The New York herald., 1921-06-30

make cuts in Government spending. Mr..
Dawes at the outset of the meeting was
seated beside the President and Cabinet
members on the stage.
II am not going to get very far with
YOU" shouted Gen. Dawes. "unless you
believe l am honest, and-if the Presi-
dent will excuse me-strictly on the
square. You men might as we'll under
sand now that you win have to be on
your toes all the time. This Job has to
be done either with your help or with
out ii.
I'VE must all understand that the sue
cess of this undertaking and OF the
working machinery of the budget system
depends on your help in making the
President the head of this great business
concern In fact as we'll as in name.
Declaring that the basic rules he out
lined must be so firmly established both
as concepts and rules of action" that
they never will hereafter be questioned.
Gen Dawes said
You must understand that I am not
an administrator. My duty is to collect
information for the President and Con-
gress. who Will act, or will not act, IN
their own judgment. You must fix firmly
in your minds the basic principles on
which we are to work
First keep in your minds that l am
cnly gatherer Of information. | simply
collect information and make pictures
for the President and advise the Presi-
dent In the responsibility which he now
assumes for the first time since the
foundation of the Government. When
my representatives call on you it is not
for the purpose OF seeking material for
criticism or for praise, but to get infor-
ma ton for the President of our great
corp-ration.--the United States OF Amer
ica- "A.
"x4n the eyes and ears of the Chief
Exscr i've. That must be kept in mind
by tte heads of the departments as well
as ~ the bureau chiefs. That holds
So. as long as l am the head OF the
budget system"
Gen. Dawes at this point turned.
swinging his arms and let a fist rap
nearby ia BILE with a bang. The Presi-
dent snilingly nodded approval. and
Gen. Dawes, adding little more heat as
he went along, resumed:
I'm other words. the President is put
ting into effect throughout the Govern
ment the rules of business. such as OBJ
tain in all we'll conducted corporations
This right to all information of every
character which may be essential for the
guidance OF the President will be exer-
cised rigidly. 1t matters not to me
whether 1t is the washwonan OF the
highest department official the rules
will be observed. The rules now laid
down must be those to last for all time
with all Cabinets. as with the pres
ent Cabinet. there must be no resentment
at incursions of the Budget Director
into a particular department. But don't
get the idea that the Budget Bureau Is
a detective agency
Prnise for Secretary Mellon.
Gen. Dawes paid compliment to
Secretary of the Treasury Mellon for
his conception Of the necessities OF the
situation" few days ago Gen. Dawes
called Secretary Mellon to his ONCE
"You men cannot tell me anything
do not know about the duties and re-
sponsibilities of bureau chiefs" said Mr..
Dawes. IT was one myself about twenty
years ago. 7 know how you have gone
out and grabbed off every dollar that
Congress would give you. And you have
spent every dollar Congress allowed you
and more and you know it.
'I'll be honest with you and make the
confession that perhaps ! did the same
thing when l was Comptroller of the
Currency. But those were other days.
That day is gone
Gen. Dawes said absolute harmony
can be expected between the Budget
Bureau and the Congressional Committee
on Reclassification.
Regarding the resrouping OF Govern
nent bureaus. Gen. Dawes said with
emphasis that his bureau will insist that
such amalgamations result In high effi-
cheney and that when this result Is not
apparent he will back bureau heads in
any stand they may take for the status
quo on such agencies. He said he VIII
always seek for good reasons TO Justiry
the regrouping of various agencies and
added that II is not his aim to Introduce
economies which might react adversely
TO the public interest
Dawes Himself VIII Slash.
Gen. Dawes gave what amounted to
e. >llenge to the bureau chiefs when he
starcis1 them with the statement that
re Eill crli his already nneager allowance
Tor the Budget Bureau 25 per cent. dur
ms the next fiscal year.
N+Tf i can cut the small sum Congress
has allowed my bureau. you can do the
same sa'1 Mr.. Dawes. 1T is for your
benefit that we get together i'll the
great work mapped out by the Presi-
dent"
Gen. Dawes said he favored human
izing' Government departments. He
contended that under the budget sys-
merged without hope of promotion or
reward for conscientious service
THE President has now taken charge
of the business machine" he said.
Bureau chiefs are no longer sub
merged. but are brought in direct touch
with the President through the budget
director. When VIII HAYS humaniIed
the Post office Department he galvan-
lied his forces into action behind him
upon a higher plane Of efficiency. You
have to do the same in your bureaus
and by that course bring out the best
administrative efficiency"
Spontaneous applause here interrupted
the speaker. The officials Ike the idea
OF hurnan.zation and the encourage
rnent that Dawes gave them to break
away from the humdrum methods that
for years. he said. had closged and con-
fused Government activity. Later, how
ever, with rasping sarcasm. Gen. Dawes
paid his respects to certain types OF
Government officers. who. he said. had
stified initiative among workers by
imposing upon others their pitfu little
personalities. either through concett or
desire TO use power or play politics
sees End OF "Personnlitfes."
He said the Government should be
rid OF these types and he predicted
that their ranks would be thinned Gen.
Dawes said such personalities" would
not be permitted longer to impede the
progress Of loyal Government servants.
Cen. Dawes warned his hearers that
,hsrn "a IN he much burning of mid