Evening star., 1927-10-20


the last Congress-, and others sug'
gested by the Secretary Of the Interior.
There has been omitted from the
revised bill any reference as to what
the internal organization shall be
after the transfers are made, with the
exception that the revision specifies
there shall be an Assistant Secretary
of Public Works. who shall be quail
fed by experience and training to
direct work of such character.
ITO include organization matters In
the bill would unnecessarily add to
the difficulties of securing favorable
action. If the transfers are made. the
character Of the orga anization will he
departmental question which can be
dealt with at the proper time.
Upon the suggestion of the two
Secretaries, the provision remains that
members of the Engineer Corps may.
upon request of the Secretary of War
and with the approval of the Secre-
tary Of the Interior. be temporarily
| transferred to the Division of Public
Works for training and experience.
'The revised bill is a proposal ia
transfer certain agencies of the Gov.
ernment from the departments In
which they may now be to the Depart.
| ment of the Interior, so that a unfit.
cation OF planning. direction and con.
troll of public works activities may be
realized"
Provision for the centralizat ton of
the public works functions is con.
tanned in section 2 Of the revised
Wyant bill, which makes the following
transfers to the Department of the
Interior:
From the Department of Agricul.
ture. the Bureau of Public Roads, ex-
cept the agricultural engineering d.
vision thereof.
From the Department of the Treas
ury. the Office of the Supervising Ar
chitect.
From the Department of War, the
rivers and harbors improvements, in
cluding the board of engineers on riv.
ers and harbors. and the duties of the
chief Of engineers thereto appertain-
ing; the Mississippi River Commission;
the California Debris Commission, and
the Alaska telegraph and cable sys-
tenn. and all other engineering and
construction work of civil character,
including all jurisdiction in respect to
navigabie waters, except such as may
pertain to his military duties.
Alaska Board Abolished.
THE Board of Road Commissioners
for Alaska, under jurisdiction of the
Department Of War, Is hereby abol.
ished; and the authority, powers and
duties conferred and imposed by law
upon said board shall be held, exer.
cised and performed by the Secretary
Of the Interior through such instru.
mentalities as he may determine, with
the approval of the President.
THE ONCE Of Public Buildings and
In hereby abolished, and the authority,
powers and duties conferred and i'm.
posed by law upon the said ONCE shall
be held, exercised and performed by
the Secretary Of the Interior through
such instrumentalities as he may de.
termine. with the approval Of the
President
"The Inland Waterways CORPORATION
is hereby transferred from the juris-
diction OF the War Department to that
Of the Department Of the Interior.
and the Secretary OF the Interior shall
have and exercise all the powers and
duties now imposed by law upon the
Secretary OF War in respect to said
corporation.
THE Rock Creek and Potomac
Parkway Commission is hereby aboi.
ished, and the authorities. powers and
duties conferred and imposed by law
upon said board shall be held, exer.
cised and performed by the Secretary
OF the Interior through such instru.
mentalities az he may determine with
the approval Of the President.
The Commission of Fine Arts IS
hereby transferred to the jurisdiction
OF the Department Of the Interior, and
the authorities, powers and duties
conferred and Impressed by law, execu-
tive order and otherwise upon the said
commission shall remain with the
commission, except that the Secre-
tary OF the Interior shalt direct ef-
forts OF the commission to conform
with the public works functions OF
MS department, with the approval Of
the President.
From the jurisdiction of Congress.
itol."
Hostility Is Foreseen.
Section three of the Wyant Bill
relates to the Engineer Corps. It's
provisions, hostility to which is fore.
seen, though they are declared to have
low:
That engineering officers of the
United States Army may be detailed
by the Secretary OF War to non-mil.
itary duties having to do with river
and harbor improvements, the Missis.
sippi River Commission, the California
Debris Commission, or other civil func.
tons. with the approval of the Sec.
retary of the Interior.
"Ail officers Of the Army attached to
the Department Of the Interior shall
retain their military rank and sue.
cession, and receive the compensation
Communication and emoluments pro.
vided by law in the case Of Army
officers Of the same rank not de.
tached from the Regular Army SER
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