New-York tribune., 1921-01-06
Industrial Commission Illustrates
EriIs of Bureau administration

"The Industrial Commission fur
nishes good illustration of the evils
of bureaucracy and Of commission
form Of organization for administra-
tive work. 1t also illustrates that mere
consolidation Of departments will not
produce either efficiency or economy.
"That department is a result of q
consolidation in 1915. It's appropria-
tion in 1916 was $1,139,784, and it had
year was $2,613,737.51 and it had LAT
employees. It's requests for the next
year total $2,963,505, and the number
of employees requested is 1,245. 1t
has requests for deficiencies, among
which / note one of $4,000 for print,
ing and another of $36,500 for trav-
cling expenses.
"ln justice to the commission it
should be said that many new actvi-
ties have been added to its work, but
nothing comparable to its vast increase
in expense.
"The cause is not far to seek, and
all who have studied it appear to be
agreed that it lies in faulty organiza-
ton, resulting in both inefficiency and
extravaganza.
"In a report published in 1917 of
the joint study of the commissions s
work by the American Association for
Labor Legislation and the Bureau of
Municipal Research, the faults in or
ganzation, which have since become
more deep-rooted, were pointed out.
The Reconstruction Commission ap-
pointed by my predecessor recommend
ed n single head for administrative
work, with commission for quasi
judicial and legislative functions.
"A commission for administrative
work merely divides responsibility,
and the combination of administrative
with quasi-legislstive and judicial work
is bound to result in inefficiency in
both. The bureaucracy, with ali its
attendant evils, which has grown up
in the department in but q few years,
is the logical outcome Of the plan of
organization, and reflects upon no one.
1t was almost inevitable.
The brlefest 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
eminent. That is the tendency to dup
lication of service, local, state and
national. In the matter of inspection
alone there is great duplication of
service: Inspections Of precisely the
same character are now made by local
inspectors and by those of the com
mission, when it would answer every
purpose for the local inspector to make
duplicate reports to the local and
state departments. Similarly, like in
Spectons are made by state and
Federal employees, where. if efficient
one should suffice. In truth, the num-
Der of inspectors, state and Federal
travelling over the country has almost
become a scandal and it must be borne
IN mind that this duplication not only
increases public expense but unneces-
sarlly causes private expense and an
noyance
Number of Inspectors
Is Provided by Statutes
II notice that the number of in
speetors to be employed is definitely
prescribed by statute in many cases
obvlously, the department should not
be required TO employ more than nee
essafy. and ] recommend that all such
provisions of statute be eliminated. and
that where INSPECTIONS are now or can
be done by local officials similar in.
srections by the state by discontinued
careful study should be made Of iris
subject with tho view to such statutorv
changes as will obviate the necessity Of
duplication by the state of either local
or FEDERAL inspections. On this sub
Ject and as illustrative Of what is very
general. IN casting my eye over the
budget requests of the Department of
Education notice a request for nine
irssectors at $4,000 a year, or total
OF w 200, of course involving travel
ing expenses of at least q like amount
On inquiry | find that their work re-
lates to the enforcement Of the COM
rulsory education law, but there is no
reason that can perceive why the
work cannot be much better done by
TIE local superintendents cf schools.
If fih right about that the item
should be eliminated from the budge..
thus saving In ane item alone S54NOO.
that is Only typical and illustrates
what can probably be done with .ne