Evening star., 1933-01-13
EFFICIENCY BUREAU
DEFENDED BY CHIEF.
Its Abolition Under Supply Bill
Would Be False Economy,
SAYS Brown.

appropriation bill would be false econ
omy and deprive the incoming Presi-
dent of the one Government agency
with a trained personnel ready to serve
him in the reorganization of Govern
ment activities, Herbert D. Brown, chief
of the bureau, said today in an inter
view.
Pointing to the 20-year record of the
bureau in effecting economies in the
Government service, Mr. Brown said
''the bureau has never cost the tax
payer penny in any single year, from
the day it started-nearly 20 years ago.
In its leanest years it has never failed
to make actual savings equal to several
times its cost through finding ways and
means to handle the Governments busi-
ness at less expense.
What the bureau needs is backing
and support from the committee of
Congress that now seeks to destroy it."
There is real need, especially at
this time, the bureau chief pointed out,
for an organization trained in the Wort;
TO be demanded by the incoming PreSi-
dent in effecting the reorganization and
economies in Government functions
which are being demanded
Surveys Held Necessary.
Few people seem to understand" :"
said Mr.. Brown, that statute or an
executive order will not bring about a
reduction in public expenditures. 1t is,
OF course, necessary to have the statute
or executive order to bring about the
consolidation, but this must be followed
by an intensive detailed study by some
agency like the Bureau of Efficiency
TO plan the organization and procedure
OF the consolidated agencies SO that
their work will be performed to the
best advantage with the lowest possible
cost. 1t is a weird and fantastical
notion to place upon the incoming
President the overwhelming task of re-
organizing the Government service and
then deprive him of the one agency
that has a trained force ready at hand
to serve him"
Of1cials of the bureau declared that
the premise of those who would abolish
the bureau, !. e., that the work of the
bureau has been taken over by the
Civil Service Commission and the Bu-
reau of the Budget, is not based upon
the facts.
The Civil Service Commission has
taken over none of the work of the
Bureau Of Efficiency" it was said at
the bureau today. THE work of the
Personnel Classification Board was
ice Commission, but that board has its
own staff, and while the chief of the
Bureau of Efficiency was, prior to the
transfer, ex of1cio a member of the
board, the transfer made no change
whatever in the work of the Bureau
Of Efficiency.
Duties Of Budget Bureau.
'The work of the Bureau Of the Bud
get relates to the preparation of the
financial statements of receipts and ex-
penditures and of annual appropriation
estimates. Its attention is given prin-
cipally to studies and analyses of the
appropriation estimates Of the several
establishments with view to deter
mining the amount to be recommended
10 Congress to meet the needs of the
various branches of the service, matters
that relate rather to the extent that
WORK shall be carried on in the light
OF the financial condition of the Gov
ernment. The major activity of the
Bureau of Efficiency has to do with the
organization and procedure to be fol-
lowed in accomplishing the work thus
decided upon and approved by Congress
IN such way as to achieve the great
est possible results with the least ex-
penditure OF appropriations.
small force of specialists who study
Specific problems of organization and
business methods and develop construc-
tive recommendations for improvements.
IL also provides information or recon-
mendations on administrative and legis-
lative matters. The studies undertaken
by the bureau originate at the request
OF the President, of Congress, or its
committees, or individual members, or
~E
Tative establishments.
It would be hardship on the per-
sonnel Of the bureau with 43 employees.
20 of whom are investigators or other
specialists, and the remainder, with the
exception Of two messengers, clerks. to
throw them out Of work, as is contem-
plated IN the measure, with less than
q months notice and without hearing.
4s Families Threatened.
1t would mean, it is pointed out. that
43 families In the District would be
thrown out OF employment. The total
force, It IS stated, has 81 persons wholly
dependent upon 1t for support. This
number includes 25 minor children. In
addition there are 18 partly dependent.
OF the employees in the bureau, I8 are
buying the homes in which they live.
Most OF the bureaus employees" It
was stated, have, as the result of many
years OF conscientious and valuable
effort, become specialists in the work
upon which they are engaged.
This work is essential to the proper
and economical conduct of the Govern
ment business and its discontinuance
would not only be grave mistake but
would impose a gross injustice upon
the personnel, especially at this time
when the extraordinary depression in
private industry has eliminated almost
all the possibility for private employ
ment.
IF Congress does not wish to con.
tinue the Bureau Of Efficiency as ar
Independent establishment, the bureau.
work is SO important and essential II
the Government that it should be con.
tinued by some appropriate existing es.
tablishment, such as the general &C
counting office, by an amendment
transferring the duties, personnel ant
appropriation, as well as the record
and property, to such existing estab
ishment"
The Bureau of Efficiency was es
tablished by Congress in 1915, ant
Immediately charged with the task o
establishing a system of efficiency rat
ings for the classified service in tn
District The bureau had difficulty II
interesting the various establishment
in this project due to the problems o
government departments just preceding
and during our participation in tn
World War Approval of such a sys
TEN, however was given by executive
order in october, 1921.
Since 1929, according to Mr.. Brown
in letter to Congress, reporting ol
the proposal to abolish the bureau,
has effected estimated savings in tn
various government establishments o
more than 100000.