Arizona republican., 1911-12-02
Economy Board, Proceeding Under Executive Instruc tlons, Will File Its Report About the End of Decem- Der.
INQUISITORS FOUND
 MANY LAX METHODS
All These Will be Corrected With the Result That a Large Amount of Money Will be Saved to the Gov ernment.

WASHINGTON. Dec. Tt has be- mission on economy and efficiency in the government has found a large percentage of wasted energy in every department of the government, and when finally checked by the applica- tion of modern business methods the s30O.OOO,00O saving estimated by for mer Senator Aldrich will have been not far wrong. While the report will not be made to the president until the end of December. the findings of the board will be about along these lines. it was stated:
 Just what the general average of waste is has not been struck, but a comparatively small percentage on the enormous business conducted will reach staggering figures in the aggre- gate
 It takes more than billion dollars d year to run the ordinary affairs of the government. In addition. about three. billions more pass in and out of tlfe departments The commission has found that with every movement of these tremendous amounts there is waste, and that wasted effort in vOlving waste of money has grown up around every function of the na- tiOnal administration.
 Too many false motions in the con- duct of the governments business, too much use of the hands and not enough of the head. together with the hampering of administrative re- form by the tenacious hold of archaic methods. is said to be at the root of the trouble
 For instance. the commission has discovered that no fewer than eight cen intricate and entirely different systems of bookkeeping are in vogue in the treasury department. This recessitates the same work being done over again at great cost in time and labor The board will recommend that this complex system be simpli- fled into one system.
 The congressional pork barrel' will come in for the commissions con- demnatiOn. The greater part of the annual distribution of about s60.000.- OO0 in congressional district appro-
 
 waste. with further waste occurring in the handling of each portion which the district gets. The commission will recommend that such appropriations. where the work is not of consequen- tial value. shall cease.
 The same conflict of method, and in many instances duplication of work. that exists in the treasury depart ment has been found throughout The waste does not exist in Washington alone but extends wherever the gov ernment sails a ship or has a task. In some places the waste is compara tively trivial. and in others the aver age is brought up by the existence of costs that can be totally elimi mated.
 In conjunction with the plans of Secretary of the Navy Meyer to place his department on a better business basis. the commission has worked out an elaborate report. in which the executive can find the needless de- tails of administration and eliminate them. The same plan is to be ap- piled to other departments.
 Prof Frederick Cleveland and those with him on the commission have been quietly pursuing their work. and will not discuss results. Their report is to be made direct to the president for his action.