Evening star., 1928-11-22
HOOVER MAY WAR
ON COMMISSIONS
Attitude OF President Elect
on Independent Groups
AnxiousIy Awaited.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

or all the probable Hoover policies
none seems TO have come to the sur
! face of the discussion here more prom
/ inently than the attitude of the Presi-
| dent-elect toward the independent
commissions which have grown up in
recent years.
Most of these bodies are the crea-
lures of Congress and originally we're
designated as bipartisan so that there
would be a political check on their &C
tivities. But instead Of dividing on
party lines they have conflicted on poll
cies. with the result that in some OF
them practically no progress has been
possible at all
Herbert Hoover is known to have eX-
pressed the view that either the inde-
pendent commissions ought to be MADE
to function efficiently or abolished alb
solutely. and their work taken over by
the executive departments under cab
met supervision: If they are to remain
then it is probable Mr. Hoover will en-
deavor to improve their personnel.
May Become Bureaus.
Certainly the business world which
is virtually interested in these commits
sions can expect some recommenda-
tions on the subject when the new
President takes office II is unlikely
/ that any radical change would be advo-
Gated at once and no general rule es-
tablished but by the time the Hoover
administration has really gotten under
way it. would be found that the COM
missions will not escape consideration.
There is, incidentally, the general plan
of reorganization of Government bu-
reaus, which will bring the subject to
the fore and, 1t Is possible that some
of the commissions will be turned into
bureaus, when the new administration
lays its plan before Congress.
The Interstate Commerce Commits
sion is one of the bodies which have be-
come fixtures, but it is significant
fact that the terms of five Democrats
will expire within the next three years.
thus giving Hr. Hoover an opportunity
to reconstruct the commission accord
ing to. regional consideration, If he likes.
because the bipartisan character Is pre-
scribed by law, but President can Sc
lect from different sections if he likes.
The Federal Tariff Commission has
been at SKIES and sevenS for some time
and there has been talk of making it a
fact-finding commission responsible to
Congress only, whereas it may become
bureau under the executive branch.
which in turn would submit its data to
Congress
The Federal Radio Commission is of
recent origin. Mr. Hoover did not favor
its creation and Congress adopted The
plan with the idea that the commission
would act AS a sort of board OF ap-
peals after two or three years, but that
the power to administer radio would be
in the Department of Commerce. In
fact. there have been suggestions Of a
Department of Communications but
these have been opposed by some Of
the communication companies on the
ground that the Interstate Commerce
Commission is able to take care 0f the
problems that might arise requiring
Federal regulation.
Personnel Is Attacked.
The Federal Trade Commission has
become the investigation arm Of the
Government so far as business practices
are concerned. On several occasions
there have been efforts to abolish it,
arising from both friends and foes.
Most of the difficulties have been traced
to dissatisfaction with personnel.
Here is another case in which the
power of appointment will take on con-
siderable importance. Herbert Hoover
is not. represented AS seeking men
welded to a particular point of view,
but men broad-gauged and clear-vi-
stoned, who can bring to the commits
sion a national rather than provincial
view of business problems.
There are many other boards and
commissions on which the President has
the power of appointment. with, of
course. the consent of the Senate-in-
stitutions like the Federal Reserve
Board. the Shipping Board and the
Board of Tax Appeals. Altogether the
opportunity of Mr.. Hoover to get close
working arrangement between the
executive departments and the commits
sions may come as much from the care
| full appointment of selected men SYM
pathetic with his ideas of business or
ganization as through changes in the
actual powers of the commission.
though it is not unlikely Congress may
be willing to concede to the Hoover ad-
ministration on questions like this
! things it has not been willing to yield
| to his predecessors. circumstance due
/ to his familiarity with governmental
organization problems and his hold on
! public opinion.
Copyright. 1921