Evening star., 1933-05-07
BY GEORGE w. GRAY.

nx GEOhGE w. GRAY.
~ NE cannot follow very far the
4 current activities Of political
l reorganization and the scien-
~ tific attack on basic economic
problems without encountering
the name Of the Brookings Institu-
ton.
Have you not heard of "the New
Hampshire plan," for example? The
Governor there actually has been
clothed with fiscal authority; the for
mer divided responsibility for SPEND
ing State money has been unified and
centered in him: taxes have been re-
duced; the budget has been balanced.
Still more revolutionary changes are
now under consideration, but even in
its limited application the New Hamp-
shire plan has quickened the efficiency
Of State departments and institutions
to q degree that has attracted outside
attention. Today the old New Eng
land commonwealth presents an ex-
rare in this age of tax-ridden citizens
and floundering statesmen.
Gov. Winant had an idea that con-
ditions were ripe for q change for the
better" explained one Of the officials,
and he called In the Brookings Insti-
tuition to make survey"
Other States Seek Advice.
Other States, too, have been calling
In the Brookings Institution. There is
Mississippi QaSt year 1t balanced its
budget Tor the first time in IS years.
and North Carolina (the Tar Heels
have lately shaken of the legislative
accretions Of a century and set their
administrative house In order. to the
great relief and applause Of taxpayers).
Alabama Is following in the same direc-
tion, with recently completed Brook
ings survey as its chart In plotting
new course. while in February Iowa
to make a thorough physical exami-
nation of its body polite.
Last year former President Coolidge
was appointed chairman Of distin-
guished committee to reconsider the
position Of the railroads and
competing agencies Of transportation.
Mr.. Coolidge turned Immediately to
the Brookings Institution. engaged its
economists to make the facts1nding
survey from which his committee could
sift their conclusions the recent
ly published and widely quoted report
of the National Transportation Com
iuAtISc ID Udocu uliCeeAy on lhAo cAPcAt
inquiry.
When the Senate in 1928 authorized
an investigation of unemployment, cer-
tain Senators feared political use
might be made of the inquiry. There
upon Senator Couzens proposed that
the Brookings Institution be requested
to make the investigation, and the
opposition melted away After the
Brookings report was delivered. the
Brookings investigator was appointed
economic counsel to the Senate Com
mittee.
Aided Indian Affairs.
1t was the same way with Indian
affairs. At the request Of the Secretary
Of the Interior. specialists Of the Brook
lngs Institution made study Of the
social and economic conditions of
American Indians and summarized
their findings in report Eight hun
dred pages of the saddest and truest
annals of the Indian that have ever
been written" said a member Of the
Blackfoot Tribe But the light of a
better day is about to shine upon my
people"
And so one might 60 on down the
list Of outstanding problems. and fire.
quently find in the background the
name of Brookings attached
TO the fundamental report on the sub
ject.
But why should this unofIicial organ
lZation be the agency to which govern
ments and economic committees turn
for surveys Of their own problems?
How did it get started in this curious
business of fact finding? In q word,
what Is the Brookings Institution?
One cannot answer these questions
Emerson said that every
great institution Is ''the heightened shad-
ow of a man." and if ever his deflni-
ton applied it does in this case.
In Washington. where found the
Institution housed in spa
cious new $500,000 home on Jackson
place, they point, first Of all, to boy.
For Robert 8. Brookings was just II years
old when he started West from his
Maryland birthplace, an eager. restless.
ambitious. moneyless youth. He found
work In S. Louis with wholesale hard
ware house. That was In 1867. Five
years later he was a partner in the
business became dominant one
throughout the West. BY 1896 Mr.
Brookings was 46 years old and q multi
He decided he had enough
Of money-making He would retire
and devote himself to public service.
Appalled, by Conditions.
Between this decision and the estab-
lishment of the Brookings Institution
are several intervening events, but per-
haps the crucial one was Mr.. Brook
ings' connection with President Taft's
oroic ond Ef7-
cheney. The business man was appalled,
oy the looseness of Government finances,
and particularly by the lack of Fed
country had a budget; therefore it was
not something inherently alien to gov
ernment He used his personal influence
to back up the work of the Taft Com
Finally the Taft Commission
expired for lack of funds.
Mr. Brookings was determined that
this thing should be seen through. He
put up some money of his own and
induced some Of his friends to put up
money, and with this fund in 1916
the Institute for Govern
ment Research.
That was the beginning seed
planting of the Brookings Institution,
though the name was not yet applied.
Let us see how 1t grew
Dr. w. F. Willoughby. international
expert on government organization and
finance was appointed director; and
the new Institute for Government Re
cearch buckled down to its self
appointed task Of researching the Gov
ernment at the place where it stood
in greatest need Of such service. The
made studies Of fiscal prob
lens, both national and state; it
studied the budgetary systems of Euro
pean nations; and a succession Of pub