Evening star., 1925-03-20
More Effective Cooperation
In Government Is Discussed

1856. wrote an excellent treatise upon
the subject. The frequent personal
appearances before Congress of Mr..
Wilson himself. as President, furnish
ed strong arguments for the presence
of members of the cabinet. But the
President cannot well be subjected to
interrogatories; nor can it be sup
posed that he is sufficiently familiar
with the affairs of each of the eXecu-
tive departments to be enabled TO rep
resent them all upon the floor of Con-
gress.
President Remainx Independent.
The suggestion belongs to the de
velopment Of our own laws and must
be discussed within it's capacity Of ad
justment to our American system.
The President must remain independ
ent OF Congress as TO the manner in
which he may choose TO communicate
information in regard TO executive
matters. The heads of the executive
departments are there to aid him IN
the performance Of certain duties, and
so far are responsible to him alone.
But Congress creates offices by lazy,
and as all the heads of the depart
ments are creatures of congressional
Legislation. new duties may be as
signed to them.
The law organizing the Treasury
que stion. Congress in creating the
Office OF Secretary Of the Treasury de
clared that the Secretary shall make
report and give Information to either
branch OF the legislature either I'm
person or in writing respecting all
matters which shall appertain to his
Office" as either House may require
The Constitution does not contain
the words cabinet officers" or con
L. = -
President may require the opinion in
writing Of the principal officer in
each department" For this reason
such officers are said 10 be ''consti-
tutional advisers" to the President.
The executive officers of our Govern
ment, under the proposed change OF
rules, would be subject TO a more def
mite form OF accountability, having
great advantages over the purely parlia-
mentary systems OF Europe and South
America, in which the cabinets or
governments are in reality, in most
instances, committees of the majority
in the parliamentary body. selected to
carry into execution its general
policy.
Subject to Instability.
Such cabinets are subject to the
instability resulting from parlia-
mentary changes of opinion and an
adverse vote is generally interpreted
as involving the resignation of the
cabinet or government. To endeavor
to bring about the English parlia-
mentary system, for instance. would
involve amendments of the Constitu-
tion, creating endless confusion. We
have fixed periods for the election OF
the Chief Executive. members of the
Senate and Of the House of Repre-
santatives. If the head of one OF our
departments, under the proposed
change in the rules of procedure, was
seriously opposed by the majority IN
Congress. there would be more than
one course open to him. He might
resign and the President could then
appoint some one in his place without
being under the necessity of removing
any other member OF the adminiStra-
ton. or the head of the department
might modify his views and submit
q more acceptable measure.
No encreachment by the legislative
branch upon the constitutional
privileges of the President or of his
cabinet is suggested and no invasion
by the executive OF the jurisdiction
of the legislative branch, nor any
modification of the constitutional
distribution of the functions of the
three independent departments of our
Government, its distinctive and char
acteristic features. 1t would simply
be a change in the rules of procedure
which would not even interfere with
the existing methods of communica-
ton by written reports or by the per-
sonal presence before congressional
committees of members of the cabinets
and subordinate chiefs of bureaus or
executive depar tments.
A few words spoken by competent
head OF a department would place
the whole of Congress and the coun-
| tpy on the same vantage ground as
| the members of a congressional com
mittee. Direct information from the
heads of the departments would en-
able Congress to be more quickly
advised by oral communication,
| rendering legislation much less sub
ject to the present serious delays.
The discussion of the Isle of Pines
treaty. pending for 20 years, is an
! Illustration. Certainly, had the Secretary
| of State at any time during that long
period been able to present person
| ally and orally to Congress the iden-
! tical arguments made by certain able
! Senators the treaty would have long
| since been ratified.
The Executive may advocate a
policy which Congress opposes, and
/ the absence of authorized means of
! oral communication may prevent the
establishment of the harmony OF
| action necessary for the public vel
| fare. When, on the contrary, there
! exists an agreement between the
| legislative and executive branches,
an intercourse resulting from a com
mon purpose would be promoted by
| free oral communication.
Would Give Facts Orally.
| The nr0nosition that the m hers
| of the cabinet be invited to appear
| before Congress would virtually be
! a request to communicate orally and
\ directly what they now communicate
| in writing. The volume of printed
| matter is growing enormously, until
| 1t becomes physically impossible for
| members of either house to deal with
| 1t effectively The great number OF
] printed reports, although of value
| for reference, are in the mass prac-
| tically unavailable for the purpose
| of supplying Congress with facts and
| information for immediate use. They
have created a situation in which
! Congress is unable to act with any
degree of promptness.
There is no legislative body in the
world containing men of higher quail
| ifcations of ability and character for
| legislative and executive office, in
| cluding the presidency, than are
| found in our Senate and House of
| Representatives. TO have served
| with distinction many years in Con-
| gress greatly adds TO the important
| qualifications for that great office.
| DERRY REL ,NONT