Evening star., 1923-02-14
CABINET TO REMAIN
:.H HPRESENT FIGURE
Nso~
ldnt Congress Committee to
e1;Get Plans O. KID BY
Mr.. Harding.
BUREAUS TO BE UNITED
Work Will Be Facilitated by Com
binations of Various
Groups.
BUREAUS TO BE UNITED


approval. the plan for reorganization
of the government departments, is
expected to reach the joint congress
sional committee in charge as soon
as the report Is printed. probably to-
morrow or Thursday.
The o. X. Of the President was Civ
en-. to the final revision yesterday
afternoon at q White House confer
ence with Walter F. Brown, chairman
of the joint committee. Enactment Of
legislation on the matter is not EN-
pected at this session of Congress
While details of the plan will not
be officially announced until it reaches
the Joint committee the reorganiza-
ton as finally approved by the Pres
tdent, is understood to include the
folowing:
Plan Retains Present Size.
Shifting of the functions of the
present government departments in
such manner that there will be no
increase in the number of cabinet
officers, which is to remain ten; for
nation of new department to be
known as Education and Welfare"
fusion of the War and Navy depart
ments into one. the Department OF
Defense.
While there have been many pro-
posals to increase the number OF
cabinet officers above ten, it had been
decided in the interests Of efficient
administration to keep the Presidents
official family small enough to pre-
vent the difficulties encountered by
too large an executive body.
New departments. which had been
suggested by various interests, were
learned to have been health. educa-
tion, engineering, statistics, and sew
eral others The suggestions were re-
Jected.
Many Branches Provided.
IN the new department, that OF
cluded, it is understood. the public
health service, now In the Treasury
Department.; the bureau of education
now in the Interior Department.; the
Veterans Bureau. pension bureau
patents. and a coordination of the
numerous disqualification facilities OF
the government
a battle has ragged for many months,
has been left by the President in the
Department of Agriculture. Many in
fluences were brought to bear in an
attempt to have this bureau moved
to the Interior Department.
Coast Guard Split.
The prohibition unit, now function
ing under the Treasury, is understood
to be slated for transfer to the De-
partment of Justice. The coast guard
also in the Treasury. IS planned to be
split in two, the revenue cutter serv-
ice and academy at New London.
Conn. to go to the new Department
of Defense. and the coast patrol work.
with its life saving apparatus and
personnel, to join the Commerce De-
partment. The New London Academy
would be co-ordinated with Annapolis
Both in the case Of the fused de-
partment of defense and the new de-
partment Of education and welfare,
It Is proposed that there be a single
executive head. a cabinet officer of
high administrative ability, with
either under-secretar1es or assistant
secretaries who are expert in the
particular branches of Army, Navy
education and welfare.
Some opposition has been advanc-
ed to the new department OF Educa-
tion and welfare from both those
etves" in education. and from certain
elements which object to linking up
public health with education.
Christian scfentfsts Oppose.
Some educators have asked for a
department of education itself. It
has been pointed out however, that
the prominent educators of the coun-
try feel that the reorganization plan
Of joining the two will be a for
ward step at least, and of there
comes enough development in the fu-
ture, with growth of the educational
branch of the department It might
be separated. in such manner as the
formerly united Departments of
Commerce and Labor was separated
The Christian Science church, It is
learned has strongly opposed the
combination in the welfare depart-
fnent on the grounds that the govern
ment Will attempt to inject health
propaganda in the educational sys-
tenn of the country Offictals have re-
ceived flood of protests from Chris
tian scientists all over the country,
It was learned. alleging that such a
program will infringe on their per-
sonal prerogatives concerning health
Great Benefits Seen.
On the part of proponents OF the
plan, however. 1t has been pointed
out. that the wellbeing of the body
and the wellbeing of the mind are
fnseparably linked, and that greater
attention to the health Of school chill
dren through closer cooperation be-
tween the federal and state govern
ments and education systems Of the
country would result in raising the
level of both the physique and men,
tality of the coming generation.
No detailed plan of working out
the connection between the two is
understood to have been completed,
however. BY placing the two
branches in the same department. 1T
has been pointed out. each can be
counted on to grow and enlarge its
functions and usefulness to the
people of the country. 1t has been
the consistent history of every use
full branch of the government, ac-
cording to close students Of the situ-
alton, that 1t grew from small be-
ginnings through the Jealous actiy-
{ty of its chiefs