Evening star., 1924-01-17
WORK ASKS CHANGE
IN REORGANIZATION
OF H|SDEPARTMENT
Proposes New Scheme Gre
ating Five Main Divisions to
Govern Activities.
MUCH ENLARGED BUREAU
OF EDUCATION SUGGESTED
Public Works Section Vital Step
in New Alignment, Interior
Head Holds.

Secretary of the Interior Work pro-
posed a new scheme for the reorgan-
ization of the Interior Department
today before the joint congressional
committee on the reorganization OF
the government departments.
Declaring that the department
should have four assistant secre-
taries, Dr. Work proposed the follow
ing main divisions:
1. Bureau Of education
2. Bureau of public works
8. Bureau of territorial affairs.
4. Bureau of public lands.
5. Bureau of public health.
He based this scheme upon the non
adoption Of the proposed department
OF education and welfare. If such a
department is not created, he sain,
then the bureau Of education should be
greatly enlarged.
Public Works Vital.
Formation of the bureau of public
works, he continued. is one of the
most important steps that can be
made in the whole reorganization.
The assistant secretary of this bu-
reau, he indicated, should be civil
ian engineer.
His proposed bureau of territorial
affairs would take in the admins
tratfon of Alaska, Hawaii, the Phil
ippines, Guam, Porto Rica, American
Samoa and the Virgin Islands. The
entire administration of Alaska, he
said, should be in the Interior De-
partment.
Under the bureau Of public lands
he would group the general land OF
flee, Indian affairs, the park service.
reclamation bureau, geological sur
Sf pp0nHtlC
the latter now under the Department
of Commerce.
DR.. Work expressed the opinion
that the forest service seems to ee
partment." declaring that the protec-
ton of the forests and reforestaton
are closely akin.
II think the forest service is prob
ably where it belongs" DR.. WORK
said.
Wants Health Bureau
The Secretary said the surgeon gem
eral of the health service would be
the ex-officio assistant secretary OF
the proposed bureau of public health.
DR.. Work threw out the suggestion
that it might be well II the conpen-
sation features of the Veterans Bu-
reau were given to the pension ou-
reau and its disqualification work TO
the public health service.
DR.. Work said he could see no ne
cessity for the proposed "department
of education and welfare" provided
the present bureau of education Is en-
larged.
DR.. Work also presented another
scheme of Reorganization, which
would divide the Department of the
Interior into three main divisions,
those of public works, lands and ter
ritorial affairs. He indicated to the
committee, however, that of the two
plans presented by him he preferred
the one making for five bureaus.
Postmaster General New who ap-
peared before the committee, spoke
strongly against the proposal 10
change the name of the Post Office
Department to department OF coih-
munications."
.sThe Post Office Department has
keen known by that name since We
have been a government" he said
He suggested the advisability OF
creating an administrative assistant
TO take the place of the present con-
fidential clerk to the Postmaster
MIR New said he advised most siren
uously against the proposal to place
the postal inspectors under the bureau
of investigation of the Department OF
Justice" Mr.. New ended by declaring,
"AlI want is to be let alone.
| :, Engineers will be heard tomorrow
morning on the proposed bureau of pub
| lie works 1t is probable that the Sec
retaries of Agriculture and Commerce
will be heard Saturday morning. and
the Attorney General Monday II
seemed likely today that the hearings
will be terminated next week.