Evening star., 1921-06-29
GEN, DAWES YIELDS
SWEEPING POWERS
IN BUDGET REFORM
Director Takes Precedence
Over Cabinet Officers When
Seeking Information.
EXPLAlfS new METHODS
FEDERAL OFFICIALS
President and Department Heads
in Full Accord With Enon-
omy Purposes.

When government officials. from the
President down to the assistant bu-
reau chiefs, assembled in the audi
torium of the Interior Department
building. at o'clock this afternoon.
Gen. Charles q. Dawes, director of
the budget. presented his statement
outlining the basic principles of the
new budget system under which the
government will operate, beginning
Friday.
The statement was brief and ex-
plicit and left no doubt, either to
cabinet officers or their subordinates,
ing out the new business future for
running the governmental machinery.
Cabinet OMcers to Help.
That there will be effective CO.
operation from the cabinet oficers-
who will insist that it be given ,,
their subordnates was inticUsd ~
a heading of the statement. v.HS
said:
THE basic principles of buoset
operation in the United States as an
nounced by the director of the budget.
by direction of the President and
acquiesced in unanimously by the
cabinet"
Gen. Dawes prepared his tatement
yesterday and carried it with him
to the cabinet meeting. in which he
was requested by President Harding
to participate. Just as Gen. Dawes
prepared il, so il was approved by
the cabinet heads at the meeting. and
as approved Gen. Dawes presented
il to the hundreds of government
officials at the conference this after
noon as the general regulations
which will govern the running of the
budget system
The statement said.
No Questioning OF Rules.
The permanent success of the bud
get system in the United States de-
pends upon certain basic principles
which at its inception must be so
firmly established, both as concepts
and rules of action. that they will
never hereafter be questioned.
Il. The budget bureau must be i'm
partial. impersonal and non-political.
-. The director of the budget in
the matter of governmental business
administration has no responsibility
under the law save for the adminfs-
tration of his own bureau. He is SIM
ply an adviser of the President and
Congress in the matter of correcting
business administration.
Budget Director Supreme.
"3 The director of the budget in
gathering information for the use of
the President acts for the President,
and his calls upon the chiefs of bu-
reaus and other administrative officers
for purposes of consultation or in
formation take precedence over the
cabinet head of department. or any
head of an independent organization.
II. The budget representative in
each department. being appointed by
the cabinet head will present to the
director of the budget the views OF
! the cabinet head. upon the wisdom of
conclusions drawn by the director OF
| the budget. for the use of the chief
executive and Congress. but as in the
case of bureau chiefs and other Off
GERS the call of the director of the
/ budget for their presence and advice
| takes precedence over the cabinet
| head"
By constantly watching the govey1-
mental expenditures from July ] it
{; is believed that under the system
| which Gen. Dawes is working out ef-
! fective economies will be worked out
| in governmental expenditures.
/ VIII study saving Methods
! Gen. Dawes. with his stas of ex-
pertS. will maintain a constant watch
on every government expenditure. and
where they see possibility of saving
will call in the officer having charge
of that particular expenditure and dis
cuss it.
| The government officials assembled
promptly at 2 o'clock at the audi
torium this afternoon. in the first
general conference of government Of
| ficials ev@ held on so important a
! problem p, co-ordinating the govern
/ mental estimating and disbursement
system for developing effective econ
| omy measures.
| President Harding, the cabinet. Gen.
| Dawes and his staff occupied the plat
| form, while other officials occupied
seats on the floor.