Evening star., 1932-02-19
Reorganizing the Government.

1ScOI SdulLluS IuC OoNCi AuCht'
Writing in 1928 to Walter F. Brown.
whom he had made chairman Of the
Joint Committee on the Reorganization
of the Government Departments, Pres
ident Harding apologized for the delay
in sending the chart which represented
the administrations proposal and ex-
planned this delay as follows:
1T has been caused sc,ely by the
difficulty which has been encountered
In reconciling the views of the various
persons charged with the responsibility
of administering the executive branch
of the Government"
A year and six months later the
Joint Congressional Committee reported
plan for reorganizing the Govern
ment. Some members of Congress and
some members Of the newspaper-read-
ing public may remember what it was
But the plan was killed In House and
Senate
Two days ago the President sent TO
Congress special message on reor-
ganization of the Government It's
main contention was that Congress
should adopt generally the principles
W be followed in reorganization and
kive to the Executive the authority, with
limitations. to put them through. The
message was Immediately jumped on
with both feet by House Democrats,
who, fguratively. tore 1t to pieces by
pointing out that the budget act con-
ferred on the President the authority to
have studies Of reorganization made by
the Budget Bureau and other agencies,
which he might transmit, with recon-
mendations. to Congress; that Mr..
Hoover has been talking about reor-
ganization for years but doing nothing
particularly about it; that he has
dumped" reorganization message on
the Congress several months after the
House Appropriations Committee set to
work on the annual supply bills, and
that those most capable of reorganiza-
tion now are the natures noblemen, who
for the time being are in control of
the destinies Of the House. And this
brought forth thirty-page statement
in reply from the White House detail
ing the recommendations for consolida-
tions that have been made by the Presi-
dent during the last twelve years.
In Congress at present there is a
bill, which probably will pass the
House, for consolidating the War and
Navy Departments-which by the way,
was the most important recommended
ton made by President Harding in his
reorganization plan - prepared by
Chairman Byrns of the House Appro-
priations Committee resolution by
Senator George of Georgia, favorably
reported in the Senate, to give the
President authority to make reorgani-
cations a plan for the Democrats in
the House to put through their own
scheme.
This recitation itself becomes COM
mentary on Government reorganiza-
ton Everybody recognizes the fact
that there is wasteful overlapping OF
authority and functions within the
service; that there are eliminations and
combinations and reductions that would
save money and increase efficiency. But
try to do it! President Hoover in his
message of two days ago reminded
Congress Of the practical difficulties
confronting any reorganization scheme
mot only do different factions OF the
Government fear such reorganization,
but many associations and agencies
throughout the country will be alarmed
that the particular function to which
they are devoted may in some fashion be
curtailed Proposals to the Congress OF
detailed plans for the reorganization OF
the many different bureaus and inde-
pendent agencies have always proved
in the past to be the signal for mobili-
zation of opposition from all quarters,
which has destroyed the possibility OF
constructive action"
And in addition nothing lends itself
90 easily to political foot ball as re-
organizations plan that Of necessity
.plucks old plums to throw away and
plants new trees to bear new plums.
It is interesting to note that the
House Democrats, one day in advance
of the release of the Presidents mes
sage, have grabbed the reorganization
poker-always red hot-and announced
that they will not let 60 Of it until they
have done something. Well, time will
tell-and one may hope that it will
tell of more reasonable and constructive
proposals than a hodge -podge amalga-
nation of the two separate and distinct
branches of national defense, the neces-
sary unification of which is already
accomplished, for practical purposes,
under the Commander in Chief.