The public ledger. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1913-1968, 1920-11-22
BUREAU REORGANIZATION
PLANNED BY CONGRESS-

Washington. Complete reorgan-
ization of the Government executive
departments is contemplated by the in
coming Republican administration as
among its first moves for betterment.
Among the chief moves in bringing
this about are the abolition of the De-
partment of the Interior and the crea-
ton ia Department of Public Works
and Department of Public Welfare,
with the head of each in the cabinet
For this great change Senator Me-
dill Mccormick, of Illinois. will intro
duce bill at the beginning of the
final session of the present Congress
next month. He has worked out
comprehensive plan.
The functions of the Interior De-
partment have become somewhat min
imized if not obsolete. With the de-
velopment of the West, the General
Land Office is not what it used to be.
Nor is the Office of Indian Affairs. The
Bureau of Pensions has been some
what superseded by the War Risk.
1t is believed by Mccormick that
the Geological Survey, the Reclama-
ton Service and the Bureau of Mines
should be transferred to Department
of Public Works. To this he would
add the river and harbor work now
done by the War. Department, and
such other bureaus as would fit in.
To the Department of Public We'll
fare he would give the Bureau of Ed
ucation, the functions of which would
be greatly enlarged; the Women's Blu
reau in the Department of Labor, all
units which touch upon the condition
of women and children land other and
newer functions.
While ii is true that all bureaus and
departments of the Federal Govern
ment are supposed to subserve the
public Welfare, and while the suggest
ed name of Department of Public We'll
fare may be different when the law is
finally enacted by Congress, this De-
partment will take over all the social
work of the Government, including
the Bureau of War Risk.
1t is the idea Of the Republican
party leaders to develop good roads as
much as possible, and this would be
one of the chief duties of the Depart
ment OF Public Works. The depart
ment which Senator Harry New, OF
Indiana, had in mind for the develop
ment of aircraft, would probably be
carried out in the Public Works end
though probably reduced to bureau
With full power in the House, Sen.
ate and presidency, the Republicans IL
Congress are looking forward to {
; constructive program. During the pas
4 year they have been handicapped by ,
majority Of only two in the Senate
and by q President and cabinet who'll,
at variance with them. But after tn
4th of March, they will be able to car
ry their views into full effect Thu
one Of the first measures to &
through, and probably without change
will be the budget bill. This wa
vetoed by President Wilson because
slightly diminished his power; that
1t made subject to the will of Congress
: the taxing and approprating power Q
the Government, the auditor genera
who would see to the prevention @
waste through overlapping estimates
1t is likely, too, that now that tn
Republicans are coming into full pow
er they will see that there will be a
entire Redistribution of the Govern
ment departmental clerks, and in fac
VI all employees Of the Government
Some Of the salaries paid are at tn
: same rate as in 1860. Then, too, tn
departments are VIGOROUSLY out O
date in many of their methods. Thi
fact, together with the incompetency
waste and high-handednes of tn
Wilson administration from top tt
bottom, has made necessary a com
plete reorganization, which will b