Evening star., 1920-11-25
SOCIAL WELFARE
BRANCH IN CABINET
PROPOSED BY BILL
Kenyon Has Measure Ready
to Present When Con-
- gress Convenes.
IF PASSED, WOMAN MAY
BE NAMED BY HARDING
Secretary on Same Footing as Other
Members; Would Take Over
Work of Many Bureaus.

A new executive department, with
q cabinet officer at it's head, to De
known as the department of social
welfare, is proposed in bill prepared
by Senator Kenyon Of Iowa for intro
duction when Congress meets.
Such department has been strong
Nv. advocated by the women OF the
country, and President-elect Harding.
during the campaign, announced ms
sympathy for such an establishment.
Senator Kenyon is chairman of the
Senate committee on education ana
labor and has given much study to
Questions involving improved social
conditions of the people.
Would Get $4,000 Salary.
The head of the department of So
cial welfare would be on the same
footing as other G cabinet ofhesrs' @ Win
yon bill provides the machinery to DE
used and specifies, in part, the person-
mel of the department. including an
assistant secretary, to be appointed by
the President, at a salary OF $4,000:
The bill provides that it shall,be the
duty Of the department to- safe
guard and promote the social Wel1are
of the people of the United States.
Many Of the bureaus, divisions ana
branches of the public service now un-
der various other departments are to be
transferred to the department OF social
welfare.
From the Treasury Department it is
proposed to transfer to the new depart
ment the public health service, and the
hygienic laboratory.
From the Interior Department it is
proposed to transfer the bureau OF
From the Department of Labor it is
proposed to, transfer the children's bu-.
reau, the woman's bureau. the bureau
of industrial housing and the United
states employment service.
From the Department of Agriculture
-H ID proposed to transfer the bureau OF
home ecOnonics. = 4
GsHhsstlg sf ststtstica r
Il % aiso proposed to place, sther
United States employees compensation
commtssion, now an independent. com-
mission, under the new department..
Any appropriations that may have
been made for tlress yafic1g bureaus
the bill creating the proposed social
welfare department. is passed would
be turned over to the new department.
The secretary Of social welfare. UNI
der the bill. is to have control OF the
work of gathering and distributing
subjects confined to his department.
He is authorized to rearrange the sta
tistical work Of the bureaus and Of
fees transferred to his department
andysto Consolidate any of these sta
tistical bureaus when advisable. All
the records OF these bureaus and di-
visions are to be transferred to the
department of social welfare.
1t the close of each fiscal year the
secretary of social welfare would
make a report to Congress. giving an
account of all the money received and
expended by his department., and de-
scribing the work done. and making
such recommendations as may appear
necessary to him.
Transfers Employees.
All oficers, clerks and employees OF
the existing bureaus and divisions
proposed to be Transferred to the de-
partment Of social welfare are to be
transferred at their present salaries
and grade.
The President 10 authorized. under
one section Of the Kenyon bill. to
transfer at any time the whole or any
part Of any bureau, division or branch
of the public service engaged in work
relating to the social welfare OF the
people from any other executive de-
bartment Of the government to the
proposed new department.
The act Is to take effect upon its
passage and approval by the Presi-
dent. 1t is provided. however. that
the provisions of the act relating to
the transfer Of any existing bureau
welfare shall take effect on the first
day of July following the passage of
the act-upon the first day Of the
new fiscal year.
II has been suggested that Mr..
Harding will name a woman as a
is to be done, it is not unlikely, it is
said, that he will appoint a woman
as secretary of social welfare, pro-
vided such a department is created.