The Washington times., 1910-08-03


departments and submit programs OF
how the work OF the Government can
best be done OF absolutely scientific
and business-Iike principles.
Radical Reforms Planned
According 20 officials IN Washington
familiar with what this means, the Ad-
-linistration has committed itself 10 tie
policy Of making the most radical re-
form known 10 the administrative work
OF the Government In all its history
Il VIII touch every Ceps-E LTleTlL and
every bureau OF the service IL VIII ne
carried oLT partly Dy executive orders
and partly by new legislation. It VIII
AFFECT the personnel, the salary plals
the purchasing OF supplies, the foTmA-
ton Of bureaus and divisions, and the
introduction OF business methods uu-
known 10 the Government service I'D 10
this time
1t is the Presidents determination TO
have the reports OF the business experts
before him IN time 10 recommend TO
Congress any changes needed III the laws
70 make the proposed reforms et1ec-I-e-
II IS believed 10 De certain that when
he makes these recommendations, lie
VIII ask that the COnrrIbuUOTy annuity
retirement plan be adopted stimuli ane-
Cusly with the other legislation desired
All who have studied the conditions
IN the service are agreed thar. before
the reforms can be made with any de
gree Of effectiveness there must be eS-
VINO have become so old in their work
as 10 make their output not up 10 the
standard they set when they were
younger Ny. Taft has taken the same
attitude Ever since his Inauguration.
he has demanded more and more econ
Omy IN the executive departments but
up TO this time he has held back from
taking any steps toward diSchaCging
DIaIeQ clerks
Taft Is Determined.
Now, however. according TO the Of
nCials here in his confidence. he has
taken the stand that he VIII try 10 OBJ
tain IN the next session the business re-
forms ne desires and the retirement
plan If the retirement plan fails, he
VIII let Congress take the blame.
IT IS almost impossible 10 describe the
wide reach OF the Presidents Intentions
Already Arthur Young & Co one of
the firms invited b7- Taft 10 submit d
program for higher efficiency i'm all the
departments has done much investigat-
ing IN The Treasury Department as q
unit. Although they have made no Of
fetal report and nothing can be OBJ
tanned officially about their findings. It
was said on good authority today that
me following are some of the reforms
winch may be recommended touching
the Treasury and all the other depart
menus
A central purchasing agency, instead
O. a separate purchasing agent for each
department
a schedule Of schedules for the 7ur-
chase of supplies, SO that each depart
Ee0t shall pay as low prices as the
others for what they need
\ routing bureau" 50 that, when
supplies are ordered from one paTL OF
the country 10 another, any department
concerned may obtain the shortest
route and the cheapest rates
a system of determining accurately
the efficiency abSenteeisu- and record
D. ~ IN -
These are merely few changes
which may affect the other depart
mentS as well as the Treasury. But the
firms invited 10 map out q method for
greater economy and efficiency through
out the whole Government service UiII
have 10 go into each department and
make recommendations for the nnerS-
ing or abandonment OF bureaus. for the
curtailinE Of clerical forces. and for
The general management OF the business
Of each department
Some of these reforms according 10
any particular plan which may be &c
cepted by lEr. TAFT, can be carried cut
by executive order Others VIII have
10 be achieved only through the repeal
or alteration Of existing SraruIeeS. be
cause, owing TO the Ions and rapid
growth of the Government structure
and machinery, II is "a fact that some Of
the old laws require work and methods
Of work TO this day which are cumber-
some and uuu airy