments to the pending bln Great
ing the new department, one authorizing
the President during the fiscal year ending
June 30. 1903, to transfer any OF the scien-
fifc bureaus of the government TO the de-
partment OF commerce or to any other de-
partment, and the other. an alternative
proposition authorizing the appointment of
a commission Of five persons familiar with
the scientific work Of the goyernment-two
OF whom should be selected by the Presi-
dent two by the Senate and one by the
blouse The duties of this commission
would be to consider the whole subject and
recommend to the President a definite plan
iIoi 6a4I<iHS Tie SCieHllHC bureaus or
fhe government. after which the President
should act on the matter in his discretion.
Chairman Hepburn endeavored to get
Prof. MCGEE TO outline q problematical re-
arrangement along the lines suggested but
The professor suggested that his argument
was all TO show that the subject was one
for careful and prolonged consideration.
and he would rather not anticipate the
matter. although he said he had given the
subject careful consideration
Prof. G. PinChot. chief of the bureau OF
forestry, followed Prof. MCGEE, indorsing
5llS project for a Encouragement OF the
EcI.nLLHc bureaus Of the Rnyernnent