The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-07-16
TOPEKA STATE JOURNAL
Information Bureau
FREDERIC j. HAsKIN, Director,
Washington, D. G.
SCIENTIFIC ECONOMY IN

COVER MENT.

aided materially by the reorganization
of the executive departments of the
government. For some time the con-
gressionaI joint committee on reorgan-
ization has been quietly at work. 1t
is composed of three senators, three
representatives. and Mr.. Walter F..
Brown, of Toledo, Ohio. chairman.
Mr.. Brown is devoting all of his
| time to the business of mapping out
a new working plan for the COVER
! ment departments which will enable
the executive branches of the govern
ment to operate more smoothly and
effectively, and at the same time at
a considerable saving of money. Mr..
| Browns task is nothing more nor less
than to put the greatest piece of bust
ness machinery in the world, the gov
! eminent of the United States, on an
| economical footing.
1t is no secret that government ma
| chinery now is anything but the
smooth running organization that such
big corporations as the United States
| Steel company and the Standard Oil
companies have built up. 1t is old
| fashioned and clogged with dead wood,
| hampered by countless Implications of
| effort on the part of the many
| branches of the executive end of gov
| loaded with useless papers and rec
lords, and hide-bound in many
instances by out-worn traditions.
| Mr.. Brown is not going at the task
! like the ordinary efficiency expert.
He is not figuring out some way in
which a clerk can rubber stamp thirty
additional letters each day by adopt
ing some curious twist of the wrist in
| using the stamp. He is going at it
along very broad and general lines
He aims to save hundreds of millions
: OF dollars.
| ie NIL
of the joint committee that myriad
elements must be considered in their
task, and that great harm instead of
the hoped for great good might cas-
lily come out of their efforts unless
! they are guided by real wisdom. 1t
is realized that the system in vogue
now has grown up with the nation for
nearly century and Il half, and that
! the whole machine cannot be taken
| apart boldly and put together again
! haphazard with any expectation that
it would run easily and economically.
Method Employed.
Broadly, the committee has laid out
the executive work of the government
along twenty-three distinct branches.
| These branches are fiscal affairs
criminal investigations, administrative
service. national defense, defense and
prosecution of suits, territorial and
colonial affairs communications. in
Guiding the postal service, commerce
| regulation, foreign relations, regula-
ton of banking, assistance to naviga-
ton, trade promotion, industry pro-
motion, agricultural DEVELOPMENT
public education, public health, pub.
| lie works, conservation of natural re-
sources, labor problems. administra-
| ton of the public domain, primary
/ statistics. rehabilitation of war veter-
ans and immigration, including natur-
alization.
Charts have been made for each of
these subjects. Then investigation has
been made to see how many depart
ments, bureaus and commissions of the
government have been duplicating
| each others work. The result of this
has been the discovery of scores and
scores of overlapping efforts, evidence
| that widely separated departnnents
have been spending valuable time and
effort doing the same work and get
ting the same results, duplicating not
only the work, but it's cost as well.
I The joint committee has as it's gen.
eral goal rebuilding the governmental
departments so that each will have a
great major purpose, and the activities
which naturally fall within the scope
| it. 7
Probable Saving.
When the committee began its work,
it was hoped that no less than
yearly bills of the government, but as
the work has progressed new posi-
bll1t1es have been shown, and it is
now more likely that a saving of half
billion a year can be worked out.
One reason for boosting this estimated
saving is the suggestion that the pres
ent wac and-navy departments be
amalgamated into one department of
war, with army and navy branches.
When the plan on which Mr.. Brown
a nd n
completed and ready to go into eff
fect, there is sure to, be tremendous
opposition from many quarters. Every
man and woman who would be ar
fected is going to fight against it. As
congress must, of course, approve of
the Brown plan before it goes into ef-
feet, the pressure will be brought to
pear on congress. A lot of propa-
ganda has already been afoot to ditch
the scheme of saving, but President
Hardings uAimatum that any gov
eminent clerk attempting to hamper
the work of reorganization would be
dismissed, has had it's effect The
flood of form letters to members of
congress ceased, which was taken as
evidence that those conducting the
propaganda were men interested
solely in holding their own jobs.
There is propaganda of other sorts
at work, of course. Prominent among
the active groups is the educational
group, which is striving hard for the
inclusion of a department of educa-
ton, instead of department of pub
lie welfare. in the reorganization gov
eminent machine. For a great many
years the educational forces have
made this demand. and strong pres
sure is brought to bear on congress
right along for this purpose. This is
offset to some extent, tho, because
the educational forces have brought
certain religious forces into their
fight, and the old Catholic and Prot
estant question has arisen IN the mat
ter of the proposed creation of a de-
partment of education. The Catholic
group wants the government to take
little hand in the direction of educa-
tional matters.
The proposal to amalgamate the war
and navy departments is certain to
meet bitter and determined opposition.
The combination of the departments