The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1912-04-10

requiring the use OF marine craft ana
that provision be made for the per.
formance OF the work now being done
by it by such other services.
With these fundamental recommen
dations of the commission am I'm full
accord, and recommend that the nee.
essary action be enacted to put them
into effect.
At the present time the revenue cut.
ter service is organized as a naval es.
tabllshment. The country is in effect
maintaining two navies and Is using
one of these navies for the perform
ance Of duties of q civil character
The maintenance OF two separate ma.
val establishments entails unnecessary
expense and is not In the interest of
either efficiency or economy. In so far
as the duties OF the revenue cutter
service are of a naval character or are
such as can readily be performed by
the regular naval establishment, they
should be performed by such estab-
lishment: In so far as they are of a
purely civil character use should be
Quoted upon civil basis.
In respect to the distribution of the
equipment and duties of the revenue
cutter service among other branches
of the government. the recommenda-
ton of the commission looks to the
transfer to the navy department Of
the vessels which are adapted to deep
sea cruising and the discharge by the
naval establishment OF most of the du-
ties now performed by the revenue
cutter service upon the high seas. In
memoranda submitted on the report of
the commission. copies of which are
submitted with such report, on the
one hand the secretary of the navy
raises the question as to whether these
duties can be performed by the regu-
lar naval establishment without de-
tracing from its military efficiency.
while on the other hand the secretary
of commerce and labor raises the
question whether certain of these du-
ties cannot be performed by the light
house service If that service Is provid-
ed with vessels suitable for the DUR
pose.
In view Of these suggestions rec
ommend that in the enactment of leg
islation providing for the abolition of
the revenue cutter service provision be
made for the transfer of all the YES
sells and equipment of the revenue cut
ter service from the treasury depart
ment to the department of commerce
and labor; that the secretary of COM
merce and labor be directed to assign
such vessels and equipment to the
lighthouse establishment, bureau of
fisheries and other services under his
jurisdiction requiring the use of yes
sells as, in his Judgment. Is for the best
interest Of the public service, and that
be given to him to turn over
to the navy such vessels as he may
find upon investigation not to be re-
quired by his department and which
by their character are fitted to serve
as useful nuXiliaries to the naval es-
In thus recommending that the reve-
nue. cutter service as separate estab-
lishment be abolished / desire to make
plain that such action does not carry
with it the discontinuance Of the rem
derins of any valuable and proper
service now being rendered by that or
ganization. On the contrary, am per-
Suaded that all such services will con-
tinue to be performed under the sys-
tenn recommended by me with equal
Or greater efficiency.
1t should be noted that the adoption
Of the recommendation here made will
result in bringing under one general
administration all of the work of the
government having to do with the pro-
lection OF life and property at sea.
This will result not only In greatly in
creased efficiency. but In q large saw
ing. The lighthouse establishment is
by the nature of the work
to maintain and operate a large fleet
1f vessels and supplementary ad-
divisions, depots, inspec-
ion services ETC., to attend to mat
.ers pertaining to their business man.
igement. 1t is thus fully prepared
20 take over and operate the additional
that may be assigned to it and
% perform the additional duties with
which 1t may be intrusted at an added
expense that will be small in compari-
son with that now entailed in main
aiming an independent service on q
military basis.
A further benefit of no little impor-
.ance that will also be secured will be
.hat of relieving the department of the
treasury of duties which are in no
ways germane to the primary function
If that department.
The Consolidation Of Auditing Offices.
The report upon the organization and
methods of work of the accounting Of
ices Of the treasury (appendiI No. y
recommends that the Offices of the six
auditors be consolidated under one au-
litor and that the auditors Of customs
accounts located at the principal ports
ind known as naval officers be made
assistants TO the auditors. An increase
n the efficiency Of the treasury audit
will be one result of the carrying out
II these recommendations, and the saw