Evening star., 1937-05-23
START EXPECTED
ON RE0RCAN|z|NC
Week Likely to See Steps
Taken to Draft Bills on
Roosevelt Lines,
BY WILL p KENNFDy

Will be made this week on carving ont
the Presidents reorganization program
was given yesterday by Chairman
Cochran Of the House group, who
said he intends to confer with Chair
man Robinson of the Joint committee.
and is confident meeting will be held.
Other members of both the Senate
and the House groups do not want to
meet until the following week. Repre-
sentative Vinson, Democrat, of Ken
lucky, Is going to Kentucky, while
Representative Taber, Republican, Of
New York, ranking minority member
OF the Appropriations Committee, will
be busy on the floor with appropria-
ton bills
Thus far there has been no dis
cussion Of any procedure to carry into
legislation the Presidents recommen-
dations After the White House con-
ference Of the Democratic members Of
the House group it was stated that the
President wishes this legislation taken
up first in the House after passage
of the appropriation bills, while the
Senate is still concerned with the
Supreme Court reorganization ques-
ton, and that there would probably
be two bills.
One of these would be to enlarge
the White House secretariat with three
managerial agencies in charge Of
planning personnel and budgetary
matters.
The second bill would give the Presi-
dent blanket power to reorganize and
consolidate the Government agencies,
including the setting up of two new
departments.
Civil Service Bills Hinted.
From other sources it was disclosed
that two additional measures have
been discussed by the Presidents
closest advisers.
One of these would cover extension
OF the civil service to cover all nom
policy making positions, and substitute
ing single civil service admlnistra-
tor for the Civil Service Commission
with an Advisory Board for the ad-
ministrator.
4ilC 4OuI III I'LL NOuIO llldkb new
auditor general with a post-audlt in
stead of the present controller gen.
eral, directly responsible to the legis-
lative branch rather than to the exc
cutive, and with pre-audit powers.
The latter is the most highly con-
troversial of all the Presidents re-
organization proposals 1t is the one
which the big majority of the members
of both House and Senate say cannot
be passed, because it takes away from
Congress powers directly entrusted to
it by the Constitution. and IS an
essential balance to the Budget Bureau
directly responsible TO the executive.
There have been two pricipal wit
nesses before the joint Committee on
Government Organization in its exc
cutive sessions. The first was Louis
BroUnlow. chairman of the Presidents
Advisory Committee The other wit
ness was representative of the
Brookings Institution, who appeared
only regarding the proposal to take
the controller general away from Con-
gress and place the audit system under
the administrative branch. The men,
bers expressed themselves as rather
in sympathy with the Brooklngs re-
port.
Protest Desultory Proceedings.
The White House conference las
week was in protest against the desul-
tory proceedings of the Joint Commit
tee and it is said that the President
and the House group feel that reoi-
ganization legislation may be ex-
pedited by having the House grour
take the bit in its teeth and go aheal
with one or two bills as a tryout OF
strength in support of the President.
1t is said that Chairman Cochran oi
the House group hopes to get some
sanction from the Joint committee at
its next meeting to go ahead along
that line. with very distinct under
standing that is the Presidents wish
In the meantime Senator BYRD
Democrat of Virginia, chairman Of
the original Senate Reorganization
Committee who is also ''Smothered"
member of the joint committee, is
going ahead with his independent!
study of the Brookings reports whicr
emphasize economy and reduction II
the costs of Government as far az
compatible with efficient service. He
has already received nine chapters OF
the Brookings reports and expects It
get two more this week. AS fast as he
receives and digests these reports hs
is having series of separate bills
drafted for presentation to Congress
In this way he hopes to get piece
meal legislation according to co-or-
dinated scheme covering the entire
establishment
The feature of his legislative pro.
gram that appeals to the members Of
both House and Senate is that he
makes specific recommendations as
to just how units of the Government
service will be co-ordinated and what
the expected savings in cost will ce
In that way Congress would avoid any
blanket Surrendering of its constltu-
tional powers, would know exactly
what it was approving and would be in
position to stop any contemplated
wiping cut Of an agency or undue ex-
pansion and would have Govern
ment organization by law rather than
by executive decision.