The Washington times., 1910-06-01
Taft and Ballinger Determine
ed TO ReorganiZe Recla-
nation Service.
TO EFFECT CHANGE
DURING SUMNER
Efficiency of Military Corps IN
Panama Believed TO Have Caused
President to Favor Plan.
By JAMES HAY, Jr.

One Of the most drastic reforms in
the conduct Of the Governments busi-
ness yet proposed by this Adriinfstra-
ton VIII be put into eject this sum
mer by the appointment Of an army
engineer as director Of the recIama-
ton service in the Interior DeDart-
ment, according to P Plat agreed on
Dy Secretary BaIinEer and the Presi-
dent
Frederick H Newell, the present di-
rector OF the service. has been slated
for dismissal for nearly a year. and
he viii go in July or August.
Up 70 this time. the name OF the
army officer whS VIII take the place
has not been announced and II may
be that no one has been DEFINITELY
chosen So far as could be found ont
today. merely the general plan for q
sweeping reorganization OF the serv-
ice has ben talked over by Mr.. Taft
and Mr. Ballinger.
The news OF the proposed change in
conducting the great reclamation .pro-
Jects Of the country came TO-DAY as q
distinct surprise TO those interested.
While M Newell has q strong fo1Iov--
ing IN the West. in this cftv arG a----,--
the prominent workers in the nafior7sf
CONSERVATION movement. il has beeD
RlttlE Wen understood for some time
tlLdl ne Would have TO leave his present
position Mr BaIIinger, in haS been
hnoWn Tor some time, desires 20 re-
place nm with some other nan
Unprepared for Change.
But few, II any. persons il. Official
NE were prepared for the report that
the Administration is about 10 change
completely the management OF the serv-
Ice oy putting 1t under an army en-
gineer-
II was pointed out this afternoon.
however, that this is in line with The
report, which was current some weeks
ago, that Mr.. Taft believes the army
engineers are Of sCch a high order
OF ability that they should be given
al the employment possible FOR the
Government and that there should ta
established the custom OF calling on
them and detailing them for work
whenever the opportunity offers.
some OF the friends Of M Newell
inclined 10 object 10 the plan. claim
that II VIII result in army engineers
filling ali the subordinate jobs in tha
service, and that there VIII be taken
az ay from the work many men who are
most expert in IT, This, however. is
not contemplated at this time by those
who have formulated the scheme.
Prom time 70 time, there have been
complaints Of too free a use Of money
III the service, and its critics have s. ID
mat better results could be obtains.
for the same amount Of mOney. that Is
spent for this purpose ApuarentTv- hes
criticisms have been back OF AR Bal
lnSer S intention 20 make the change
While IL IS not thought that there VIII
be a total change Of the personnel o.
the engineers working on the projects.
IL IS generally understood that from
time TO time, as the army engineers
gain experience and knowledge Of the
work, they VIII be put into the import
ant posts
Canal Record Pleases.
AIr- Taft has been delighted with the
work done by the army engineers On
the Panama canal. and this may have
been one big reason for his thinking
vel Of the plan to put one Of these
officers In charge Of a service which
eXpends approximately S10,000.O00 a year.
Mr.. BaIlinger is described as believing
that the army engineer selected for the
place viii have little trouble IN master
ing any OF those details Of the work ex-
traneOUs TO the ordinary service In the
army He also believes that. BY calling
on the army for such engineering work.
there viii be built Up a more capable
stan Of men for these projects than
could be obtained from civil life -
Government salaries.
Mr. Newell has been IN the recIama-
ton and kindred work for about twenty
years De first attracted attention by
bis work as chief hydr0gr2pner OF the
Geological Survey. IN 1862 he was made
chief engineer for the reclamation work.
and, when the service was made a sep
arate and Independent bureau. he was
named as its director.
As long ago as last summer the re-
port was printed that he would be let
out OF the service, but TIE Ballinger-
PinchOt row and other matters held Up
such action until the present time
nrCE N CEArTn "a OEE