The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1921-01-20
IMPOSSIBLE BUSINESS SYSTEM
To Garry on U. S. Departmental APP
preparations As to Present.

Boston, Jan. 20 reform in the
business administration of the govern.
ment by which President elect Hard.
ing would hold departmental expendi-
lures in co-ordinated relation to the
| taxable resources of the nation was
advocated here to-day by Charles G.
Dawes, a Chicago banker. His address,
which was delivered at a luncheon
given in his honor by the Boston Cham
| Der of Commerce, was considered as OF
special interest at this time because Of
his mention as the possible choice Of
/ President elect Harding for secretary
of the treasury.
Mr.. Dawes, who has been comptrol-
! Ter of the currency and who was in
charge of the purchase of supplies in
France for the American expeditionary
| forces, spoke of the conditions that
have controlled departmental expcndi-
lures in the federal government as an
| impossible business system. In carry
ing out an analogy between cabinet
officers and the administrative vice.
presidents of a corporation he said the
presidents of the United States almost
without exception had allowed their
administrative vice presidents to run
their particular departments and to
make estimates OF the amount OF
which should be appropriated to them
entirely without presidential super
vision in the interest OF the govern
meut as whole.
Referring directly to Mr.. Harding.
General Dawes continued:
with the power of selection. he also
has the power of removal and | do not
think he will temporize for a minute
with the old system so far as his power
over his administrative vice presidents
SO to speak-can alter it. If the
cabinet heads are not willing 10 do
teamwork and to coordinate and to
carry out his plan for business super
vision and economy, made simply in
the interests of the people Of the Unit.
ed States as whole. he should remove
them and | hope he will
Under the law Of March 4, 1909, as
has been frequently pointed out BY
members of Congress in recent times.
the authority to unity the business OF
the government and put it into proper
system, exists in him. His very posi-.
tion as head of the executive branch OF
the government implies not only the
power but the duty to % this Unless
he is willing 10 assume this great task.
a budget law viii not materially cor.
rect the situation. The budget law will
help the president to do his duty and
it should be passed But even without
a budget law, with the control he has
over the cabinet, he can inaugurate
this system.
I'm my Judgment it is not neces.
sary, and il would not be best for the /
If, in connection with the |
making of a budget law, Congress 4
should surrender any Of its present I
power to the executive Congress is I
made responsible by the constitution 1
for appropriations. In carrying out 4
this responsibility, ! say without hest
tation that If il had not done it, duty /
and protected the people against the /
and excessive appropriate ions 4.
asked by the presentation during the /
last two years, the credit Of the United I
States would have been gravelv in
lured and irreparable damage done to
the people Of the country.
The proposed reform is particularly
IN administrative as distinguished
from congressional reform. What
Congress properly demands when it
money, is that there I
.hould be a proper business organize. Il
ion to expend it economically. and
what former presidents have failed to
10 is 10 so organize their business ma
'hine as to make this possible. If the
business machinery OF the government
: properly reorganized By the leader
hip and power Of the president.
whether Congress decides on larger or
mailer appropriations, then in either
ase more viii be accomplished with
he money than under our present dis
system Whatever NAV he
lsimcd BY those who would benefit by
he present impossible system. the fact
must he clearly kept before orr people
hat in this reform only business ad-
is at stake and only the
Teat question Of having the govern
ncuts money spent in such wsv
hat the government viii get full
II