The Elk Mountain pilot., 1922-07-13
By EDWARD G. LOWRY
Cspynskf. Westsra Nsvspapsr Unio.
WRITE TO THESE MEN,

| The chief defects, or places whers
waste Il apparent in the conduct ol
the business Of the government, thai
1 have pointed out In these articles
have been, frst, the excessive proper
ton Of the government income thai
went for military expenditures sec
ond, the chaotic condition and lack
Of adequate supervision and control
of expenditures. which have been in
part remedied by the introduction of
the budget system and third, the hap
hazard organization Of the govern
ment departments and the unorgan-
lied condition that prevailed in gov
ernment employment.
The remedy for two Of these condi-
tons have treated briefly In the
two Immediately preceding articles. !
come now to the matter of reorganiza-
tion of the departments and the re-
classification Of government en-
ployees. A beginning has been made
on both Of these matters.
A joint committee Of the two houses
Of congress. with Walter F. Brown as
chairman, Is studying the whole ques-
tion Of organization Of the government
and the function Of the various de
partments and bureaus and independ-
ent establishments. cannot too
strongly advise you to keep yourself
in contact with the work that joint
committee is doing.
have gwen you the names of the
members OF the committee In another
article but I will repeat them here
They are Senators Smoot of Utah
Wadsworth of New York and Harrison
Of Mississippi; Representatives Reayis
Of Nebraska, Temple Of Pennsylvanis
and Moore of Virginia. Write to any
of them or to Mr.. Brown, the chair
man Of the committee, who represent,
the President. with headquarters Ii
the house ofiice building here at Wash
ington.
This Is the third or fourth attempt
that has been made to effect q genera
reorganization Of the conduct Of the
business of the executive departments
They have all failed through lack ol
interest. There was lack Of public In
terest, and consequently lack Of inter
est In congress-.
This joint committee Ii at work now
1t is collecting facts. It IL finding cui
the actual condition. It is studyinl
the departments. Presently 1t vii
make . report to congress. II you
| will show an active, insistent Interest
in the work that II IL doing. congress-
viii take action. II you do not show
this interest. there Is every chance In
the world that NO action will be taken
and that things will remain much q
ever.
Hundreds Of special interests art
clamoring for the attention Of con
gress. All OF them are organized
Most Of them keep representative.
here at Washington. They present fe
Individual members Of conkress In Z
hundred skillful. shrewd, subtle way,
arguments to support the Legislation
they are seeking to advance. 1t would
take two or three columnA or thii
newspaper merely to print . list oi
the organizations and associations thai
are here to keep congress mindful oI
their interests.
In this great clamor the common
public interest is likely to he sub
merged. In fact. too often 1t has beer
submerged. This matter Of economic,
and reorganizing the business of thu
government and taking up the tediou,
details Of administration IL dull busi
ness. 1t has been neglected and pui
OF time after time because Of Incl
) Of public interest and driving fvrcs
behind It,
II you will supply this driving force
now and display q sustained interest
you can at least put the business oi
government Of the United States or
an efiicient basis. Congress has beer
negligent becnuse you have been neglI
gent, but now at last the thing ha,
run along SO far that something mus
be done about II.
III