Evening star., 1936-06-29
"Tax Consuming
Agencies End
Demanded
POLITICAL ACTIVITY
PLANS ANNOUNCED
Services Offered to Byrd
COmmittee-Will Study
Europe's Finances.
BY ]. A. FOX.

Calling for abolition of many, If not
all, of the emergency agencies"
which he described as "tax-consum-
ing in the extreme" Controller Cen
eral John A. McCarl, who is stepping
out of office tomorrow night. said in a
formal statement today that he may
take some part in politics"
McCarl, who has been controller
general for Is years, plans in the fu-
ture to resume the practice of law,
but he has not definitely shaped his
program. He was admitted this morn
ing to the bar of the United States
Court of Appeals.
With McCarl's tenure practically
expired, attention was centered today
on the question of a successor, but
President Roosevelt left for Hyde
Park Saturday night without giving
any indications of his intentions in
this respect.
Several names have been suggested,
but so far as it is known the Presi-
dent is not even near a decision.
Richard N. Elliott, assistant con-
troller general, will assume the duties
pending appointment of a new head
Of the General Accounting Office.
Favors American System.
In his statement, which he ampli-
fed at the first and only press con-
ference he has ever held during his
term. McCarl emphasized that he
firmly believes that the American sys-
tenn of Government must be pre-
served
mo one could serve Is years as
controller general of the United States
without the aid of firm belief in
both the wisdom and the practicable
ity of our system" he said. With
me, it is not just belief. 1t is some
thing more akin to religion"
McCarl did not indicate what his
political activity" would consist Of,
but explained that his services will be
available to the Byrd Committee set
up to study Government reorganiza-
tion, and added significantly:
"A systematic and sensible reorgan-
ization of the regular governmental
agencies and activities would result not
only in vast monetary saving, but
would eliminate duplicate and conflict
ing operations, bring together related
functions, simplify procedure and in
every respect make for better admin
tstration.
This is legislative problem and I
am in hopes that the next Congress
may be so constituted that there may
hn QcCJIrnd Fnf ny1lyy q
thorough reorganization Of the regular
agencies, with proper consultations
and eliminations, but that the many,
If not all, existing special or 'emerg-
ency' agencies which, due to their
nature, were loosely and extrava-
gantly set up and are tax-consuming
an the extreme, may be promptly elm
mated. with such of their functions as
may be proper for temporarily carry
ing on, assigned to the more economi-
cally organized regular establish
ments."
Plans Trip to Europe.
McCarl said also he planned event.
ually to make trip to Europe ito OBJ
serve at first hand the operations and
effectiveness of at least two or three
other systems there in vogue for legis-
lative control over public moneys, but
the days just ahead promise so much
that should be of such serious judg-
ment and concern to all of us that
there will be no trip to Europe"
He said also that he has been asked
70 write OF his experiences and obser-
vations In his long term of office and
that he may do this eventually. With
the exception of trip home to Ne
braska, his headquarters will be in
washington for some time, the con-
troller general explained.
The Court of Appeals convened in
q special general term today to hear
United States Attorney Leslie c. Gar
nett move for McCarl'S admission, He
was sworn in by c. Newell Atkinson,
assistant clerk, and then thanked and
was congratulated by the three JUS
tices present at the general term, D.
Lawrence Groner, Harold M. Stephens
and Chief Justice George E. Martin.
Accompanied by Garnett.
He was accompanied to the court
house by Garnett and o. R. Nc
Guire, an attorney in the controller
generals office.
McCarl distributed copies of his
statement to newspaper men who
thronged his Offices when it was an
nounced that he was to have a press
conference.
As each man came in, the con-
troller general shook his hand and
then, standing beside his desk on
which there was a huge floral piece.
(See McCARL, Page 81