Evening star., 1932-10-26
Who Misled the Governor!


To Washingtonians so many o'
whom are Government emp.oyes ana
therefore relatively familiar with the
complicated history, past and present
Of Government reorganization. one ol
Gov Roosevelts counts in his indict-
Snent of the President last night In
Baltimore was of peculiar interest.
Said the Governor:
Under the provisions of section 2o9 OF
the budget act of 1921 the Presldenl
has specific authority to recommend the
summation and Consolidation OF bureaus.
~ he has recommended the consolloa-
ton of any bureaus 1t has certainty
escaped my attention.
The economy bill gave to him the
absolute power to consolidate Govern
nafrt activities. such as pubic health,
nsrsonnel administration. education ana
Activities Of the war and Navy Depart :
ments That act was approved June 3U
and to this day there has been no con-
solidation cf such activities. ana there-
fore there is no justification Tor our
entertaining the hope OF any reorgan-
ization of the departments OF the Gov
ernment under his leadership.
In some ways this is the most re-
rarkable statement made by Gov.
Roosevelt in the course of his campaign.
H. might have Jumped on the President
for many alleged sins Of omission ana
commission. but to criticize him on MS
record for reorganization OF the depart
ments-one of his pet projects Tor
MANY. many years-WaS a little far
fetched And when the Governor bases
such criticism on such obvious mis-
understanding of the facts, the criticism
loses force and naturally places under
suspicion the groundwork for his other
charges OF maladministration.
In a special message to Congress last
February President Hoover asked for
that absolute power" to reorganize the
Government departments with which
Gov. Roosevelt understands he is en-
trusted under the provisions Of the
ecor omy bib. He asked specifically for
authority, under proper safeguards, to
be lodged in the President to effect
these transfers and consultations and
recommended changes in titles for some
officials and the creation Of some new
offices to permit grouping and con-
solidation not now possible"
But his request was attacked by the
Democrats as insincere and tending
to build up additional bureaucratic pow
ers. With such authority, it was said,
the President would be nothing less
than an American version of Mussolini.
The prospect was terrible to behold.
What would happen to the country?
The criticism was so great that on April
the President issued another state
ment and recalled how frequently he
had asked for such power in the past.
repeated his recommendations and
asked Congress to remember that as a
member of a cabinet committee in 1925
and 1927 he had made recommended
tions for Government reorganization
and again three years ago two years
ego, five months Sso, four months ago,
six weeks ago"
On June II. while the economy bill
was being whipped into final shape, the
President issued another statement
again asking for authority and remind
Ing Congress that under the terms of
the economy bill as sent to conference
mo reorganization Of any great con-
sequence could be made effective until
next March"
As finally passed thu economy bill
granted the authority Mr. Hoover asked
for, but only in part, greatly limiting 1t
and permitting him to effect reorgani-
xation only within the departments, and
subject to the approval Of Congress.
The changes he may make are confined
to executive orders, which must be sub
mitted to Congress II Congress does
not disapprove them within sixty calen-
dar days, they will then become ef1ec-
tive. As Gov Roosevelt says. the econ
omy bill was enacted June 80. Shortly
thereafter Congress quit work and went
home.
On September IS the President
directed the Bureau Of the Budget to
begin the study Of his Reorganization
plans and be prepared to embody them
IN executive orders to be submitted to
Congress Immediately on its convening
n December" A staff 1T the Bureau Of
the Budget Is now working on these
orders as wetl as other recominenda-
tions for reorganization that the budget
oct permits the President to submit.