Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-06-16
THE SANCTlTY OF JOBS
THREATENED BY HARDING
The President Can't Garry His Plans Of
Reorganization Against the objee.
tlons Of spoiismen Unless the
Voters Hin,

DNIlE country will soon know whether
l. President Harding is stronger than the
members of the permanent force in the
executive departments.
On Monday he made public his request TO
Walter f. Brown, chairman of the Con-
grcSsional Joint Committee Of Rcorganzn-
tion. that bill be drafted rearranging the
Government bureaus to secure greater eff
cheney. At the same time he gave out the
invitation of Mr.. Brown to him aud to the
members OF the Cabinet to furnish the com
mittcc detailed suggestions for such re-
arrangement of bureaus as seemed best to
them.
Then something must have happened. for
on the next day the President announced
through the newspaper correspondents that
any bureau head or any member of n com
mission who sought to block the reorganza
ton would be summarily dismissed.
Every self respecting man would have
made the same announcement under similar
circumstances. Mr.. Harding is the head Of
the Government The responsibility for the
conduct Of executive business rests upon him.
Tens OF thousands of bis subordinates, ap-
pointed directly by him or by proxy through
The members OF the Cabinet, hold office on
good behavior. An attempt to obstruct the
purposes Of the President is sufficient cause
for summary dismissal Of the guilty office
holder. There can be no two opinions about
this.
Yet II ia ;ntirated from, Wosbirg,on that
certain mon Fcorful that their iohs will bo
abolished hv tbc CONTAMINATION of tbo e,
ecutvp departments, have begun to organize
a protest from their friends in their home
States. and these friends are flooding the
mail of congressman with letters demand
ing that nothing be done to disturb the job
or the offcrholdCr.
AT best II will ho d;4icuIt for tho presi.
dent to carry out his nlon borause tho
machinery of Govcrrmcnt has bcon running
in dcon rms for voo-e onL tbo mon COW
ractcd with Il ohicc+ 20 orv rLa,ge Nonr
of them hold Office hv grace of tho noIiticoI
loodcrs in tho;r homo districts
The first Instinct of tbo man whose iob ;s
threatened is 70 annoaI for nrotoction - bis
noliticoI 1o,dor md tho frst inst;rct 80 tho
politicol Ieadcr i 70 pive that nrotoction
If he cannon take caro- of tho mon for whom
he has got iobs his own noIiticoI n,wcr is
nenaccd
Nothing short NJ boroic rocosuroe com
break down tho onnosition n chargc How.
ever much any ,'onpressmor MAY commend
the Dronoscd reform ms a general nronosition
every CONGRESSMAN is likely to ohicct to unv
reform which will lcrislotc ort of office any
of his protcpos If two or tbreo obstruc
tiorists could no dismissed ot oncc rho task
Of tho President would no oosior
Mr.. Harding has takon csreciol noins "a
make it clear that hr welcomes criticism of
the reorganization nlans. but fin, criticism
must be made in good fai,b No nfi,ioI wbn
can give sound reasons against ohnIisbing
any bureau or against its consolidation win
other bureaus need fear the wro.h or tho
President The Cyncrts in rho vorious Io
partmputs ought /, hc nbIo to assist in tbr
work If tbcv can ignore their own nr;votn
interests and give their whole attention 70
dpvising plans which will saye waste and
expedite public business. II is n mistake
to suppose that tho President has gagged
any official who il seeking ia rn.oncroto
with him.
II is notorious TIM, .here is NOT an cv.
ecutivp department which docs NOT in somr
respects duplicate the work of some otbo-
department. Congress has created bureaus
and commissions and has assigned tbo,r IA
ono derartp,ent or another without anv clear
understanding of rLo rclation NJ tho jenort
ment 10 the work IN he dono II ie roors
since there has been any serious attomnt
at reorganization.
Labor was rrcatCd certain brrpaus from,
other dopartmpptS were transferred to II
and when this dcnartnnp, WINS divided thorr
vas another rcadm<tnenr. Brt those
changes we're only s1pcr6rioI
The NAVY Dpnortmon+ ie norforroirr
functions that proncrIv hcIonp to tho Do.
partmrnt Of Commerce Tho War Donort
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