Evening star., 1935-09-15
BY SAMUEL w. BELL.

ARGEbY lOSt SlBIlL Oh III JIle cAs
cited rush Of emergency legis-
lation In the first days Of the
IL Roosevelt administration, and
partly obscured by the must" pro-
gram jammed through Congress IN
the last session, the nature and ex-
tent Of the Federal bureaucracy built
by the New Deal is just beginning to
become generally known.
As it now stands in startling outline,
revealing its size and construction, 1t
is perhaps not unnatural that the
reason for its continuance should be
questioned. both inside and out, by a
large number Of those who serve the
New Deal.
Within the last two weeks two or
ganizationS Of Federal workers-the
National Federation of Federal En-
ployes, $4,000 strong. and the Amer
ican Federation Of Government En-
ployes, with q membership Of $4,000,
have met in annual convention with
the merit principle of Federal en-
Payment before them as the major
issue.
For. in the words of Harry B.
Mitchell. president of the Civil Serv-
Ice Commission; Luther Steward. pres
ident Of the N F. F. E., and E. Claude
Babcock, president Of the A. F. G. E.,
to say nothing OF the Republican Ma
tional Committee. at no time in the
history Of American Government has
there been greater need for applica-
tinn Of the merit SyStaY,,
Battle for Correction.
With the National Federation
pledged to raise a 100000 defense
fund against political spoilsmen. and
the American Federation. despite in
reorganization difficulties, agreed on
q legislative reform program, the bat
tie Is on to correct a situation which
has turned Washington into boom"
town instead Of the seat Of deliberative
government.
In the three months from April 30
TO July 81 the number of civil officers
and employees in the executive branch
Of the Federal Government rose 1e,-
1872 to new peace time high Of 729,-
1859. And this does not include 81 .682
on the part-time rolls under authority
Of the Department Of Agriculture to
hire county agents and the 440,2l8
special employees Of the Civilian Con-
servation Corps-in other words, a
Federal pay roll. without those in the
legislative or judicial branches or the
Army and the Navy, of 1901 ,669.
Since March 4, 1888, some 80 new
agencies have been created, most of
them under executive order, with an
employe list Of approximately 10000,
or about one-sixth Of the total full
time civilian Federal employees. With
out the 100000 postal workers, the
workers in the New Deal agencies con-
stitute about one-fourth Of the per-
sonnel Of the executive branch.
With few exceptions, notably the
Farm Credit Administration, q devel-
opment Of the old Federal Farm Loan
Board, and the Federal Communica-
tions Commission, a Towering OF the
old Radio Commission, the New Deal
agencies have been named outside the
civil service lists.
Additional New Agencies.
IN addition, new agencies have been
created under the legislation required
by the administration in the last ses-
sion Of Congress, and only one, the
Bituminous Coal Commission, is un-
der the civil service.
This growth apparently has become
one Of the administrations chief con-
Germs, not only because of political i'm
plications, but because Of increasing
internal difficulties created by clash
ing Of authority, as exemplif1ed by the
controversy between Harold L. Ickes,
Secretary of the Interior, and Harry
L. Hopkins, Federal emergency relief
administrator
President Roosevelt has made q
start at bringing some order out Of
the confusion and has limited at re-