Evening star., 1921-05-15

and with less friction through eliminating
class feeling ensendered by class distinction
and class legislation.
X x X
Lieut. Col. Sheriff. In outlining his plan
argued that to secure an efficient ana workable
reorganization of the federal departments we
must free ourselves entirely from all existing
accidental conditions and strike for a sound.
logical arrangement In accordance with we'll
recognized government functions to be admin
istered. The executive branch of the federal
government should be organized into such num-
ber of departments can be readily co-ordi-
mated by a single head-the President. This
consolidation requires that these departments
be not more than twelve In number and as few
eight. if at all possible.
Each of the departments should be desig-
mated to execute one great governmental func-
tion and It's allied activities. These great gov
ernmental functions are: Cd national defense.
(2) relations with other soveregnties and
states (3) fiscal affairs, 60 commercial affairs.
90 national resources co public welfare. co
administration of justice, 90 post office de-
partment.
The executive functions of the government,
of every character. should be placed in of
the aforementioned departments. and there
should be Independent executive agencies
porting directly to the President except such
1t might be necessary to place under the
Office of the assistant to the President. This
arrangement would free the President from the
necessity of directing multiplicity of executive
commissions, boards. etc. which by their
eanzation poorly adapted to perform execu-
tive functions.
1t should be clearly understood that the de-
partments should be organized to execute
tain governmental functions. rather than to
execute duties relating to certain special classes
of the people.
Some of the present departments
ganzed quite closely In accordance with this
principle and would require relatively small
number of changes to render them harmonious
with this proposed plan This applies particu-
larly to the State Department. the Treasury De-
partrnent, the Post Office Department. whose
functions are now in general we'll defined by
the names of these departments.
X X X X
Probably the most illogical organization of
all at the present time is that Of the War and
Navy departments due to the fact that each
of these execute a portion Of the primary gov
ernmental function of national defense. Since
national defense is one clear and distinct activ-
ity. although including many agencies. for it's
effective execution 1t is most illogical, itAts
tended to divide this duty between two or more
departments An enemy cannot be partly beaten
on sea. partly on land. and partly in the air
Independent operations He must be beaten by
one powerful effort. with every resource of the
nation concentrated to that end under a single
Navy and Army. the argument runs then there
must be separate air force-with three cabi-
net members reporting to the President on a
single problem.
With the national defense department as
sumed-especially since President Harding has
so emphatically declared for it-there results
at once great simplifcaton and economy in
all the auxiliaries of the fighting force. There
viii be one ordnance bureau instead of two
one engineering and constructing agency instead
Of two or more. at present; one medical de-
partment instead of two. one legal department
and one type of law enforcement instead of
two. and one general supply bureau instead of
two.
x X
One of the great advantages Of a national
defense department is the consolida ton under
this department of all primary federal engineer
ing and construction activities. engaged during
peace in useful and constructive work, which
is largely suspended at the outbreak of war
These units thus available at once to be
thrown into the wars activities with no change
of directing head organization.
Notable among the classes of work that are
not Incidental to any single department. but
are of the greatest to the public at large
are: The roads public buildings river and
harbor work aids to navigation mapping and
surveying, engineering research and water re-
sources Almost without exception these are
actively prosecuted only in peace times with
the result that on the outbreak Of these
organizations are disintegrat ted. with a great
loss of potential power in war. Under the pro-
posed plan all of these activities would be exc
cuted in peace by the various engineering corps
OF the national defense department, and in war
they would be administered without a change
of personnel or change of control units at
the battle front and in home areas in the same
classes Of work upon which they have been en-