The Detroit times., 1910-06-15
To LOSE NEWELL
WOULD Be FATAL
CHARLES WHITING BAKER.
Leading Authority Says Plan To Put
Army officer in Charge Would
Injure Reclamation Service.
eY ROBERT =. WILSON.

WASHINGTON, June 1.-THE en-
gineering profession of America does
not like the proposed administration
plan to take the reclamation service
away from the civil engineers and
turn 1t over to the army engineers.
Charles Whiting Baker, OF New
York, editor of the Engineering News
and one of the leading civil engineers
OF America, voiced the dissatisfaction
of the engineers over the contemplated
change. In answer to question as to
what his fellow engineers thought OF
the Taft-Ballinger reclamation service
ihouse-cleaning plans, he said:
The best answer l can make tC
that question is that civil engineers
all over the country, judging from the
letters that | receive, regard the pro
position as most humiliating to their
profession. They freely recognize the
high standing of many Of the army en-
gineers. Many of these men, in fact.
are members of tire engineering So
cieties and are highly regarded by
their civilian associates. But with full
recognition OF the admirable character
of much of the work which has been
done by the army engineers, II must be
admitted that the system on which
that work is organized is not one with
which civil engineers are at all sell
fish. Ii is not one which promotes
economy and efficiency in the organ
ization.
The engineering profession has
taken deep interest In the reclama-
tion service. Here was a great field
of engineering construction carried on
by the government under conditions
which made possible the building UP
Of an efficient organization of civilian
engineers. Here was position In the
government service where an engi-
neer could obtain his start without po-
litical pull, and obtain promotion from
step TO step by his energy and ability.
1T has often been claimed that the
government could not carry on any
great works of engineering construc-
ton because of the constant tendency
toward corruption and inefficiency.
The reclamation service. however. as
built up under Frederick Fl. Newell,
has been an object lesson OF the pos
sibilities in the development of gov
eminent engineering bureau.
Under these circumstances, the an
nounced intention of Secretary Balm
ger, almost as soon as he assumed Of
fee. to remove Newell and reoreanize
the service TO suit his own ideas, was
q matter OF the deepest dlsappoint-
ment TO engineers everywhere. But
the disappointment at Newell's re-
moval would be multiplied tenfold II
some army engineer were to be put in
his place. Ii was felt that the govern.
ment has no use for and no respect
for the civil engineering profession;
that the civil engineer In government
service in the future is to be nothing
but a highly skilled laborer: that the
path of promotion to positions of high
responsibility and honor Is TO be per-
manently closed to him."
Gould not the army engineers han
die the reclamation work efficiently?
They have had no experience in
irrigation work or In the administra-
ton OF irrigation works. which is the
future great task of the reclamation
service, and they already have all the
work they can do, and do well. in con-
nection with river and harbor improve
ments. do not believe these officials
as a class look with. any favor upon
the proposal to add entirely new
fields OF work TO their burdens"
Has the reclamation service under
Newell been efficiently conducted?"
1T certainly Is the belief of the ell
cheering profession generally that CTS
work has been efficient. or II would
never have given him such unanimous
support.
"It Is a fact that the irrigation en-
gineer has a peculiarly difficult task.
Irrigation work even under private en-
terprise. where the engineer Is free
from the many hampering limitations
which exist with government work.
shows a record replete with failures.
! An angel from heaven could not run
an irrigation project and please every
body--there are too many conflicting
interests"