Evening star., 1920-02-17
STRICT ECONOMY
IN j. s. SERVICE
|SA|M Of SURVEY
Republican Majority in Con-
greSS Favors Committee to
Find "Waste."

Survey of the entire government
service in Washington by a commission.
directly accountable to Congress and
not to the executive branch of the gov
ernment. to see just what duplication
and overlapping there are in the federal
service. SO that the strictest economy
in appropriations can be practiced with
out sacrifice of efficiency. is being seri-
ously considered by the republican ma
Jority in Congress.
The survey at this time is planned in
the interests of economy and efficiency
and. at the same time. as campaign
argument in the coming congressional
elections
Economy" has been taken AS the
slogan of the republicans in preparing
FOR the campaign. The campaign itself
will not start for months. but the party
leaders In Congress are preparing for it
now in framing the work Of Congress,
as basis for claim to reelection.
In carrying out the economy" pro-
gram the republican leaders feel that
appropriations must be held to a mimi
mum Their basis for making appro-
priations is the estimates furnished by
the executive departments. They want
to cut these estimates to the quick. but
they feel they must do it without doing
harm. So they are calling the execu-
tives in and putting them on record
regarding the need for each appropri-
alton asked.
Matter Of Self-Proteetion.
The danger as we see it now" said
q republican leader who is on the ap-
propriations committee, lis that the
departments will go right on spend
ing and the people will hold US to
blame, as we are in control of Con-
gress: 1t is a matter of self-protec-
ton Tor US to guard against this. as
a 6nstry
gress"
Chairman Fess of the republican
congressional committee made his
position on this proposal clear in u
speech on the floor of the House
Chairman Good of the appropriations
committee. and Chairman Wood OF
the subcommittee which has been con
sidering the estimates on the legisls
tive, executive and judicial appropria-
tlon Dill. are seriously considering 4
IN systematic way in the interests OF
real economy and efficiency.
Senator Reed Smoot Of Utah. leader
on the appropriations and finance
committees Of the Senate. has been
studying the problem of overlapping
and duplication and needless waste OF
money by executive departments for
many months.
Members Of the republican steering
committee are eager to further some
terests in preparation for the coming
campaign.
Complete Survey Neeaed.
Congress ought to make a coin
plete survey of the departments to
ascertain the duplication and take ef-
fective steps to elimins1A It." said
member of the steering GUgnmittee.
member of the appropHstaon CON-
mittee and one of the leaders in cam
pafgn policies today. - -
This commission should be ap-
pointed ~ Congress, the authorizing
body, but II must also be made d.
rectly responsible to Congress rather
than to any Of the executive depart
being Investigated" these men in
sisted.
Indication that careful attention in
being given to the selection of this
proposed commission is found in q
statement by one of the republican
leaders in the House who is most in
timately connected with the cam
paign plans. He said: If such
commission could be headed by u man
as well versed in the needs OF the
departments as Marcellus Shields
clerk of the appropriations connie
tee. the information collected woulo
form a basis not only for economic
appropriations, but for legislative re
lief from unjustified demands.
Mr.. Shields has served AS clerk or
the appropriations committee during
the Craftsmanship of Representative
John J. Fitzgerald, democrat. OF New
York; Swagar Sherley. democrat OF
Kentucky, and the present chairman.
Representative James W. Hooo' re
publican, of Iowa.