Milford chronicle., 1920-11-19
BUREAU REORGANIZATION
PLANNED BY CONGRESS

Complete reorganization of the Gov
ernment executive departments is
contemplated by the incoming Repub-
lican 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-
tion of a Department of Public Works
and a Department of Public Welfare,
with the head of each in the cabinet.
For this great change Sesator Med
i'll Mccormick, of Illinois, VIII miro
duce n 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 MN
imized if not obsolete. With the devel-
opment 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what superseded by the War Risk.
It is believed by Mccormick that
the Geological Survey, the Reclamat
tion Service and the Bureau of Mines
should be transferred to a Depart
ment 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 Bu-
reau in the Department of Labor, all
units which touch upon the condition
of women and children, and other and
newer functions.
While it is true that all bureaus
and departments of the Federal Gov
ernment are supposed to subserve the
public welfare, and while the sug-
gested name of Department OF Public
Welfare may be different when the
law is fully enacted by Congress, this
Department will take over all the so
cial work of the Government, includ-
ing 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
UG one VI lllC Ellltl huAlNo VI AAAS ~
)artment 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
in Congress are looking forward to a
program. During the past
year and a half they have been ham
lcapped by a majority of only two in
he Senate, and by a President and
cabinet wholly at variance with them
But after the 4th of March they will
)e able to carry their views into full
,ffect. Thus one of the first measures
o go through, and probably without
,hange, will be the budget bill. This
vas vetoed by President Wilson be-
,ause it slightly diminished his pow
r; that is it made subject to the will
# Congress the taxing and appropri-
ting power of the Government, the
uditor general who would see to the
of waste through overlap
ling estimates.
1t is likely, too, that now that the
are coming into full pow
r they will see that there will be
n entire reclassification of the Gov
rnment departmental clerks, and in
act of all employees of the Govern
nent. Some of the salaries paid are
t the same rate as in 1860. Then,
90, the departments are notoriously
ut of date in many of their methods.
his fact, together with the incompe-
ency, waste and high-handedness of
be Wilson administration from top
D bottom has made necessary a
omplete reorganization, which will
e forthcoming after March 4.