Evening star., 1921-04-21
SAWYER SUBMITS
PUBLIC WELFARE
PLAN TO SENATE
Advocates New Department
With a Cabinet Officer
at Its Head.
SAYS PRESIDENT WANTS
EARLY ACTION ON SCHEME
Proposal Provides Putting All
Existing Department Agencies
in New Branch.

detailed plan for the creation OF a
new executive department of the gov
ernment, the Department of Public
Welfare. with cabinet officer at its
head. was laid before the Senate COM
mittee on education and labor today
by Brig. Gen. Charles Z. Sawyer. the
| Presidents personal physician.
Particular stress was laid upon the
desirabiiity of the enactment OF
speedy legislation creating the De-
partment of Public Welfare.
In conversation with the President
tins morning: said Gen. Sawyer. 1T
was developed that the Presidents prin-
cipal concern is for the early creation
OF the proposed department. II you be-
lieve in it, the President would like to
nave legislation making il effective. He
desires action and is not inclined to be
happy in getting just resolutions"
Drawn Up After study.
Gen. Sawyer told the committee that
the plan, drawn up after much study of
the situation. provided for an executive
department with four main divisions
covering education, public health. social
service and veterans service adminis-
tration. His plan contemplates placing
all the existing agencies in the govern
ment dealing with these matters in the
public welfare department Gen. Saw
yer said that he believed this would
result in vastly more efficient service,
in the elimination of the duplication of
work and in considerable saving OF
money.
Our object is the best American
citizen We can produce, both mentally
and physically said Gen. Sawyer.
Taking up first the division dealing
with education. Gen. Sawyer said that
an assistant secretary would be placed
in charge. In this subdivision of the
department would be grouped those
agencies dealing with vocational edu-
cation except that given the soldiers,
the educational cooperation with the
states education relating to physical
development, education of the teach
ers, educat ton in the public schools,
the rural schools, etc. 1t would mean
a transfer, for instance. of the present
bureau of education from the Depart
ment OF Interior and of part of the
vocational education board to the new
department.
Co-Ordinates Research Work.
In reply to a question by Senator
Jones of New Mexico, Gen. Sawyer
said that he believed that matters per-
tanning to the education of soldiers
serving in the Army would also fall
under this division.
Under the public health division,
which also would be in charge of an
assistant secretary, ii is proposed TO
co-ordlHate research work, quarantine
and sanitation and disqualification.
Gen. Sawyer said that there Is no
reason why the United States should
not have the strongest public health
service in the world. since il has the
greatest surgeons. investigators and
laboratories to make il possible. He
pointed out that there was no reason
for having the existing public health
service under the Treasury Depart
ment.
The social service division. which
also would be in charge of an assist
ant secretary, would take in all hu-
maniZing agencies of the govern
ment. and would seek to aid in a
friendly and directing way the many
various uplift activities in the coun-
try.
I51 Organizations Here.
When 1 first came to Wash inSton
to undertake this work" said Cen.
Sawyer "a woman came into my Of
flee saying that she would like to do
something to help. I asked her TO
go and find out how many organiza-
tions there are in Washington en-
gagged in uplift work for the people.
Twenty-four hours later she came
back with a list of ISL This means
lot of work going on ard lot of
money being expended. We contem-
plate general plan of assistance
which would give direction without
destroying initiative. There are 154
national organizations doing this up
lift work in the country
Among the government agencies
that would be transferred to this
division are the women's bureau. the
children's bureau, the agencies relat-
ing to housing and those dealing with
industrial accidents.
Would Take Care of Service Men.
The veterans service administrs+s
ton. under the head of an assistant
secretary, would take in all activities
of the government relating to former
service men, including the war risk
bureau. the pension office and the
vocational training of disabled SOL
dierS. Gen. Sawyer said that he be-
lieved this coordination of soldier
aid would mean much to the former
soldiers and also to the people in the
saving of money. AS an instance of
the enormous amount of money being
expended now he pointed out that
the government is paying an average
of $170 per month per man for $4,000
former service men receiving voca-
tional training. This means an an
nual expenditure of more than SIPS
600. 600. Gen. Sawyer said that the
for this training are in
creasing by leaps and bounds
The committee had before il TODAY
a bill introduced by Senator KENYON
to establish a department of social
welfare. Gen. Sawyer left with the
his suggestions for the
of this bill so as to fit i'm
with the plan outlined by him.
HEALTH WORK MERGED.