The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1918-02-16
PRESIDENT WILL
URGE OVERMAN
BILL PASSAGE

Washington, Feb. 16-The admin
lstration measure to coordinate the
government bureaus, commissions
and divisions for the more efficient
and scientific prosecution of the war
will be taken up by the sub-commit-
tee of the Senate judiciary committee
next week.
President Wilson is determined that
this legislation shall be enacted. After
a conference with Senator Overman
next week on the proposed amend
ments, he will confer with other Sem
ators and ask them to support the
principles of the bill.
A correspondent was authorized
by high official yesterday, to state
that Postmaster General Burleson did
not frame the bill, but after it had
been drawn up by the Attorney Cen
eral, with the approval Of War De-
partment and Navy Department Off
Gals, President Wilson asked Mr.
Burleson, who has acted for six years
as his legislative agent at the Capt.
tol, to give copies of it to Senators
Overman and Martin. Representative
Kitchin and others.
ask for any powers in this proposed
legislation. He has stated he has all
the authority needed to make desired
reforms in his department and he will
carry out his programme whether this
legislation passes or not. He is en-
thusiastic in his support of the meas
ure, and his friends say he would not
object to a provision saying it does
not apply in any way to his depart
ment.
Senator Overman says that Sena-
tors who heretofore opposed the bill
have notified him that, with a few
notifications, they will support it.
The World obtained the following an
alysis of the measure from friend
of the Administration:
1. 1t does not confer any addi-
tionaI power upon the President.
2. 1t has for its purpose an eff
fective utilization of powers al
ready conferred upon the Executive,
! being exercised through various bu-
reaus, commissions and divisions.
8. By reason of legislative restric-
tons, many of them carried in ap-
preparation bills, imposed by Con-
gress on these various bureaus, com
missions and divisions, the Chief Elk
I ecutive is unable to utilize to the best
advantage the powers heretofore con-
ferred.
4, If the bill becomes law these re-
strictions would be removed and the
| President, through proper co-ordina-
ton and systematization, can utilize
| TO n
vantage, and he will be able to Sc
cure despatch in the government:
| business.
Chairman Sherley of the HOUSE
Committee on Appropriations called
attention in the House today to the
Legislation that has caused trouble
in the departments and to remedy
which the Coordination Bill was
drafted.
"You had to trust those officials il
the expenditure of these appropria
TONS" he said. "'Then you would
turn around and specify to the las
degree how many people they should
have as clerks in their offices. You
gave them control over millions ant
millions, and said You are not wor
thy of being trusted to say whethel
you ought to have five or sever
clerks in the administration of tina
fund If you can get folly wors'
than that have yet to see it.
What has been the result? Wher
the war broke there happened jus
what I prophesied three years agt
would happen-a breakdown at tn
desk of those administrative officers
not because they were inefficient, no
because the government was not eff.
ficient in the sense that term is or
dinarily used, but because Congress
had refused for years to give a sui
ficient corps to be capable of ex
banding quickly and dealing with
great matter such as we thrust upol
them. Every man who wants to b.
honest must admit it."
/ Senator Kirby of Arkansas an
nounced that in the near future h
will discuss the Overman bill in tn
Senate with view to showing it EN-
bodies the principles of the Munitions
Bill, advocated by Senator Chamber
lain, Chairman of the Senate Mill
tary Affairs Committee, and other
He will argue that the Administra
! ton measure is a much better propo
sition than that presented by the Mil
itary Affairs Committee.