The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1932-02-17
SURPRISE MESSAGE
TO CONGRESS GIVES
PRESIDENTS VIEWS
Asserts Changes Would Cut
Costs and Improve Eff
cheney Of Government
WOULD .CENTRALIzE POWER
Nearly All Departments Would
Be Affected Under pro-
posed Revision
WOULD .CENTRALIzE POWER


Washington, Feb. 17.-T-1n q
surprise message to congress, Presi-
dent Hoover Wednesday recommend
ed wholesale reorganization Of the
federal government with a view to
cutting expenses.
dent is to permit the revision to be
made on executive order, subject to
review by congress when in session.
One effect to be obtained would be
to make the entire governmental ma
chine subject to control by the presi-
dent. Another would be the reallo-
cation of duties between various
boards and bureaus and depart
ments of the government.
Nearly all departments Of the gov
eminent would be affected by the
broad proposal which, Hoover's mes
sage said, would save millions of dol
lars in the cost of government and
increase its efficiency.
The text Of the presidents mes
sage on the subject follows:
To the senate and house Of repre-
sentativeS:
Because Of its direct relation to the
cost of government, desire again to
bring to the attention of the con-
gress the necessity Of more effective
organization Of the executive branch
Of the government, the Importance Of
which I have referred to in previous
messages. This subject has been con-
sidered many times by the executive
and by the congress, but without sub
stantial results. Various projects are
now before the congress.
The need for reorganization Is OBJ
vious. There has been with the
years q gradual growth Of the gov
eminent by the accretion In its de-
partments and by independent execu-
tive establishments, boards, and COM
missions as problems, requiring solu-
ton confront the president ana tho
congress. Today the government en-
braces from $50 to 200 separate units,
dependent on the method Of notation
used. Governmental units when
once set up have q tendency to grow
independently Of other units. This
leads to overlapping and waste. More
over, there is q marked tendency to
find new occupations when the ini-
tial duties are completed. They over
lap and the number Of agencies can
be reduced.
Consultations Have Helped
A few consultations, notably in law
enforcement and the veterans serv-
ices, have been effected. Both Of
these reorganized agencies have been
able to discharge the very greatly in
creased burdens imposed upon them
without such an increase In admins
trative expense as would otherwise
have been the case.
Thus In the present crisis the abso-
Lutte necessity for the most drastic
economy makes the problem of gov
ernmental reorganization one Of para
mount Importance. The amount of
saving in public funds to be effected
by a thorough going reorganization,
while difficult to estimate accurate
~, will be material, amounting to
many millions Of dollars annually.
Not only will the governments bus
mess be conducted more efficiently
and economically but the great body
of citizens who have business rela-
tons with their government will be
relieved of the burden and expense Of
dealing with multitude of unneces-
sary and sometimes widely separated
public agencies.
We may frankly admit the practi.
cal difficulties Of such reorganization.
Not only do different fractions Of the
government fear such reorganization,
but many associations and agencies
throughout the country will be alarm
ed 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 independent agencies
have always proved in the past to be
a signal for the mobilization Of OPP
position from all quarters which has
destroyed the possibility Of construc-
tive action.
Must Have Authority
There is little hope for success In
this task unless 1t is placed in the
hands Of some one responsible for It,
with authority and direction to act.
Moreover, the consummation OF
comprehensive reorganization at one
moment is not IN the best public in
terest. Such reorganization should
be undertaken gradually and sys-
tematically. predicated on q sound
and definite theory Of government and
effectuated Is the result Of study and
experience gained In the actual pro-
cesses Of reorganization.
I recommend. therefore, that the
congress provide for
(A) Consolidation and grouping
Of the various executive and admits
trative activities according to their
major purposes under single-headea
responsibility. the congress dedgnat-
ing the title Of the officer to be plaC-
ed In immediate charge Of such
groups Is are not now possible undoe
existing organisation.
CD Adoption Of the general prix~
ciple that executive and administr1e
tive functions should have sing2e-
headed responsibility and that a6yi-
sorry, regulatory; and qlaAsi-j udic11e
functions shou1d - pGr1nrmed ~
boards and coonn3nn3u1aD. thus ~.
Knitting the txansfor q eoe4ain r1gu-
latory functions nun os.tkayo 90
cials 70 existing honsls - eo1nnn1oe
sions a1d executtvo - ~
(Ocntinalo4 - goa
l:sg VI ss l%s sss