Evening star., 1933-05-31
Governmental Reorganization
Program SheIved for
Time Being.
SIX OR EIGHT CHANGES
TO BE EFFECTED SOON
Shifts Principally in Commerce
Department-Economy
Scheme Unhurt.

The governmental reorganization
plan has been shelved for the present
by President Roosevelt.
Some six or eight shifts, principally,
it is understood, In the Department OF
Commerce will be covered by execu-
tive orders to be laid before Congress
in the next day or so. but the sweep
ing changes discussed for some time
win await further study; which un-
expected developments have convinced
Mr.. Roosevelt is desirable before the
whole subject may be treated.
The President feels that it would not
be judicious to move too fast until q
complete study is made, particularly
In relation to controversial points in
the proposed general plan. He believes
that there is plenty Of time, and that
1t would be far better to move slowly.
Some of the problems which must be
decided in the meantime have to do
with the consolidation and transfer of
activities which are closely related, but
which are now operating separately in
separate departments or through the
medium of independent agencies.
Economy Program Unaffected.
BY postponing the submission of his
general reorganization program, Presi-
dent Roosevelt will not. affect greatly
his general economy program The
actual saving In money to be effected
loft
fers and junking of activities was not
expected to be so great. The aim was
more for the purpose of increasing
efficiency and improving the service
of the Government. The big saving
in the Government will come by using
the pruning knife on activities. This
matter can be done, the President
believes. without his entire reorganiza-
ton program being in operation
The President has been studying the
subject of reorganization virtually ever
since he was elected, last November
He conferred. with various authorities
before his Inauguration, and a general
plan has been in the process of con-
struction ever since Inauguration. Be-
cause Of developments OF q more I'M
portant nature, such as the bank crisis
and the international problems. the
much personal attention to the plan
since as he would have liked. But he
delegated this task to Lewis Douglas,
director of the budget; Secretary of
Commerce Roper and others high in his
administration
The Presidents decision to hold back
his general plan until later date. but
to 90 ahead with a portion of It, was
decided upon following conferences dur
ing the past few days with Douglas,
Roper and others in the administration.
The abandonment Of the general re-
organization plan ended for the present
the establishment Of the transportation
section Of the Department Of Commerce,
which was to have been made up OF
bureaus now located in several other
departments and independent agencies
This new bureau was to have charge OF
regulating commercial transportation on
land, air and sea, and was to have been
divided into five divisions.
The proposed plan for the reorganiza-
ton of the Interior Department, which
would have divided this agency into
three sections-natural resources, pub
lie construction and public welfare
will not be carried out either. The Com
merce Departments Bureau of Mines,
however, will probably be transferred to
the Interior Department, Secretary of
Commerce Roper said today.
He intimated that one or two other
bureaus in the Commerce Department
would be effected by the presidential or
der, but refused to identify these, saying
he preferred such an announcement to
come from the White House.
The new National Industrial Control
Board has moved its headquarters into
the Commerce Department Building,
and was being set up today In the
Bureau Of Foreign and Domestic Com
merce section.
This bureaus 20 commodity divi-
Slons, which at one time were slated for
abolition in the economy program. will
be used as nucleus for the industrial
boards operation, it was stated author
itatively.
Secretary Roper said he had sub
mitted suggestion for the use Of these
20 commodity divisions to the White
House The board also will have, ac-
cording to Roper, the vast machinery
Of the Census Bureau also at 1t dis
posal.
Disputed for Years.
The reorganization of the steady
growing Government has been a bone
VI III PO4iJASo AOl yCdio, POI
ticularly since its mushroom like spread
after the World War
President Harding called in Walter
F. Brown of Ohio, later Postmaster
General for President Hoover. He made
study of the set up. but no concrete
steps were taken, Later, President
Coolidge also dug into the question.
Last year Mr.. Hoover issued executive
orders providing for the realignment Of
So agencies, but these proposals were
overridden by Congress.
Even before the inauguration. Presi-
dent Roosevelt sat down at Warm
Spring, Ga, with Budget Director
Douglas and went through the Federal
budget item by item with the idea Of
finding functions that could be cur
tailed
Secretary Roper. Swager Sherley, for
mer member of Congress from Ken
lucky: Senator Byrnes, Democrat, South
Carolina. and Walker D. Hines. former
director of railroads, were named to
work out the scheme with Douglas