The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-06-21
ROOSEVELT WOULD MAKE NEW SYSTEM Indicates Too Much Pass ing of the Buck" Is Done
 for Country's Good
Bv AssocIated Presa

Washington, June 20.-Revision of the present methods of making ap- propriations and a reclassification and a redistribution of the work of the various executive departments are rec mended by Assistant Secretary of the Navy Franklin D. Roosevelt in letter to Representative Ireland. republican Illinois, which was made public today at the navy department.
 MT. Roosevelt wrote in reply to an inquiry from MT. Ireland as to whether any congratulations. reforms or con solicitations would be made in the navy department The assistant secretary did not confine himself to that depart ment. He recommended that Congress
 Create true budget system. not the small beginning already attempted
 Consolidate the appropriations in one general committee, with subcom mittees to deal with the separate sub jects.
 Put into law the general princi- pies recommended by the reclassifica tion committees report, together with the authorization of adequate salaries to government employees.
 Invite conference with the execu- tive branch of the government looking g to reclassification and redistribution of the work of the departments.
 Give by law greater authority to the heads of the executive departments in conducting their executive business at the same time holding these heads more directly responsible for the sue cessful administration of their work
 Mir. Roosevelt said that the sen-
 tire system of relationship which
 exists between Congress and the
 executive departments Is funda-
 mentally wrong.
 HANDS TIED
 Congress. for various reasons" he said, has so tied the hands of the executive officers of the government that they have no discretion in the fundamental questions of employment. I do not believe. of course, that the civil service system should be wiped out or that we should return to the 'spoils' system, but there is altogether too much assumption in this govern ment that executive officers will use their authority for political purposes. My own wonder is that, considering the existing circumstances. the em-
  ficient as they are.
 As to consultations of any bureaus so as to increase efficiency MT. Roose- welt said lot of work was being done by the navy department which could properly be transferred to other depart ments.
 After seven years down here in an executive position he continued, T cannot help the conclusion that our governmental methods are cumbersome and wasteful. I am equally frank in telling you that l think the first i'm : provement must come in what is after all the source of government activities. f.e. the legislative branch. I hope you will not take it as a criticism of any individual of this particulaS Congress when I call attention to the very un- wieldly. inadequate and unbusinesslike methods under which the House and Senate of the United States conduct their business. For instance. the navy department has to go before the ap- propriations committee for the money to run the force in Washington. and I can cite numerous instances where the department has fallen between the two fires of the two committees"