Evening star., 1933-05-17
Immediate Action Desired to
Permit Wholesale Shift.
ing by July !.
BUDGET CHIEF PRESENTS
PROGRAM TO CUT COSTS
Saving of Hundreds Of Millions
Sought Under Wide Powers
Provided by Measure.

Budget Director Douglas said today
that President Roosevelt would send 9
message to Congress early next week II
which he would outline his plans for Z
sweeping reorganization of Government
departments.
The director said virtually all the
preliminaries have been completed. and
the reports and recommendations OF
all cabinet officers were now on his
desk. Douglas indicated the message
probably would be one Of the major
notes the President contemplated send
ing to Congress before adjournment.
The plans will affect virtually all the
departments and many Independent bu-
reaus, it was said. Their design calls
for abandonment, shifting and merging
of functions to bring about both EN-
cheney and several hundred million dol
lars In economy during the next fiscal
year.
It Is understood the President will
ask Congress to approve the plans i'm
mediately so that the reorganization
could become effective July 1. The
President is empowered by q provision
in the new economy act to make sweep
ing changes in the Governments execu-
tive structure.
60-Day Delay Possible.
His plans, however, must be submit
ted to Congress and unless given 1mme-
diate approval would have to wait 6O
calendar days before becoming effective
Both Secretary Of Commerce Roper ano
Douglas have intimated that the plans
could be sent to Congress on the day
before adjournment and become ef1ec-
tive 60 calendar days thereafter. How
ever, both have emphasized that the
administration would not resort to such
tactics.
Setting out to fulfill President Roose-
velt's campaign pledge Of Is per cent
reduction in governmental expenditures
Douglas has combed through the huge
Federal budget marking item after item
for elimination. After the Inauguration
each cabinet oficer. except Secretary
of Labor Perkins, whose department Is
to escape cuts and probably Will be ex-
tended, was given q new expenditufe
figure for 1884. Much under the total
already appropriated by Congress.
Ready for some time. but showed as1oe
as Douglas labored with the President on
the public works industry control meas
9iven give almost undivided attention by the
budget director from now on, he in
timated Secretary Roper told news
paper men this afternoon that the
President had informed him he would
devote the rest of this week studying
the plans.
The most drastic regrouping will take
place within the Commerce Depart
ment. The creation Of huge trans
portation agency from bureaus now part
of the Agriculture, Commerce, Navy
and Interior Departments and the In
terstate Commerce Commission and
other independent agencies will be the
major item of the Presidents program.
Shifting bureaus from the Com-
merce, Agriculture and Treasury De-
partments to the Interior Department
is reported the second largest con-
templated change.
Roper has Estimated that. although
at least IA bureaus will make up the
structure Of the transportation agency,
this regrouping will save approximately
s15,000,000 by its creation. This bu-
reau will have charge Of regulating the
Nations commerce on land and sea and
in the air.
Meantime the major departments
must meet their economy plans calling
for drastic retrenchments, especially IN
personnel, both in this city and IN the
field. While some retrenchment has al
ready taken place, the major part Of the
economy program Is expected to become
effective June /.
The economy recommendation by the
cabinet officers are reported to have
been submitted already to the budget
director Commerce Department on
cials said today that only their Bureau
Of Foreign and Domestic Commerce re-
mains to be completed. A COMMITTEES
composed of E. A. Tupper, Grimth
Evans, E. G. Holt and c. w. Palmer
division chief of this bureau, are now
reported studying the efficiency rating
Of each employe. Oficials said the
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