Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-07-17
AS TOLD TO WILLIAM p, HELM, JR.

have mentioned only few of the
co-ordinating agencies of the United
States Budget Bureau. I should like TO
mention one which has saved more than
$4,000 a year by co-ordinating the tsle-
phone facilities of the Government de-
partmcnts in the District OF Columbia.
This agency made all intensive study
of the telephone situation. 1t found
every department was making Its own
contract for service and was extravaganza,
generally, in the use of both trunk lines
and desk telephones. Often there were
two telephones on one desk.
The trunk lines were reduced. So
were individual telephones. So was the
Governments annual bill. More advan-
tageous contracts were made at saving
10 the Treasury. Pay stations were in
stalled in some departments so employees
would not have to use Government
telephones for private calls.
The Government itself owns or leases
thousands of miles of telephone and
telegraph. The Federal communica-
tiouS service threw open those lines
wherever practical to the entire Federal
establishment. instead of confining their
use to the departments owning or leaS-
ing them. With what success? Let me
answer from the report of Gen. Smither,
chief co-ordinator, bearing in mind also
that the Nays radio service and that
of the Army were utilized similarly. He
says:
THE Federal communications service
continued to prove its value and the
traffic it carries is constantly increasing.
The actual savings effected by the utili-
zatlon of the combined services Tin the
fiscal year 1929 amounted to $780,
801.21, an increase of $l54,877.96 over
last year."
Saving So a Minute,
A saving in this one instance of 5000
every day in the year to United States
taxpayers. More than 5000 every hour.
More than So every minute. A buffalo
nickel and more every time the clock
ticks.
The American people owe gratitude
to Gen. Smither and his able aides for
this striking saving. Yet 1t Is only one
saving in thousands, large and small,
which the co-ordinating agencies Of the
Budget Bureau have brought about i'll
the last eight years.
Gen. Smither has not been alone in
teaching coordination, or, to put IT
more simply, teamwork. incidentally,
Gen. Smither's team as chief co-ordina-
tor ended with his retirement not long
ago. His successor is Admiral H; H.
Rousseau an extremely able executive,
who doubtless will continue the work
with no less efficiency than that mani
tested by his brilliant predecessor.
During the budget period prodiglouS
economies have been affected by the
postal service. For instance:
Revenues at first and second class
post Offices increased from $404, 600, 600
in 1921, to S632 100000 in 1928, rise
Of more than SIS per cent. That meant
an increase of SIS per cent in work, too.
The clerical man power to take care OF
this increase rose from &C., in 1921
to 77,901 in 1928, an increase OF less
than II per cent.
Fifty-five per cent increase in bust
ness handled by IT per cent increase
in personnel is pretty good record: 1t
seems to me, a record some OF our big
private institutions would be glao 10
make. But because 1t necessarily has to
be told in figures I fear some of my
readers may consider it dull and tire
some.
could never understand why some
persons think figures dull. What is more
interesting than handbook full OF fig-
ures? The bigger the figures the more
interesting and satisfying the litera-
ture.
Coordination Expanding.
The Nations savings handbook is filled
with big figures made possible by the
sustained effort of loyal workers at
Washington and afield. 1t Is not dull
reading to me.
The work of coordination pushes into
new fields. A recent innovation relates
to bidders on Government business who
have failed to make good on their bios
or who for any reason have been de-
barred from bidding by any depart
ment.
A clearing house has been set up so
that the debarred bidder from one de-
partment will find his name has been
sent, with a history of the debarment
incident, to all other branches. If his
bid is unwelcome at one branch 1t will
be unwelcome at the others. That
seems good business; it is another Incl
dent of teamwork.
Earlier in this recital it was pointed
out that the Budget Bureau would fail
in its full purpose should its work be
confined only to preparing estimates
for submission by the President to Con-
gress. The second step. it was said, was
the folloW-through. the sending Of
guards with appropriations to see that
they accomplished the maximum good.
To those major steps a third was
added The third step was to see that