Evening star., 1924-11-30
REATION Of q Bureau of
Public Works in the Interior
Department. which would

~
Public Works in the Interior
Department. which would
~ bring together and co-ordi-
nate most of the construc-
ton activities now scattered through
out the Federal service, will be given
serious and probably favorable con-
eideration by Congress during the
coming session as one Of the most i'm
portant and urgent steps in reorgani-
cation OF Uncle Sans workshop.
The administration is emphatically
behind this proposal and President
Coolidge has expressed the hope that
Congress will act promptly on the
proposed reorganization. The engi-
neering profession has advocated an
even more extensive consolidation OF
engineering and construction work
into Government department head
ed by a cabinet officer. The pro-
posed Bureau of Public Works was rec
commended by the joint congressional
committee on reorganization, with a
personal representative of President
Harding Is chairman, and this rec
ommendation has been passed upon
by the President and his cabinet.
Favored BY Work.
Secretary Work of the Department
of the Interior says that the impera-
tive need for the creation of such
bureau is being daily impressed upon
him and adds, ITO my mind 1t is the
most important creation that can be
made in connection with the Depart
ment of the Interior"
Secretary Work recommends that
the construction engineering work of
the Government concentrated in this
Bureau Of Public Works should be
headed by the ablest engineer who
could be found, because that would
become one Of the most important
services of the Government" He ad-
vocates that this assistant secretary be
d presidential appointee and that the
personnel come principally by assign
ment from the War Department, 'for
the reason that trained men from
the War Department, skilled engi-
neers, could be used at approximately
half the salary civil engineers of
equal attainment would demand"
Lineup Suggested.
At 1t now lies before Congress the
scheme Of reorganization suggested by
the President and his cabinet at the
request Of the joint committee on re-
organization provides for the proposed
Bureau of Public Works to be made
up Of the following agencies: Bureau
Of Public Roads, from the Department
of Agriculture; the Supervising Archi-
tect's Office, from the Treasury De-
partment: the Alaskan Engineering
Commission and the Reclamation Serv-
Ice, now in the Interior Department;
the following transfers from the War
Department-Board of Engineers for
! Rivers and Harbors, Board of Engineers
for New York City, United States En-
gineer Offices. Mississippi River Com
mission, California Debris Commission,
Board Of Road Commissioners for Alas
ka and the Office of Public Buildings and
Grounds; also the Bureau of District of
Columbia Buildings and Grounds, the
Commission of Fine Arts, an independ-
ent establishment; the superintendent of
the State, War and Navy Department
Buildings, an independent establish
ment; the architect of the Capitol, now
under Congress directly; the Rock Creek
and Potomac Parkway Commission. now
an independent activity, and solicitor
from the Department of Justice.
Some Changes Made.
This is the original lineup drafted
by Secretary Work in his recommends
tions to the joint committee on reor-
ganization. The latter committee in its
report to both branches Of Congress,
signed by Senators Feed Smoot of Utah
and ]. w. Wadsworth, jr.. Of New York.
and Representatives Carl Z. Mapes Of
Michigan and Henry w. Temple of Penn
sylvania, all Republicans. however, omits
some Of these activities and recommends
that under the new Assistant Secretary Of
Public Works the activities should be
the Bureau of Public Roads (Agricul-
ture), the Supervising Architects Or
flee (Treasury). the Alaskan Railroad,
the. Bureau of Reclamation and the
Board Of Road Commissioners for
Alaska (War), with solicitor from the
Department Of Justice.
In it's report the majority on the
Joint committee on reorganization
called attention that recommended
tions have been presented to the COM
mittee by number OF groups
chiefly the engineering societies
looking to the establishment of a de-
partment Of public works. These sug-
gestions have much to recommend
them, the committee felt, for it has
long been evident that the Govern
ment's engineering and public works
enterprises, although divided among
a number of departments, are of sufti-
cient Importance and require so large
a personnel in their prosecution as to
raise a presumption in favor of their
concentration in a department de-
voted exclusively to their admins
tration.
Organizations Are Alike.
The organization maintained under
the chief of engineers of the Army
for the improvement of rivers and
harbors, the Bureau of Public Roads,
the Supervising Architects Office, the
Board of Road Commissioners for
Alaska, the Federal Power Commits
sion, the ONCE Of Public Buildings and
Grounds, the Reclamation Service and
oil
that they deal primarily with civil en-
sineerinE questions, the reorganiza-
ton committee reports.
Although their problems are essen
TALLY different in detail, and their
purposes clearly separated, it is, of
course, true that they all involve the
application of the same scientific
principles and substantially similar
practical methods. 1t is true also, the
committee argues, that
the technical personnel of the several
agencies enumerated is much the
same in character and training, and,
to a lesser extent. in form OF organi-
zation.
It is contended by engineers that
many advantages would result from
the association of these establish
ments in a single department devoted
exclusively to public work and re-
lated matters.
No Cabinet Addition.
The Joint committee on reorganiza-
tion, however, does not recommend
action at this time to set UP dis
tinct Government department of en-
gineering headed by cabinet officer.
1t proposes instead a modification of
Secretary Works recommendation,
through the concentration of certain
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