Evening star., 1921-04-17
"Want No Paternalism, But Aids
to Business in Collective
Sense" He Emphasizes.
By the Associated Press.

much could be done to mitigate the
situation and remedy the duplication
of conflicting forces in the executive
branch Of the government.
II have daily evidence in the De-
partment Of Commerce Of all these
forces" Mr.. Hoover said. THE ques-
tion of government aids to naviga-
tion Is not by any means one of the
principal functions Of our govern
ment. but it must be a sore trial to
tho hearty mariner. He must obtain
his domestic charts from the Depart
ment Of Commerce, his foreign charts
from the Navy Department and his
Nautical Almanacs from the Naval OBJ
servatory-and he will in some cir
cumstances get sailing directions
from the Army. In fog he may get
radio signals from both the Navy
and Commerce and listen to foghorns
and look for lights and buoys pro-
vided by Commerce. II the sinks his
life is saved by the Treasury. He
will anchor at tho direction Of the
Army, who rely upon the Treasury to
enforce their will. His boilers and
lifeboats are inspected by the Depart
ment Of Commerce; his crew fs GER
ufed By ones, bureAu In Commerce.
- ~ IL tlla sof another
e. e tho tho
'pGis ~ g Ixbor:s<
one Head Essential.
A similar story. Mr.. Hoover said.
could be told Of the governments re-
lations to industry and to domestic
and foreign commerce. Economy could
be made. he asserted, by placing most
Of these functions under one head.
"The economic changes in the
world" he continued. growing out
of the war and their reflex upon our
trade and industry make it vital IL
We are to maintain our standards Of
living against increasing ferocity Of
competition that we shall concentrate
and enlarge our national effort in the
aid, protection, stimulation and per-
lection Of our industrial and CONNER
cial life There can be no real De-
policies to these broad purposes SO
long as the instrumentalities Of the
government bearing on these ques-
tions lie in half a dozen departments
Scores Wastefulness.
There is one problem of the new
administration that has received the
attention and thought of the organ
lied engineers Of America for many
years past This is the problem Of
the reorganization Of the federal gov-
ernment. The inadequacy, the waste
fulness, and the inefficiency of our
federal organization were evident
enough under pre-war condition ..
These inadequacies. these inenici-
ences, these wastes were exhibited
to tho country during the war at the
cost Of millions.
Congress has placed the problem
in tho hands Of a very able congress
sional Joint committee. But il this
Joint committee succeeds in securing
the imminently necessary results it
will only be by full insistent support
to it by public opinion. Many at
tempts have been made at reorgani-
zation before. but all of them have
gone to the same crematory-the in
terminable differences in opinion
among the executive and legislative
officials over details.
ITO any student Of federal organ
r,,~
tai necessity stands out above all
others, and that is that the admin
istrative units of the government
must be regrouped SO as to give
each of the great departments moro
nearly a single purpose. The hodge,
tive branches is scarcely believable
when we consider our national pride
and skill in organization. Such func-
tions as public domain. public works,
assistance to veterans. public health
functions. aids to navigation. to in
dustry. to trade, purchasing Of major
supplies. are each and every one
scattered over from four to eight de-
partments, most Of which are devoted
to some other major purpose.
Must Eliminate Overlapping.
Economies can be accomplished from
a public point Of view by an elimina-
tion of the overlap in these different
units of administration through uni
fcation into groups of similar pur-
poses. The real economy to the ma
ton. however. does not lie here. how
ever great this may be. but it lies in
their more effective functioning in
their daily relation to the public. The
extra cost imposed upon business in
general in the determination Of the re-
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