The New York herald., 1921-07-07

useful although slightly less ornamental
and expensive. Gen. Dawes after one
week in office descoverd Government de-
partments cluttered up with an accumu-
lation OF desks. filing cases and hand
somely designed furniture for which
| there is no real need. In the face of this
equipment with congestion in practi-
cally every bureau, there stood out in
the appropriations for the current fiscal
year large items for office equipment
purchased for which no justification
could be found.
With few isolated exceptions, the bud
gets OF every Government bureau, un-
der the current appropriations. provided
for extravagant allowances for equip
ment. In a number OF cases the items
regard Of the needs of some establish
ment and contemplated large outlays.
Restrictions ON storage.
Gcn. Dawes also struck at the prac-
tice of Government heads guilty of
squanderine public funds by renting
storage or Office space, at unreasonable
sums, for purposes OF warehousing pub
lie records Instructions given each
bureau cnief to-day directed that ex-
pensive storage space, now used for in
active fling cases, shall be abandoned.
1t also is directed that expensive filing
equipment so used shall be removed to
less expensive quarters. That part or
Gen. Dawes's programme was decided
upor after investigation disclosed that
Government officials are maintaining, at
heavy Government expense. storage
space in some OF the leading Office build
ings which are leased by the Govern
nent. The move to consolidate ana
transfer the socalled inactive records
of the Government Will save the Gov
in rentals for buildings In the high
rent" districts of Washington.
The budget bureaus programme. as 1t
now develops is the forerunncr of steps
to convert into money hundreds OF mill
ion dollars worth OF Government equip
ment bought during the war. aside from
supplies of a purely military character.
The general supply committee. whicn
controls the purchase and distribution
of stocks and supplies for Government
Offices. has on hand an enornlus guam
tity of materials of all kinds. Its sur
plus stock Of typewriters alone exceeds
$40. .00O, 900, for which there is no Inn
mediate or prospective use by the Gov
ernment, even under any plans FOR ex-
pansion OF existing bureaus
Running over list of hundreds OF
individual items of equipment 1t Is
found there are surplus stocks of furni-
ture which If sold at present prices
would realize 1 nexcess of $4,000. 600.
Other items or equipment run into big
figures. These surplus stocks will be
greatly increased under Gen. Dawes's
programme to force bureau heads to
part with supplies for which there Is
at present no soecific use. When all of
these surplus stocks are returned to the
general suppl conrnittee further orders
may be issued governing the disposition
of the materials, either to the public
or in some other manner, which will
effect reimbursing to the Treasury
for the war moneys thus expended.
Text of Dawes Order.
Gen. Dawes's order said: Whereas,
In order to more effectively carry out
the provisions Of the executive order
Of December g., 1918 (enacted into law
in the legislative, executive and judicial
appropriation act approved March 3,
1920, and the executive order of August
27. 1919 Gssued in pursuance of the
deficiency appropriation act. fiscal year
1919, approved July IL, 1919), relative
TO the distribution of surplus material,
supplies and equipment, tnereDy securing
the greatest possible utilization of prop
erty already in the possession OF the
Government, and conservation of ex-
isting appropriations, 1t is hereby or
dered and directed:
81. The heads of the executive depart
ment and independent establishments
shall cause an immediate survey to be
made for the purpose or determining the
amount OF material, supplies and equip
ment not now being efficiently used
Such property must be utilized to meet
the immediate requirements of the bu-
reaus and divisions within the depart
ment or establishment to conserve ex-
listing appropriations by eliminating
unnecessary purchases. Departmental
surplus for which specific use within
the current fiscal year is not foreseen