The New York herald., 1921-06-11
EFFICIENCY EXPERTS
OF Big INDUSTRIES
OFFERED TO NATION
Will Lend Counsel to Joint
Reorganization Commits
sion of Congress in De-
veloping Economy.
FIRST STEP ANNOUNCED
Single Agency for Buying
and Selling to Serve All
Departments of the
Government.
TO SAVE $1,0OO,O0O A DAY
Protests to Proposed Consoli-
dation of Bureaus Under
Mccormick Bill Begin
to Arrive.
TO SAVE $1,0OO,O0O A DAY
Special Despatch to THE New YORK HERALD
New York Herald Bureau,
Washington. ID. C.. June 10

Special Despatch to THE New YORK HERALD.
New York Herald Bureau,
Washington. ID. c., juno 10.
Some of the largest corporations in
the country have offered to lend their
efficiency experts as counsel for the
Government reorganization which is
about to take place. The offers have
come from such firms as the United
States Steel Corporation, the Standard
Oil Company and others, and it is ex-
pected that the Government will ac-
cept the services Of the men who have
put these institutions on a highly or
ganized plane. breaking away entirely
from the clumsy costly practices now
In force.
Also it was made known that aboli-
ton OF all present purchasing and SELL
ing agencies Of the Government and
creation of single purchasing and
selling agency to take their place is
to be the first move of the joint Con-
gressional Reorganization Commission
in promoting governmental economy.
Commfssion Meets Monday.
The commission containing three SEN
ators and three Representatives. to-
gether with Walter F. Brown, the Pres
dents representative. is to meet next
Monday In pursuance of their scheme,
which already has been introduced in
the form of bill In the Senate by
Senator Mccormick Ull).
Enormous waste prevails now in the
competitive system Of bidding between
the various governmental agencies. The
records are full OF examples OF this
character. One specific instance which
made sensation at the time of its dis
covery was in the case Of coal. the SEN
ate investigation showing that while the
Navy Department bought it's coal at
about 81 u ton. the Shipping Board was
paying $22 a ton at about the same time.
When the commission on Government
reorganization gets to business one Of
the first matters to be considered will
be whether the services of outside effi-
cheney experts will be accepted. The
expectation is that they will be, al
though the probability is that other ef-
ficiency engineers will be engaged, en-
gineers who will be able to give their
entire time to the work, which may run
for two years.
The offers received. members of the
committee believe, are evidence of the
interest being taken In the Government
reorganization work which is intended
10 save the taxpayers a million dollars
a day even If there is to be no curtail-
ment of Government activities. These
corporations, I'm a patriotic spirit, are
anxious to make available various econ
mics found in actual operation to have
merit.
Antfquated business Methods.
The general observations made In a
preliminary way have convinced the
committee that untold waste of public
funds is resulting in the different de-
partments and independent agencies be-
cause of antiuuated business methods,
the result of no particular system, but
built up as occasion required. in many
instances causing overlapping and du-
plication. With the application of mod
ern business methods, such as those
employed in the large corporations, the
feeling is that not less than 10000 clerks
In Washington can be disposed of. and
perhaps twice that number in the field.
,sz outside cities which maintain Gov
srrment offices.
~ is being demonstrated even at this
carly day IN the undertaking that
Dacifire is starting against some or the
obvious reforms contemplated. Not less
than 200 letters have already been re-
ceived by the committee protesting
against a report that the United States
Hydraulic office. at present attached TO
the Navy Department Is TO be trans
ferred to the Department OF Commerce
and consolidated there with other agen-
cies which deal primarily with merchant
shipping.
Similarly. vigorous protest Is being
made agaist the proposed creation OF
Department OF Public Welfare along the
lines advocated by President Harding.
That is coming mostly from those who
wish to see created Department of
Education, to be an expansion OF the
present Bureau OF Education. which un-
der the present scheme would be a part
of the Department Of Public Welfare.
Examples OF Waste.
examples OF waste were pointed out
to-day by Representative Reavis (Neb).
who heads the House membership of the
Reorganization Commission.
when the war ended" Mr. Reavis
said. "the department had on hand
millions of pounds of frozen beef. This
was finally sold at ruinous prices. We
found that at the same time the navy
was buying large quantities of frozen
meat at high prices. A Government buy
Ing and selling agency would have pre-
vented this
The proposed purchasing and selling
agency is an immediate reform that the
commission has In view. Its other work
will require a much slower process since
II is proposed to virtually dssect all
governmental activities and then SUBJ
nit recommendation for eliminating
Implications. overlapping and waste.
we are to diagnose the case first"
Mr.. Reavis said to-day, "and then will
apply the remedy"