Evening star., 1922-03-30
.ONE BILL FAVORED
!. F0R.REORGAN|z|NG
Senator smoot Expects to
Present Measure 70 Con-
gress Soon.

1t is considered likely that the re-
Organization of the federal depart
,ments and bureaus as planned by
Walter F. Brown. chairman of the
joint congressional commission. and
approved by the President will be
embodied in one general bill when
the matter is brought before Con-
gress for consideration.
This Is the opinion, at least. of
Senator Reed Smoot Of Utah, one OF
the leading advocates of reorganiza-
tion and a member of the joint COM
mission engaged in the task. He
expressed this belief today follow
Ing a half hours conference at the
White House with the President.
during which the reorganization plan
submitted several weeks ago was
discussed in detail.
Expects Bill Ready Soon.
Senator Snoot expressed also the
belief that the Reorganization bill
would be ready for presentation to
Congress much sooner than was an
.f1cipated a week or SO ago. AL
though he did not say so. he inti-
mated strongly that the Presidents
idea of whipping into shape that por-
tion of the reorganization plan
agreed upon by members of the cabi-
net without waiting for an agree
ment between the three cabinet Off
GERS who are disputing certain pro-
Visions affecting their respective de-
ward expediting completion Of the
whole matter The President is said
to have made known to Senator Smoot
his personal desire to speed up this
legislation and explained to him the
desirability of withholding that part
of the plan affecting the departments
OF Agriculture, Commerce and In
terror.
The joint commission. after re-
ceiving the approved section of the
plan, could have it probably in shape
for presentation to Congress by the
time the three cabinet officers in
question have ironed out their diff
ferenees and reached an agreement.
One BHl Favored.
1t is the opinion of Senator Smoot
that it would be more practical from
every viewpoint to put the reorgani-
xation plan in one bill instead of IN
q series OF measures. as has been
proposed. He believes it will not be
necessary to call for any long drawn
out hearings before the joint COM
mission regarding the more impor-
tant proposed changes in the general
plan- However, some high officials
alner on this point It is explained
tf0n program could be more intelli-
gently considered and would prob
ably be more favorably treated if it
were brought to Congress in a series
bureau and Independent agency of
the government. This point. how
It was intimated today at the
White House that the full report as
submitted to the Presiden more than
seven weeks ago by Mr.. Brown
would be made public for the first
time within the next few days.
Whether or not those sections of the
plan, over which there is contention
hcers in question will be included
when the report is made. public was
not made known. Although a num-
Der OF the plans most important pro-
Visions have been speculated upon
publicly. it was learned today for the
',hrst time that among some of the
provisions Is one for the transfer OF
the prision division OF the Depart
iment Of Justice to the proposed new
department of public welfare. Also
observatory and photographic office
from the jurisdiction of the Navy
Department to the Department of
Commerce
These two proposed changes. it Is
explained, are made because 1t is con-
Sfoered by the commission that the
nature of their activities are such as
70 bring them more closely under the
Departmeut Of Commerce, rather than
the Navy.
Department Of State First.
Tho first section Of the reorRaniza-
ton plan which will be considered for
final treatment will be that affecting
the Department of State. 1t is said
that few major changes are contem-
plated regarding this department.
Probably the most important one will
Pc the proposed transfer of the in
itiative in connection with the promo
taon OF foreign commerce from the
consular division of the State Depart-
ment to the Department of Commerce.
The consular division. however, will
remain under the jurisdiction Of the
State Department
Following the completion of the
nnai treatment of the plan as 1t
enects the State Department, the
commission will then take up the
war Department section. which pro-
vides a number of important changes,
me principal one being the consolida-
ton OF the Army and Navy and the
change in the departments name to
the Department of National Defense