Abbeville progress. (Abbeville, Vermilion Parish, La.) 1913-1944, 1921-04-02
To ASK FOR NEW
CABINET PLACE
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
AND PUBLIC WELFARE is
PLANNED BY HARDING
WOMAN WILL GET POSITION
Activities Planned for Dr.. Sawyer Have
Close Connection With Plan for New
epavtment-Doctors Army Appoint
n1ent is Cause of Gossip.
BY EDWARD 3. CLARK.

BY EDWARD 3. CLARK.
Washington.-Mem of the next
congress seem convinced that Presi-
dent Harding will submit a plea for
legislation to create new branch OF
the government service 70 be known
as the department Of education and
public welfare with a woman ut its
head who is 10 have q place in the
cabinet.
There is some opposition developing
to the plan and the ch.ces are that
IL will be voiced Oh the floors of the
two houses of congress if the plan for
There seems TO be a feeling In both
political parties, however, that if the
President makes specific recon-
mendation which of course amounts
TO a request for the legislation, the
party majority In congress will heed
his words and pass the legislation nee
essary to make the new place in the
cabinet.
IL bNNh hhOnh lOA lVll6 llult
that some OF the elements In the pop
ulatiOn were opposed to the creation
of this new branch OF government.
Some of the churches have feared that
under the new dispensatiOn education
in church schools might be interfered
with and that, in effect, teaching might
be wholly seculariZed.
Recently, however, some OF the lead
ing churchmen have said that their
churches cannot be put in a position
Of opposition to anything which looks
like the educational welfare of the
country, and SO 1t is possible that a
part OF the opposition has passed
from the field.
All Will Be Heard.
Representatives and senators have
said that everybody is to be given a
chance 10 be heard by the committees
when the hearings on the measure
creating the department are held. 1t
is promised that the legislation will
not be passed hurriedly. If the Presi-
dent shall ask that the department be
created, the measure for its creation
when first formulated for committee
lions for amendment, and it is prob
able that q good many amendments will
be brought forward.
The recent appointment of DR.. G. +.
Sawyer of Marion. o., as a brigadier
general in the reserve corps of the
United States army has a close con-
nection with the plan for a depart
ment Of education and public welfare.
General Sawyer is to make a. survey
of the field Of things related to the
public health and the public welfare,
and under the direction of the Presi-
dent is to make report thereon. This
report, in part at any rate, is likely
To be used as basis for the new leg
islation. 1t also will contain many rec
concentrations based on DR.. Sawyer's
study. concerning the activities which
should be undertaken by the various
bureaus which will be brought within
The new department. Service for the
maintenance of the health of the pub
lie is closely connected with much Of
the work which the government is now
doing in rather a scattered form.
If the new department Is created,
the woman'S bureau and the children's
bureau Of the Department of Labor
the bureau of education and the De
partment Of the Interior, and the war
risk insurance bureau and the public
health services of the Treasury de-
partment, will be transferred to the
jurisdiction of the new cabinet officer.
1t is also expected that the federal
board for vocational education and all
other governmental agencies dealing
with soldier relief will be concentrated
in one bureau of the newly created de-
parIment.
Gossip About Sawyer.
There has been good deal of Cos
sin in Washington over the commits
sioning of Or. Charles +. Sawyer of
Marion. O., as brigadier general
in the reserve corps of the United
States army. IL should be said that
DR. Sawyer's appointment will not in
any way interfere with the promotion
Of other officers in the medical corps
of the regular army.