Evening star., 1920-03-12
WOULD HARMON|zE
FEDERAL SERVICE
QUESTIONABLE Sent by Repre-.
sentative to Government
Bureaus.

| With view to drafting legislation
| to promote economy and efficiency in
the federal service. by co-ordinating
the work of bureaus and establish
ments that are now duplicating and
overlapping. Representative Clifford
Ireland of Illinois. chairman of the
committee on accounts, has sent
questionnaire to the heads of the
various bureaus. commissions and
boards.
Representative Ireland intends when
he has received replies to his ques-
tionnaires to confer with majority
leaders and to go before the steering
committee of the House SO that his
measure may get support and early
enactment. He hopes to save millions
OF dollars annually to the government.
besides speeding up the wheels in
Uncle Sans workshop.
| Republican and democratic leaders
during the present session have been
voicing their opinion that some such
legislation is needed. particularly at
this time when so many of the bu-
reaus and establishments are en-
deavorlng to hang onto and extend
their wartime powers.
May Follow LOyvden PLAN.
Strong indication of the sort of
legislation that Representative Ire
land is likely to father is found in
the way in which Gov Lowden of H.
linois reorganiZed the government of
that state. Representative ireland has
been particularly interested in the de-
velopment of the Lowden plan. and
when Gov. Lowden was in Washing
ton testifying before the special bud
get committee Representative Ireland
had a long conference with him.
| Representative Ireland has asked
each chief of bureau. commission.
board or stablishment-more than
$50 of them-for detailed informa-
tion as to the activities and func-
tions in and out of Washington" and
to answer particularly the following:
Questions Asked.
/. Name of bureau and department
which it is under
,. Its location.
;. Its general functions.
4. Number of persons it employs.
.. Its total monthly pay roll
s. Its general plan of organization
relative to divisions. personnel func-
tions and the activities of each di-
vision.
:. What Offices. if any. it maintains
outside of Washington. their loca-
ton and functions.
S. How many of it's total number
of employees are located outside of
Washington?
9. What character of inquiries. if
any. from the public are handled
through the bureau?
10. How. and for what purpose,
does the bureau maintain contact
with the public?
IL. What specific and general ac-
tivities are. performed by the bureau
in addition to any of the above which
result in a direct or indirect benefit
to the public?
IL. (a) What publications. infor-
nation or other material is furnished
by the bureau to the public direct;
(b) through members of Congress?
13. When and under what author
ity was the bureau esta ablished?
IA. What has been it's growth (a)
in personnel. (b) in appropriations
and (c) in activities?
Is. Do it's activities or functions
overlap the work of any other bureau
in the government service?
16. Could any changes be made
by law. or otherwise, to produce
greater efficiency?
IT. Please give any other figures.
statistics or information Of interest
concerning the bureau.
IS A copy of the last annual re-
port submitted by the bureau is re-
quested.