The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-02-24

The biggest proposition ever
undertaken by the UEted States
government will be inaugurated as
soon as Senator Aldrich's bill pro-
viding for the creation of gov
ernment business methods commits
sion becoHes a law.
The bill will be passed, Sena-
tor Aldrich declared yesterday to
a reporter for The Washington
Herald. and Senator Bourne added
the information that majority of
the Senators are deeply interested
in. and in favor of, the passage of
the measure. Senator Aldrich an
nounced in the Senate on Monday
that the President approves of the
bill and the thing it aims to do.
The measure, as it now stands, pro-
vides for the appointment OF three sens-
tors By the Vice Pr sident and three
Representatives by the Speaker of the
House as the commission TO study the
business methods of the government. OBJ
lection having been made by Senator's to
the appointment Of three men by the Pres
ident from the country at large. on the
ground that Congress is perfectly able to
do the work to be done
Amendment for Experts Pay.
It IS likely that an amendment to the
measure VIII be made when 1t comes up
for consideration. It is now on the Sen
ate calendar. This amendment viii pro-
vide a fund for the payment Of experts
TO study and report TO the commission on
the methods of administration now in use
by the government
Senator Aldrich believes that the work
to be undertaken by this commission will
be one of the greatest, If not the greatest,
public service ever performed for the
United States. It was this belief that
led him TO declare on the floor OF the
Senate on Monday that If he ran this
gdNernment as a business man he would
save the country 3O0,0o0,000 a year.
He Is firmly convinced that the United
States government has outgrown .ts pres
ent methods Of doing business. He calls
them obsolete. He believes there is wide
spread duplication Of work among the
executive departments. His aIlusion 70 g
= hoa- de
TO show whether OF not money could be
saved by giving the work Of one bureau
to another bureau to do was the case oi
the employment of help in the issue di-
vision Of the Treasurer's Office to print
yellow. blue. or red seals on United States
notes and put serial numbers on the bills
when it was found that the work could
be done in the Bureau Of Engraving and
Printing without any increase Of force
and simultaneously with the printing Of
the money, thus saving the government
$4,000 a year and giving an actual in
crease In the volume of work done.
Agricultural Estimates.
Senator Aldrieh also believes that ther.
is a lack Of cooperation on the part o.
Congressional committees in handling ap
preparation hills which could be over
come by intelligent recommendations o
the business methods commission. In
stances OF this have been found in tn,
estimates for the Agricultural Depart
ment, in which there was lack OF co
operation between the Committee on Agri
culture and the Committee on Appropria
tons
When the attention of Senator Bourn,
was directed to the proposed bushes,
methods commission yesterday he re
marked that it was a s4ject to whjc!
he had given much thought. and which
he had discussed with many Senator'S
who. like himself. had at heart a patri
otic business mans interest in the splen
did growth Of the country.
The United States government is
great big business concern" Senate,
Bourne said, "and il is about time tha
We began to treat It as such. The func
ton Of this bill is to ascertain existIn.
methods In governmental operations
Every two years. or three years, at most
the big business concerns of the coun
try, corporations, ard firms. send for ex
perts In auditing and methods and ex
anime into their past and present wa,
of doing things. to see how this can b
pruned away or that can be improved
The matter Of auditing and Improvement
Continued on Page ., Column 6.