Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-16
BUREAU COM EES
RECoMMENDATIoNs OF KEEP
COMMISSION TO PRESIDENT.

The committee on department methods,
Of which Assistant Secretary Keep is chair
man, has made a report to President
Roosevelt recommending the creation of de-
partment and bureau committees. After
studying the work OF these committees a
long time the commission concludes that
much good may come from them.
The commission says that bureau COM
mittees often propose new plans and sug-
gest greatly improved methods over those
actually in use. Careful and deliberate
work is generally done. 1t Is agreed. how
ever, that the committees system is not a
cure-all for governmental shortcomings
and that 1t is often overdone Hence the
permanent committees Of a bureau or de-
partment should be few" The work of a
committee. 1t is pointed out. should never
be administrative and solely advisory
The Recommendations.
The recommendations are as follows:
The creation of a committee in each de-
partment to be known as the committee
on business methods. This should be a
small committee, usually of not more than
three members. who should be selected.
usually, from the chiefs Of division or
heads Of bureau. who are notably strong
as administrators and whose offices are
using modern business methods. The duty
OF the committee on business methods
should be to report to the Secretary per-
Sonally, as he may direct, plans for new
methods Of routine business, or changes in
systems of bookkeeping, correspondence,
filing and office procedure generally, as well
as to undertake specific duties within its
field assigned to it by the Secretary. 1t
will be the definite duty of this committee
to know thoroughly the business methods
prevailing In the various Offices Of the de-
partment. to investigate them when neces-
RI n,d m, tic fv&Gt ~,
tive advisable changes or notifications in
these methods to the Secretary.
Committees in Each Service.
1. The creation of a committee in each
service, bureau or independent division, to
be known respectively as the service, bu-
reau or division committee. Its member
ship should include all officers who report
directly to the chief Of the bureau, divis-
ion or service. This committee should meet
at least once week. The chief should be
Its chairman.
The work Of the committee should be adj
visory only. It should make definite rec
concentrations, but the power of final de-
cision should rest, where 1t belongs, with
the administrative head Of the bureau. The
purpose Of this committee is to promote
cooperation by all the subdivisions in the
promotion and advancement of the work
of the bureau-in brief, to promote team
work."
~ HQlCdt0 moro Clearly the scope OF the
work Of such committee the following order
of business Is suggested:
% Statement by chiefs of new, current
or proposed work or methods.
(2) Reports Of subcommittee which may
from time to time be appointed to consider
or investigate special subjects.
(3) Miscellaneous business.
Topics for consideration under this title
fall into the following heads:
(a) Cooperation.
(b) Coordination Of work.
(c) Business methods.
Ia Policy.
2. The creation OF o committee on busi-
ness methods In each service, bureau or d.
vision, composed Of members Of the service,
bureau or division committee The organi-
zation and duties OF this committee should
be the same as those Of the department
committee on business methods. This is
only applicable to large bureaus with COM
plicated organization and large personnel.
In most bureaus this committee could be
dispensed with and the work covered by
the bureau committee above described.
Ono Department Committee.
One Of the executive departments has re-
Gently organized q general department COM
nittee, headed py the Secretary. and made
up Of his principal subordinates, such as
assistant secretaries and heads Of tmpor-
tant divisions and bureaus. This commit
tee Is to meet regularly. Its purpose IL In
general the same as that Of the bureau
committee hereinbefore described, to pro-
mote cooperation, to improve methods to
develop team work" and avoid conflict
and duplication. To US this seems a most
promising step, with great possibilities in
1t for the betterment of the government
service. We fully recognize the difference
in departments and the differences in tenn
permanent and business methods Of the men