The Washington times., 1912-01-17
Taft in Message Urges Congress Continue Economy Commission

tcular undertakings; nor in such O way
as TO make possible the exercise OF in
telligent judgment regarding the dis
cret!on displayed In making expenditure
obtained when contrasted with the sac
ritiCes required.
am convinced that results which are
really worth while cannot be secured,
part through the prosecution at irrcgu-
lar intervals of special inquiries bearing
on particular services or features of
admia'sirati1n admin The benefits thus ,o OBJ
problem OF good administration Is not
one that can be solved at one time. 1t
Is continuously present one.
Plan of the Work.
In accordance with my instructions,
the commission on economy and ef-
flciency, which I organized to aid me in
the inquiry, has directed it's efforts pri-
marily to the formulation OF concrete
recommendations looking to the better
ment of the fundamental conditions
under which governmental operations
must be carried on. With basis thus
laid, 1t has proceeded 10 the prosecu-
tion of detailed studies of individual
services and classes of work, and of
particular practices and methods, push
ing these studies as far. and covering as
many points and services as the re-
permitted.
In approaching its task 1t has divided
the work into Ave fields of inquiry hav-
ing to do respectively with organiza-
tion. personnel, business methods, ac-
counting and reporting. and the budget.
Organization.
I have stated that the Congress. the
President. and the administrative Of
iicers are attempting to discharge the
duties with which they are intrusted
without full information as to the
agencies through which the work OF the
Government Is being performed. TO
provide more complete Information on
this point the commission has submitted
to me a report on the organization of
the Government as II existed July 1,
1911. This report, which Is transmitted
herewith, shows In great detail, by
means or outlines. not only the depart
ments, commissions. bureaus. and Of
performs its varied activities, but also
the sections, shops field stations, ETC.,
constituting the subordinate divisions
through which the work is actually
done, 1t shows for the services at
Washington each station and point at
which any activity of the Government
is carried on.
Outlines of Organization.
From these outlines it is possible to
determine not only how each depart
ment, bureau, and operating unit, such
as q navy yard, is organized. but also
by classifying these units by character
and geographical location, the number
Of units of like character that exist
at Washington. and the number and
character Of services of the Govern
ment in each city or other point in the
United States. With this information
available, 1t is possible to study any
particular activity or the problem of
maintaining services at any given city
or point.
Information Of this character has
never before been available. Admins
trative officials have been called upon
to discharge their duties without that
full knowledge Of the machinery under
their direction which rs so necessary to
the exercise of effective control; much
less have they had information regard
might be made use of. Under such CIR
cumstances each service Is compelled to
rely upon itself. to build up its own
organization. and to provide it's own
facilities regardless of those in existence
This outline has been prepared on the
loose-leaf system, so that 1t is possible
to keep 1t revised to date at little or no
eNpeHSes Inc OulIlHe lnuS u
work Of permanent value.
Plan of Organization.
With this outline as a basis, the COM
mission has entered upon the prepara-
ton Of three series of reports. The first
series deals with the manner in which
the services OF the Government should
be grouped In departments. This Is q
matter of fundamental importance. 1t
is only after q satisfactory solution Of
this problem that many important
measures Of reform become possible.
Only by grouping services according to
their character can substantial progress
be made in eliminating duplication OF
work and plant and proper working
relations be established between serv-
ices engaged in similar activities. Until
the head Of a department is called upon
to deal exclusively wish matters falling
in but one or very few distinct
fields. effective supervision and control
Is impossible. As long as the same de-
partment embraces services SO diverse
the management OF public finances,
Standardization Of accounting methods
and Of other business practices Is ex-
ceedingly difficult of attainment.
So dependent are other reforms upon
the proper grouping Of services that I
have instructed the commission to indi-
cate in its report the changes which
should be made in the existing organi-
SatlOn ana TO DTOCeSu tHS game way
as would far-seeing architects or engi-
neers in planning for the Improvement
and development OF great city. My
desire is to secure and to furnish to the
Congress IL scheme Of organization that
can be used az a basis OF discussion and
action for years to come.
In the past services have been created
one by one as eXigencies have seemed
to demand, with little or nc reference
to any scheme Of organization of the
Government as a whole. am convinced
that the time has come when the Gov
crnment should take stock of all its
activities and agencies and formulate
q comprehensive plan with reference ia
which future changes may be made
The report of the commission Is being
prepared with this idea IN mind. When
completed 1t will be transmitted to the
Congress. The Recommendations VIII
be Of such a character that they can be
acted upon one by one II they commend
themselves 20 the Congress and as
action in regard to any one OF them Ia
deemed to be urgent.
Reports on Services.
The second and third series of reports
deal, respectively. with the organiza-
ton and activities of particular services
and the form of organization for the
performance of particular business
operations.
One Of the reports of the second Sc.
ries Is upon the Revenue Cutter Ser
vice. which costs the Government ovel