Beverly banner. [volume] (Beverly, N.J.) 1877-1964, 1925-07-24
BY JOHN DICKINSON SHERMAN


hITW~Md mines and minerals statistics divl
VIZ h M sion from the Department of the
W - NJ Interior to the Department Of Com
%NM AM throws another spotlight on
SSN&1 an anomalous situation at Washing
NN0D ton which has long held public atten
~ tion-bureaucracy and the delayed
~ reorganization of the executive de-
~ partments Of the federal government
This change Is of those recon-
Enended in the program of the joint congressional
committee. 1t was made with the approval and
cooperation of Secretaries Work and Hoover or
the Interior and Commerce departments And this
change was possible only because of the fact that
the President had power to made 1t under author
ity lodged in him by the organic act creating
the Department of Commerce This Is the only
department to which such transfer can be made
by the President without action by congress. Sec
Rotary Hoover would like to recprocate by turning
over some functions to Secretary Work, but he
will have to wait until congress authorizes the
reorganization of the executive departments
Secretary Hoover purposes to build up in his
department comprehensive division embracing
activities of the federal governments scientific
and economic research in aid of industry Ex-
animation shows that the research work of the
Commerce department and the bureau Of mines
overlaps in gasoline and lubricating oils in porce
lain manufacture; in fuel; in domestic distribu-
ton, and foreign trade in mineral products; In
statistics of the production of minerals and
plOSlVeS, IN Sa1ely appliances, ana so on Secre-
tary Hoover, who is word-famous mining engi-
neer, among other things, purposes to overhaul
the bureau of mines and increase its usefulness
to the mining industry.
SO the transfer of the bureau of mines may be
regarded as an object lesson in what ought to be
done in the reorganization of the executive depart
ments-and isn't. Secretary Work has just run
up against another Illuminating situation, this
time In Alaska
A compilation just completed by him shows that
a total OF $10,467,064 was spent last year in the
federal administration of the territory. Control %
this expenditure apportioned among nine Of
Il ten executive departments the Department of
State being the lonesome one. Approximately 25
different bureaus expended the appropriations
by congress for the 125 government activities
in the territory Three thousand people in
Alaska-more than one-tenth Of the white popula-
tlon-are in the government employ
When Alexander Hamilton mapped out the
executive departments he grouped the different
functions devoted to the same general major pur-
pose under single responsibility. Ever since his
day, as the nation grew and the governments
activities increased have been busy un6oing
his work by dividing responsibility through the
scattering of aervice with substantially the same
major purpose among the different executive de-
partments. New bureaus have been thrown wher-
ever it was most convenient where they would
be most kindly received.
In this way bureaucracy has become entrenched
in the executive branch Of the government. There
are than 200 different bureaus, boards
and commissions with total Of $4,000 employees.
In addition there more than 40 independent
establishments directly under either the President
or congress. good deal of this bureaucracy is
necessary The unnecessary personnel Is being
cut down of late years. But nothing will cure the
waste In government that is the result of bad
organization except reorganization.
Now the reorganization of the executive depart
mems of the federal government has been urged
uEF~~ dYEess by every President from Roosevelt
IT. XII dsE Congressional committees and COM
missions hi We investigated and reported Complete
programs of reorganization have been formu
ated--one is before congress now. Efficiency
experts In the cabinet like Hoover and Work advo
cate this reorganization day in and day out But
congress has never given authority to anyone to
,'ls reorganization into effect II has removed
feeryce from politics. 1t has created the