The New York herald., 1921-01-06

been added to it's work, but nothing COM
parable to its vast increase in expense.
The cause is not far to seek. and all
| who have studied IL appear to be agreed
| that it lies in faulty organization. re-
sulting in both inefficiency and extrava-
gance.
In a report published in 1917 OF the
| joint study of the commissions S, work
by the American Association Tor LABOR
Legislation and the Bureau OF Municipal
Research. the faults in organization.
which have since become more deep
rooted, were pointed out The Recon-
struction Commission appointed by my
predecessor recommended single head
for administrative work with a COM
mission for quasi-judicial and legislative
functions
A commission for administrative work
merely divides responsibility. and the
combination of administrative with
quasi-legislative and judicial work is
bound to result in inefficiency in both.
The bureaucracy. with all its attendant
evils, which has grown up in the depart
ment in but a few years, Is the logical
outcome of the plan of organization. and
reflects upon no one. 1t was almost in
evitable.
Tendency to Duplication.
The brefest survey of the work Of
this department exhibits an evil ten
dency of the time, which. in large part,
accounts for the mounting cost of gov
ernment. That Is the tendency to dupli-
cation Of service, local, State and ma
tional In the matter Of inspection alone
there is a great duplication of service.
Inspections of precisely the same char
acter are now made by local inspectors
and by those of the commission. when
It would answer every purpose for the
local inspector to make duplicate reports
to the local and State departments.
Similarly like inspections are made by
State and Federal employees, where, If
efficient, one should suffice. In truth,
the number of inspectors, State and
Federal, travelling over the country has
almost become a scandal, and 1t must
be borne in mind that this duplication
not only increases public expense but
unnecessarily causes private expense
and annoyance. l notice that the num-
ber of inspectors to be employed is
definitely prescribed by statute In many
cases. Obviously, the department should
not be required to employ more than
necessary. and I recommend that all
such provisions Of statute be eliminated.
and that where inspections are now or
can be done by local officials similar
inspections by the State be discontinued.
A careful study should be made of this
subject with the view to such statutory
changes as will obviate the necessity of
duplication by the State of either local
or Federal inspections. On this subject,
and as illustrative of what Is very gen.
eral, in casting my eye over the budget
requests of the Department Of Educa-
tion / notice n request for nine in
spectors at $4,000 a year, or total of
$4,000, of course involving travelling
expenses of at least like amount. On
inquiry I find that their work relates
to the enforcement of the compulsory
education law. but there Is no reason
that 1 can perceive why the work cannot
be much better done by the local super
intendents of schools. II i am right
about that, the item should be elimi-
mated from the budget, thus saving In
one item alone $4,000. That is only
typical and illustrates what can prob
ably be done with the budget on close
scrutiny such as it has been impossible
for me to make.
With respect to the Industrial Com
mission / recommend that q single
headed department be created to have
charge of all matters Of administration.
ana that board of three be attached
to the department to discharge exclu-
sively quasi-judicial and legislative
functions. such as hearing appeals in
workmen's compensation cases, pre-
scribing rules and the like. The board
should also be clothed with authority
to investigate labor conditions and to
deal with labor disputes. field of SER
vice in which 1 trust progress can be
made.