Evening star., 1925-09-25
PRESIDENT BACKED
IN REORGANIZATION
Assured He Will Be Given
Power to Transfer and
Unite U. S. Offices.
BY j. RUSSELL YOUNG.

"A =
rrAss draws nearer. President Cool
tdte IL receiving assurances that ma
hopes for a complete and practical re-
orsa nization Of the executive depart
ments Of the Federal Government are
finally to be realized before this ses
sion comes to an end.
STRANGELY enough the President
homes are not being boosted from any
belief that the Smoot Brown reorgan:-
zation bill to which he is committed.
ts TO be passed by Congress. On the
contrary, the President has been very
well advised that this reorSa nizstion
plan has little II any chance 20 pass.
but in its stead An effort is going L"
be made to. clothe the President of fh~
United States with 2 blanket OF au-
thority to consolidate and transfer
bureaus and agencies Of the Govern
ment at his own discretion and with
a free hand.
Edge to Submit Bill.
Senator Edge OF New" Jersey in
formed the President several days
ago that he intends to introduce
resolution to this affect. and II is now
learned that Senator Curtis OF Kansas,
Republican leader OF the Senate. had
previously acquainted President Cool
idse with his intention to introduce
similar legislation. Senator Curtis il
known TO plan to link his reorga MIA
ton leSislat ton with the administra-
tons tax reduction program. In his
opinion. reoraa nization. which VIII rio
the Government Of what he descfibes
as AN army Of useless independent
bureaus" and which will permit the
President to "whittle" down the Gov
ernment bureaucracy 10 4 business
basis, will not only promote efTiciency,
but will result In tremendous saw
ing.
tits Senator Curtis' opinion that by
looping of the useless bureaus and
other activities of the Government
and eliminating all the waste that has
grown up about them. an extra *20h.-
900 900 annual saving could he MADE.
Capper in Line.
Another supporter Of these pro-
posals to give the President free
hand to effect reorganization ia Sena-
tor Capper of Kansas. chairman of
the District committee Of the Senate.
While at the White House today he
said that he did not believe the Smoot
Brown plan. IL passed. will adequate
ly answer the purpose Of practical re-
ORGANIZATION Moreover. the thinks
the question of reorkanizine the de
partments should he left to the dis
erection Of the Executive. He said he
lid not think the Smoot- Brown plan
has the faintest chance of passing at
the coming session.
Besides discussing his plans for re-
organization with President Coolidge
Senator Curtis has written his views
on the subject. especially as they are
related TO tax revision. for the current
issue Of Nations Business Magazine,
published by the United States Cham
her Of Commerce.
Senator Curtis explains in this ar
ticle that while the budget system
had done a great deal in reducing
waste in the Government service. II
has no power 10 eliminate q govern
mental activity authorized by law.
however useless 1t may be. 1T Ia some
of these activities themselves" Sena-
tor Curtis says, that must he done
away with and, strange to say. some
Of the most useless orts-have de.
veloped the NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. and
defenders. Save 9ovef there. hut let
us alone Ia their 9crys- Il.
Would Eliminate Ofsces.
BY Topping IN the useIes. offices in
the Government and all Of the col
lateral waste that has grown up about
them. Senator Curtis estimates thar an
extra two-hundred million-dollar an
nual saving could he effected
Elimination Of waste and eStrava-
Eance" he writes have always
brought better work whether in Gov
ernment or in private activities. Our
Presidents could At all times he re-
lied upon 10 have the good nf all
the service in mind and to use the
most economical methods ef operation
in the work nt the arieus depart.
ments and akenciAs
"All will admit that there are an
tirely too many boz rds and commits
sions. some should he abolished And
others consolidated We al know
they overlap and duplicate. Once a
board or commission IL created. all
too often it's great aim seems TO h 10
expand in scope and power And to
live eternally It's easv 10 create A
commission. but seems almost lmpos-
sihle to put one out ~ existence. They
nsver so out voluni = rily.
Favors Transfers.
After = mosi careful survey OF
the work done or intended 10 be done
by the boards and commissions. they
should he reduced to the sma Hest mum
her possible and where feasible the
duties now performed bv them should
he ira snsferred IN the depa rtment of
Government best equipped - do the
work.
Even when a hoard or commission
should he found necessary the mem
hership should he limited To AZ small
number as possible. Some of them
are go large they arc unwieldy
There could be reduction in the
expenditure Of nonev Tor expert re-
ports. Officers in the department. know
that much valuable time os expert.
enced men is wasted in the preparation
Of reports which are never printed and
in some cases when thev are published
it ie 80 long after th.ir preparation
that they are valueless.
1T is useless 10 20 into detail be-
cause II is we'll known that re.
organization ~ rhe Government
agencies will reduce expenses. save
time and cur OUT much red tape and
in no way impair efficiency OF the
service.
Plan as Amendment
There have been several sueses-
tions as To the best way TO bring this
plan of ssvine about Senator Smoot
reported in the last Congress. the
SSixty-eiEhth. hrst session, A bin from
the joint committee on the reorSs nizs-
tion Of the executive departments. but
II did not receive favorable considAra.
ton in that Congress-
My plan TO get action would he to
propose short amendment giving the
President full authority 10 transfer
bureaus from one department to an
other and to make such consultations
as he thinks Tor the best interest Of
the public service. That is the prac-
ticAl method"
Senator Edge OF New Jersey con-
tends that while Congress IL taking a
hand at reorga nizins the Government
departments it should pass two
separate and distinct NEE sures
According to him. one measure
should give the President SUFFICIENT