Evening star., 1932-02-19
HOUSE c. 0.P. BACKS
H00VER'S PLAN To.
REVAMP BUREAUS
Holiday Offers Bill Empower
ing Reorganization by
President.
EXECUTIVES ECONOMY
RECORD is DEFENDED
White House Issues 30.Page List
of Recommendations Over
12.Year Period.

House Republicans today took steps
to carry out President Hoover's request
for authority to reorganize the Govern
ment in the interest of economy.
Representative William P. Holiday Of
Illinois, member of the subcommittee
drafting the District appropriation bill.
introduced party-sponsored resolution
to empower the Chief Executive to
abolish, combine or transfer any COM
mission, bureau or other Government
division by executive order within one
year from the date of passage Of such
legislation.
The measure carries with it provi-
sion that the number of employees and
their combined pay in any new division
Of Government which may be created
by the President under this authority,
shall not exceed 80 per cent of the
number and combined pay of those now
employed.
Report Called For.
Representative Holiday has written
into his measure further provision
that the President shall transmit to
Congress a report of all executive or
ders which he may issue under this
authority within 10 days after such
orders have been issued. If Congress
is not in session at the time. the report
shall be submitted to Congress within
10 days after Congress next assemblies
In the face Of Democratic belittling
a vigorous movement Is under way 10
defend the Presidents economy record
for consolidation OF Government
bureaus with duplicating activities:
So seriously is the criticism being
taken up that many observers forecast
an end to the generally harmonious,
non-political era IN Congress wnieh mas mas
seen the most conspicuous peace-time
cooperation on legislation for the ma
tional good.
The White House itself has taken
part in the defense through the is
suance of a 30-page list of recon-
mendations for consolidation made by
Mr.. Hoover over the past II years.
This was not officially linked to the
sharp words of Speaker Garner and
others who said the President was try
ing to create new positions instead OF
dispensing with present activities.
A statement was made that the list
was issued lin response to numerous
requests"
At the sane time, besides a Repub-
lican taking up of the cudgels on the
House floor, an administration source
pointed out that Gamers announce
mittee to study Federal reorganiza-
ton had been issued one day before
the Presidents message to Congress on
the subject and two days after this
message had been handed in conf
dence to the press.
Whatever the outcome. the Demo-
Gratis drove ahead with their efforts to
consolidate the War and Navy Depart
ments, claiming it would make big
saving. The President and all the
high officials of both departments are
against it. The House Expenditures
Committee will vote tomorrow on the
proposal.
Reply Based on Data.
The White Houses indirect answer
to the Presidents critics was in the
form of a collection of statements, ad-
dresses and messages made by Mr. Hoo
yer since 1920 This assembled data
apparently is intended to show he has
made frequent suggestions over span
of II years for improving the organiza-
ton of the Federal Government.
The first of these statements was
during an address before the American
Institute of Mining Engineers at Min
neapolis in August, 1920. On that oc-
casion he suggested that a cabinet de-
partment be established in Washing
ton, either new or to replace the In
terror Department. He set forth the
advantages of such department, say
ing there would be an enormous saving
Speaking in Philadelphia in April
1921, before the Engineers Council
Mr.. Hoover declared one of the great.
est. problems of the then new admins
tration was the reorganization Of the
Federal Government.
The inadequacy, the wastefulness
and the inefficiency of our Federal Or
ganization," he said, was evident
enough under pre-war conditions. =
The administrative units of the Gov.
ernment must be recouped so as tc
give each of the great departments
more nearly a single purpose"
On this same occasion Mr. Hoover
Continued on Page 2, Column 81