Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-08-11
BUDCETDIRECTOR NOW HAS
VIRTUAL CABINET STATUS
Col. James c. Roop, New Appointed, Will
Find Position Has Steadily
Grown in Importance.

printing and binding the annual budget
estimates.
Under the director are seven assist
ants. Each is assigned to make a Spe-
cial study OF the expenditures Of GER
tain Government departments. One,
for example. may be an expert on the
Army and Navy, another on the De-
partment Of Agriculture and a third
on the independent establishments.
and so on. Below these are q group
Of investigators. about dozen in num-
Der. They are not, as their title might
imply, "undercover" men, for they
work In the open. Their Job Is to
make surveys of the Government de-
partments from time to time.
Each investigator keeps in touch
through the year with the expenditures
Of the particular Federal agencies which
he is assigned to watch. The investi-
gator goes regularly to the department
to which he has been assigned and
familiarizes himself with all the details
OF the spending services. Congress
made 1t mandatory upon each Federal
department to appoint budget of1cer
who has charge of preparing the de-
partmental estimates. The inveStiga-
tors and other offlcials of the Budget
Bureau, therefore. have q definite ON
cial in each department with whom
they can deal
Business Organization Formed.
In order to obtain better cooperation
between all the Federal services the
Business Organization of the Govern
ment was formed. This has become an
integral part of the budget machinery.
This organization is made up of the
directing personnel of the Government
in Washington. including members of
the cabinet. members of Independent
boards and commissions chiefs Of bu-
rsaus chief clerks. disbursing officers
and others.
The Business Organization Of the
Government holds two meetings year.
one at the end Of June and the other
! in the latter part of January. The
President and his budget director make
addresses at these meetings. out
lining the financial policies of the Gov
eminent and reviewing the accomplish
ments Of the past.
| The June meeting this year was not
held. owing to the fact that the new
budget director had not yet reached
/ Washington. President Hoover will
| call the seni-annual meeting soon
after Col. Roop takes the oath Of
| Office.
Budget Launched In 1921.
It was in June, 1921, that the Budget
Bureau was ready to begin operations.
AS former President Coolidge pointed
out in addressing the Business Organiza-
ton Of the Government In January
Of this year, 1.-The Government struc-
ture was permeated with extrava-
gance." Exclusive of debt reduction,
expenditures for that year were APP
proximately $4,000, 000. 900. On an out
standing indebtedness of $4,000, 000.-
| 900. the interest charges alone amount.
ed to more than 81 600 900, 900.
Five million people were out of work,
wages were declining and the entire
economic structure of the country was
undermined. The budget system quick
ly proved its usefulness. Each year
registered progressive improvement.
Expenditures steadily dropped until
1927, when. exclusive of debt reduc-
ton payments. they had reached a
point below the $4,000, 900 900 mark.
This was $4,000 10000 less than the
1921 figure.
In order to make the Federal Gov
eminent a real business organization.
one Of the first things to be done was
to weld the various establishments into
a harmonious unit. In 1921 there were
agencies. each operating under its
own rules. Actual hostility existed be-
tween some Government agencies.
The situation called for q revolution
in the attitude of Government agencies
toward each other" President Coolidge
took occasion to point out. and, to
bring this about, comprehensive CO.
ordinating plan was put into effect.
Forms Reduced to 80.
Before the budget system became
operative the Government departments
used hundreds of different forms. To-
day, these hundreds have been re-
duced in numbers of SO. There are
now 602 standardized specifications
that cover the entire field of the Fed
eral Government. Out in the field
duplication and overlapping in Federal
expenditures, and assisting the budget
are 230 Federal business associations
made up Of Federal employees. united
for teamwork in carrying on their
activities in various parts OF the
country.
In June. 1927. the Loyal Order Of
Woodpeckers was organized. II was
created by Gen. Lord to give the
thousands of Federal workers a definite
place in the campaign for thrift. To
become eligible for membership, Fed
eral employe must make saving Of
at least 81 year. With S66,715 en-
ployes on the Federal pay roll, Gen.
Lord thought the plan was worth try
ing. Woodpeckers now number many
thousands and the example which they
individually set is countsd upon to have
a wide influence through the Fed
eral service.
Many Savings Effected.
Under the spur Of the Budget Bureau
many savings have been made by the
different agencies Of the Government
during the last year. The Patent once,
for example, saved several thousands of
dollars year in printing the official
gazette dealing with trade marks. The
Marine Corps contributed savinr 5,
among other things, by reducing the
allowance of ammunition for target
practice, using for recruits smaller
caliber rife. The Department of State
recorded savings in the foreign field
totaling close to $4,000. The prohibi-
ton unit in the Treasury reported 1t
could save $350.000 a year, without de-
creasing personnel, on expenditures for
railroad transportation. automobile hire.
communication service and the pur-
chase of evidence.
Two Billion Dollars Saved.
It cost about 100000 900 less to
run the Federal Government in 1927
than it did In 1921. Little savings
count for part Of the lowered cost. The
Bureau OF Plant Industry, Tor example,
needed an electrical heating apparatus.
1t built one and saved $12. An expert
of the Bureau Of Standards made q
survey of the Governments telephone
facilities and found that a saving Of
SIS, 900 a year could be made In the
annual telephone bill. That saving has
been going on for seven years, 50 that
the total is stable item.
It has cost the Government as much
as 5000, 900, 900 a year for the trans.
portation of its personnel. So change
was made in the trafiic methods, with
an ANIMAL saving of 81 0O0, O0O In