Greenwood daily commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1919-1926, 1920-03-18
: 4: i, x x x X X X X X
: WASHINGTON
: NEWS LETTER
By The Washington Star
Copyright 1920.

raSSed with reconstruction problems,
when American business is engaged in
industrial readjustment which includ-
es foreign trade development, and Of
ficial life in Washington is engrossed
with politics, there is a closely relat-
ed task which Congress intermittently
shows a disposition to tackle. In fact
Congress has for months been engag-
ed on several phases of this task,-to
reorganize, reclassify and coordinate
the multifarious departments, bur-
eaus, commissions, boards and what
not in the Federal service, in the in
terests of economy and efficiency, so
as to eliminate duplication and over
tapping of work.
There is now existing United
States Bureau of Efficiency, but the
legislative branch of the government
realizes that it can never function
properly because it is subject to the
executive branch, swayed by patron
age considerations, and to be effective
it must come directly under and be di-
rectly responsible to Congress.
Three distinct efforts are being
made to have Congress order a sys-
tematic survey of the government ser
vice to determine just where there is
duplication and overlapping, where
different agencies are elbowing each
other or working at cross purposes,
where several incomplete files are be-
ing kept instead of one complete file,
and how overhead expenses can be re-
duced and efficiency promoted thro-
| ugh consolidation.
First-Republican leaders in the
House, insisting on economy and
slashing hard at the executive depart
ments' estimates for appropriations,
realize for political expediency there
should be survey which would
Justify the appropriations they are
making as against the demands that
the executives insist upon.
Second-Represent r. Walton
Moore, democrat, of Virginia, has such
survey and suggesting the group
! ing of several agencies into new de-
partments such as public works, ma
rine service, etc.
I Third-R Representative Clifford Ire
land, republican, of Illinois, has sent
questionnaire to something like 15C
bureaus and commissions asking fol
reports on their activities, on which
to base legislation looking towards
efficient consolidation.
There are now before Congress {
number of related reports which must
be considered and coordinated in work
ing out this big problem Of govern
ment industrial readjustment to mee1
the new conditions confronting thu
Federal service.
A special budget committee after
hearings, has commended to the Hous'
the foundation for budget system
This provides for correcting some o
the shortcoming and evils with re
: .spect to the submission of estimate
bv the executive branch, but the Hous
the eight or nine committees nov
handling appropriation bills their jur
= isdiction and consolidate jurisdiction
: over all appropriations in one com
. mittee.
After many years efforts, backe
I by the recommendations of executlv
department and bureau chiefs, bi
, providing for the pensioning OF sup
erannuated government employees ha
e been reported to the House by tn
committee on reform in the civil SCI
: vice with the recommendation that fo
J. economy and efficiency in the feders
: service this measure should pass.
t Following an investigation that cor
:. sumed months and co-approximats
Ily a million dollars, the joint congre:
sional commission for reclassificatlo
e of salaries of government employe
q has submitted one of the longest r.
e ports ever made to Congress, affec
= ing 100000 federal employees in tf
l. National Capital, which recommend
r 1.7OO classes of government worker
This report recommends promote
for efficient service and discharge
l. the inefficient 1t also recommends
l. survey to show where economy al
le efficiency can be effected.
ID These three pieces of legislation a.
given as illustrations of how intr
cate this subject is, of how Congre
l. has been working towards it from al
" ferent angles and how closely 1t Is L
terwoven with the general scheme
government and the working out
m sound policies and the continuation
ut federal activities touching every cl
iZen.
During the war to get efficiency
lg industrial service under adverse co
I'D ditions, Bernard M. Baruch was ma
chairman of the War Industries Boa
under which practically all industry
ed the United States was coordinated.
ds directed production, distribution, co
sumption and established fixed pric
for essential commodities. During
OF operation Of that board was empn