The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1920-11-17
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

BY DAVID LAWRENCE.
Especial Despatch to The Reformer.)
Copyright 1920.
WASHINGTON, Nov. l7.-If Presi-
dent Elect Harding will select his cab
met by February l or Whereabouts and
will send his 10 associates to Washing
ton, they will find the 10 cabinet officers
of the Wilson administration glad to ia
miliarize the new cabinet officials with all
| the routipe of the government depart
ment. This suggestion which is not
| prompted by the Wilson administration
! bat has been talked about III official cir
! cles by persons who want to see the
transfer Of government accomplished with
| the least annoyance and inconvenience to
| the American people really emanates from
| those who constantly have business be-
| fore the government departments and also
/ fear that if the ordinary procedure is fol-
| lowed, 1t will be April or May before ac-
/ ton can be obtained on pending matters.
Usually it takes a new cabinet officer at
| least a month to learn the routine Of his
! department. During that period he Is de
| pendent upon subordinate ofncials whom
| he does not know. They put documents
\ before hun to sign and he must either
Il give his approval or take the responsible
Ity for delay,
H In some cases. matters are urgent and
Y there j. no other course but To take the
II advice NJ departmental subordinates
Il When President Wilson was elected IN
Il 1912, Secretary Knox realized the imDOr
/ lance of getting early operation between
| the out going and incoming admiuiStra
tions especially ON the Mexican situation
which Was then acute. Huntington VII
sCE. assistant secretary or state was SO
tH IN ms q g-4TI al
about peudiu" matters. However there
Is no comparison between the number q
vital questions which ms a consequence
Of the war are before the government de
Tartments today and the routine matters
Of eight years ago. For instance. tho
treasury department Is in many respects
even more important than the depart
ment of state nowadays because the n
nauceS of the whole world bear a Tela
tlouship to the action Of the United State
treasury. A months time spent by tin
now secretary of treasury before he aCtu
ally assumes responsibility would be in
valuable. Indeed, there IL no reason why
all the time between the November elec
tion and Inauguration should not be EN-
plOyed by members Of the new adnpnlT
tration in studying closely the problems
they are to tackle later on. The ncum
bent administration would have no obleC
ton to opening all files and furnishing al
data. In fact, IN a good many cases. Thu
interests Of the United States government
y would he better protected If there wer
conference between the two AmrlCan ad
ministrations. In several cases. foreigner
have attempted to take advantage of tn
transition period to further their own in
i teTests.
The whole thing is purely a matter o
courtesy and Is not covered by any pan
4 ticular precedent. In some cases cabine
II officers have stayed on after their sue
\ cesSOrs were appointed. but while assist
q ancc has been helpful the TespOnsibilItie
81 of the new official dates from the momen
n he takes the oath of office and he has n
time for research or investigation I
s. month or two before the inauguration al
I fords a better opportunity TO get hold c
| routine questions because it Is a sort {
slack period in government. When one
| a new administration is installed the az
J alanche begins. Otiice-seekers, and ,polI1
y zeal friends COnsume time that shout
otherwise be devoted TO learning tn
ropes Many a cabinet official has bee
in a daZe for weeks after he took Office
| simply because he has no time to get hi
bearings but must take immediate respor
sibilitv for everything III his own d.
1t Is also suggested that President-EleC
| Harding would be materially assisted
his 10 cabinet officers were already fam
lar with the detail of pending question
when the first cabinet meeting Is called
There il no political disadvantage
the scheme as the Democratic admini
tration is responsible for everything tina
| is done in the name of the United State
| Government until noon Of March fOurt
but there is Il decided advantage to til
public at large because the transfer
government nowadays will not he as sin
De as it used to be before the war. u
less some such plan Is adopted the govern
ment departments will practically stan
still for many weeks. while the new cal
= met officers Try to accustom themselvt
y to their new surroundings and maste
= the complexities of government business