Evening star., 1927-10-19
Wholesale Inquiries Carried
on Independent OF City's
Constituted Authorities.
RESENTMENT OF TACTICS
SEEN UNDER THE SURFACE
Many Questions Arise as to Limits
of Power for U. S. Body and
Permanency Of Role.
BY BEN McKELWAY.


March last, the Bureau Of Efficiency
mas been conducting fishing eXpedi-
tion at the District Building and with
its work still to be completed and some
attractive territory yet to he covered
mas landed about ~ reports and rec
concentrations on how to improve ths
operating machinery Of the municiDa
government. Including those made
since the first Of the year and while
Congress was still in session. the total
number Of Investigations and reports
reaches 62. Some reports are yt TO
De made public and some inveA y
tions are yet 20 be started. What d..
are the bureau does not care to stY
and the District Commissioners do no
know A few days ago the CommiA !.
sloners gave out the information that
or the reports and recommendations
in hand. 40 per cent have been acted
upon and the recommendations
adopted in whole or in modified form,
leaving 60 per cent to be disposed Of.
either by later action or necessary
legislation. AT the Bureau of E,fi.
cheney, however. these figures are not
subject to verification. The bureau
has follow up" list of it's own. show
ing the number OF recommendatIOns
adopted, but it does not choose 10
make it public.
During the last eight months the
District government has been sub
jected TO search from garrett to Gel.
lar, and the end is not yet. The Dis.
trlct Commissioners have devoted A
good many hours of hard work perus-
ing lengthy reports on faults found
and remedies suggested, and the bu-
reau has virtually concentrated lis
force OF expert investigators i'm thor
ough combing of the municipal estab-
lishment. And while on it's surface
the water appears smooth, clear and
unruffled, all is not so smooth beneath
the surface and there is a good bit of
stirred-up mud. At the Bureau of Ef.
nciency there are limitations that its
inNestigatnrs have not been accorded
I that fun measure, of hearty, cheerful
cooperation from the divisions of the
city government which might be de-
sired, but is hardly TO be expected
under the circumstances. At the Dis
tr1ct Building one does not have to
search long or far before obtaining 4
generous earfull Of information not al
together complimentary to the bu-
reaus workers. their tactics and their
motives. When Congress meets this
year the bureaus investigations of
the Summer will have an echo. and
even now there are disturbing noises
plainly audible even to those whose
ears are not held to the ground.
Important Questions.
While it is too early even to at
tempt an analysis of the bureaus
work or to argue whether it will re.
suit in greater efficiency at the Dis.
trlct Building or confine itself To
changes in method and procedure the
Dement'S OF which are yet to be dem.
onstrated. series of interesting uues-
tons already stands out i'm bold relief.
ana 1t becomes increasingly important
that they be definitely answered.
For instance:
Has the Bureau of Efficiency been
given the permanent role of finding
ana hiking agency ar the District
Building. or has it been given tenn.
porary task of reorganizing the Dis.
trict government on the basis of what
1t believes to be right?
Where does the authority Of the
Bureau of Efficiency end. and where
does that of the District Commission.
ers begin?
is the Bureau of Efficiency so or.
SanlZed that it constitutes the proper
agency for solving the problems of
municipal government administration
In Washington. undertaking to decide
matters ranging from legal inter-
pretation of the right of the Wash.
lnSton Terminal Co. to grant a cab
monopoly to the sociological policy TO
oe pursued in the detention of depend.
ent and incorrigible children
The Bureau OF Efficiency has not
conducted its search Of the District
Government without a warrant. Rep-
resentative Madden Of Illinois, chair
man or the House appropria tiOns com.
mlttee. wrote letter TO Herbert II.
Brown. chief Of the Bureau of Fiji
cheney. comforting upon the bureau
what has been interpreted AT the bu-
ieau as blanket authority to 90 where
and when II desired in gathering in.
Iofmatlon And Represe nta tive Gih-
son or Vermont, chairman Of the spe.
clal investigating subcommittee of ths
House District committee, gave Mr..
brown instructions to carry on the
Investigations which the subcomnt.
tee Itself was forced to drop with the
adjournment Of Congress.
Call for Experts Seen.
But in this connection there Is an
point relating to the in
structions given by Mr.. Gibson. At
tne District Building, for instance,
they We're interpreted AS meaning
that the new Board Of Commission
ers should look we'll into the condi.
tons they found. and il any help was
needed from the Bureau of Efficiency
the District Commissioners could call
upon the bureau and receive the ad.
vice and assistance of it's experts.
Former Commissioner Bell is under
stood To have told the bureau that he
would he glad 10 have his depart
ment investigated. and if anything
was found to be wrong he wanted
to know about it. Outside OF this
rather informal request. no other
pleas for assistance were sent to the
bureau from the District Commits
sioners. But none was needed.
The bureau has not notified the
Commissioners Of its intention in adj
vance of making any investigation. Its
have appeared without
and proceeded to investi-
gate. Following the investigation the
Commissioners have been informed OF
the bureaus findings. together with
It's recommendations Nor has the
bureau ceased there. II mas not left
To the Commissioners the choice of
its recommendations will or
will not be adopted, hut has pushed
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