Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1922-02-02
Copyright. Western Newspaper Union
X.
OUT-OF-DATE MACHINE

hers of the senate and three members
whole problem of the organization of
the executive departments OF the gov
eminent with view to finding out
how TO reorganize them so as TO in
crease their efficiency and decrease
their cost of operation. Ii is about
time The great executive depart
ments of the government have not
been reorganized or greatly modern-
led since Alexander Hamilton's day.
Representative Reayis of Nebraska
is one OF the members OF this Joint
congressional committee that is MAX
Ing the present Investigation. He put
the resolution through the house that
brought about the appointment OF the
committee. lie is a part of the na-
tional government machine and he
ought TO know what he is talking about
when ne says that "While the gov
eminent Of the United States IS the
worlds biggest business. FIT is likewise
the worlds worst managed business.
That is an Indictment and state
ment OF fact that will stand the closest
scrutiny ana The most rnsnarlns
analysis. But listen 10 Mr.. Rcavis
"Why should the Interior department
run an insane asyumand a college for
negroes and a school for the dcaf1
How did it gei that way Why should
one personnel In the pension bureau
in the Interior department be CARING
for the disabled soldiers of tie Civil
war aad the Spanish American war;
willie another personnel in the bureau
of war risk insurance OF the treas-
ury is caring for the veterans OF the
World war? WHY this hodeepods
totally unrelated purposes which is re-
sulfing ina endless duplication ami APP
palling cxpensef'
I will JET Mr. Reayls 80 on without
further interruption. AS a member
IF the house he has his share Of the
responsibility for the conditions DC de-
scribes:
There are 90 separate governmental
agencies handing cnglrerfOns. ar. I4ic.-
tLral and public works functions. Al OI a.
related Nlnd There is uo good reason Aly
mated in one department ana about az
thc useless organizations done away uta.
There are 2f government AGENCIES engaged
In surveying and mapping. tlerr are
separate and distinct agencies cu.oaea iu .
pablo building operations; there are 10
agcucies aut aorizcd 90 build roads. there
are 10 cn-ase % in hydraulic cons irlpt0n.
there are 10 doing work ou iivcrs. there
are 10 engaged IN public la.d functions,
there are is doing chemical Investigation
connected with public work opera tlons'
there are - doing engineering ana re-
search.
Many Of these agencies have been in-
active for Il number OF years. bnt obey
are keeping up their personnel in antc.-
patton of work in the future. We eoli-
save S3o9coHooo year. in my judgment
10y doing away with useless bureaus and
duplication or activities
Some OF the Implications are ridicu-
lous and absurd. For Instance. The gov
eminent Seeks 20 protect the Hid animals
IN the national parks. II brown fadial
bear has iNin cubs. one brown and one
black. as often happens. and one should
shoot The brown CUB he r0gst make his
settlement with one department hat if
he shoots its Gun brother. The black e-h
he must settle With another departments
If you were 90 shoot a fO2 in ALASKA vour
settlement would be With Tie Department
OK Agriculture. while N yol trapped tile
with the Department of Commerce.
The government ISSUED last year
through its several bureaus and depart
ments Is cookhooks The last ono that
was issued was published by the board
OF vocational education. This IS a board
organized by the congress for the purpose
OF rehabilitating crippled soldiers % fhe
World war. TO prevent as far as possible
their becoming derelicts I'm lifc u
may be Of interest TO state that while the
government has been issuing IS cookhooks
and consuming vast quantities OF rrint
paper in these and similar useless ruDll-
cations. 1000 country town newspapers
have suspended i'm The last three months
because they could not secure print paper.
Mr. Reavis and a great many others
have sensed the feeling in the coun-
try and in congress that the time has
come to put an end to all this sort
OF thing. lie gives reasons for lis
belief:
Ono Of the reasons IS that the people
demand that their taxation be reduced.
FOR many years we have been collecting
the revenues ~ this government through
systems OF Indirect taxation. Tie revc-
nues have been collected through a proc
tective tariff and by excise TAXATION on
intoxlcav'g liquors. Indirect taxation OF
this kim prevents the people from realiz-
Ing fully just who IS paying the expenses
OF the government. There w3s q time
when the expenses OF the government
amounted 20 only 10 cents per capita per
year. Today tho annual per capita esq
pense exceeds $40 This tremendous esq
pense has made &c necessary 90 resort IS
direct taxation. and the people have sud-
denly become painfully aware OF who
pays the expenses OF the government.
/ am very certain that the elimination
OF Implications and overlapping in the dee
partments will result in the saving OF
millions of dollars. There is no reason
why IL should not be done.
There is every reason, in the presence
OF the strife and turmoil that prevail ir
this country and Of the unrest occasioaed
by the high cost OF the ncccss1rits OF life
that the government rhould be put upon
a sane efficient and economical basis
Whoever by public clamor or other
means can induce congress and the
executive departments to organize the
routine business OF the national gov
eminent will have performed great
public service. Note that / say "or
ganize" and not "reorganize," for 81
no proper sense has the federal busl
moss ever lppn Orranizpd