The Washington times., 1921-03-11
REAL SERVICE,
HOOVER'SA AIM
Pledge Use of Business Methods
In Conduct of Commerce De-
Rartment Post.

Herbert Hoover, entering the Cab
met in the job Of Secretary Of Com
merce, with all his great prestige in
war work at home and abroad, in
tends to give the country what many
thoughtful persons have been call
ing for NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. bus
mess service in the Government.
HAS HIS OWN IDEAS.
Incidentally. he intends to make his
| portfolio one of the most important
| in the Cabinet, maybe the most i'm
portant in the next few years.
He did not say that when he gave
an extended audience to a large num-
Der of newspaper men at his Office
in the Department Of Commerce. But
the things that he sees, as the bus
| mess needs of the, country. and the
ideas that he has about the way those
needs should be met, told the story
much more plainly than any words he
could have used in a direct statement.
Quietly, without flare of trumpets
on his part, he Is about to undertake e
the introduction into the slipshod con-
duct of government of the principles
that have made him tremendously
successful In all else.
His work will not be merely for the
sake of doing a good job and estab-
fishing efficiency for efficiency sake.
1t will 'be for the sake of maintaining
the living standards of the country
Secretary Hoover, knowing Europe
better than any other man in official
life, sees a prolonged period of low
standard living there, with consequent
low production costs. In the economic
struggle of the world, he believes
that this country can face those low
European costs only in one of two
ways-by increasing efficiency. or py
lowering our own living standards,
and thus our own production costs.
FAvORs STANDARDIZATION
He chooses the former alternative.
Much can be accomplished by stand
ardization, in his opinion, toward in
creasing efficiency here in business
and industry, and hence decreasing
production costs without lowering
living standards.
Standardization has been his card
inal principle in private undertakings
and in his previous public work. 1t
is said that he has carried Standard
zation so far in his own life that his
clothes are standardized. so that he
never is required to give thought to
the selection of suits. hats, shoes and
other garments. No one, looking at
his well-groomed figure. would sus-
pect that, but it is said to be true by
those who know him best.
without attempt at legal compul-
sion, but by leadership, Mr.. Hoover
believes the Government can do much
for American business in furthering
Standardization.
LOST MOTION IN MINES.
Numerous waste spots in the coun-
try's economic organization are open
to attack under Secretary Hoover's
leadership. Coal miners work on an
average only ia days in the year and
must earn in those working days
enough to supply their. families a
whole year. 1t has been estimated
that IL conditions could be so de-
veloped that mines could work 800
days a yearly providing storage
facilities, etc.-2OO, 900 men could be
released from that trade for other
work.
Similarly. It Is stated that II the
automobile wheels could be standard
lied. so that there would be four
sizes, instead of eleven, as at present,
which is possible, the vast amount
of rubber kept in stock could be re-
duced one-half. Again, a large work
can be done in Standardization of
tho rolling stock of railroads. 1t
is stated that years were required to
introduce a standard coupler so that
cars could be run anywhere in the
! country. That work has not been
entirely completed. and it Is describ-
ed as only one phase of the possible
work of Standardization and of re-
moval of lost motion in the railroad
field.
WOULD STANDARDIZED EXPORTS.
Another service that may be given
American trade Is in the field of stand
ardization. If manufacturers of given
articles can be persuaded to work out
certain standards, so that when the
foreign purchaser orders given
| article there can be no question, when
the goods are delivered, about their
being what he ordered. the vast ma
jority Of causes of rejection of de-
liveries will have been obviated. As
IL is, when the bottom drops out of
foreign market, common thing is
for the foreign buyer to refuse to
accept deliveries on the ground that
they are not what he ordered.
Reorganization Of the Department
OF Commerce, under the new regime,
| is big in Secretary's Hoover's mind
but he will move carefully in that,
| because he believes it Is linked with
the whole problem OF Governmental
reorganization. 1t is necessary first
to determine the exact functions to
be allocated to each department be-
fore proper organization to discharge
those functions is possible. A month
! or more may elapse before the new
| Secretary's plans as to departmental
| reorganization are formulated
B. & D. Cuts Forces Anain-