Evening star., 1937-01-14

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The House Rules Committee late yes
terday approved with amendments the
two resolutions sponsored by Chair
ma Buchanan of the House Special
Committee on Reorganization. These
seek to create a new permanent
standing committee of seven members
in the House on Government organi-
zation, to which all legislation on this
subject would be referred. which
would join with q similar committee
in the Senate, as a joint committee
on Government organization, employ
ing experts. The new committee
would have inquisitorial powers.
authority to introduce bills and with
special priority such as has been
given to appropriation and revenue
measures. The amendment made by
the Rules Committee was to make it
special committee instead Of setting
up new standing committee, but to
grant 1t all the authority asked during
the two-year term Of the present
Congress, to see what it can accom-
plish.
The Brookings Institution, privately
endowed, with an established reputa-
ton in the field Of government re-
search. was employed Jointly by the
commission acting for the President
in a study Of executive reorganiza-
ton and the special committees rep
resenting the Senate and House on
the same subject, at cost Of more
than $4,000, augmented by $4,000
from the institutions own endow-
ment fund. An exhaustive study of
the organization Of the Government,
with recommendations, Is being pre-
pared.
Not Sense Of Committee.
Senator Byrd in making the
recommendations public emphasized
that they are the work of the
Brookings Institution; submitted as
basis for committee work; but are
not to be construed as the sense Of
the committee" The committee, he
said, will receive information and
data from other sources. The re-
port favors the use OF existing
agencies. wherever possible. in the
liquidation Of agencies recommended
to be abolished.
Before entering the executive ses-
sion Senator Byrd said: Upon the
Presidents invitation I have dis
cussed the matter with him and was
advised by him that the recommen-
dations Of the Senate Committee for
abolition and consolidation might be
used effectively to supplement his
own investigation"
At the hearing before the House
Rules Committee 1t was emphasized
that in order to get any worthwhile
reorganization that will materially re-
duce costs of government, as desired
by the great mass Of voters, the Chief
Executive must stand firmly behind
the committees of Congress and hold
the executive officers of the Govern
ment from bringing pressure to bear
which would thwart reorganization
proposals. The attitude of the Re-
publican members of the Rules Com
mittee was to give the Democratic
majority an opportunity to tackle the
reorganization job in their own way.
Chairman Buchanan of the Appro-
priatioAs Committee and Chairman
Cochran Of the Committee on Expen-
ditures in the executive departments
spoke in favor of the resolutions
they are two Of the three remaining
members of the special House Com
mittee on Reorganization. The other
member is Representative Wadsworth,
Republican of New York. Chairman
Ramspeck Of the Civil Service COM
mittee spoke in opposition to the Gre
alton of a new permanent standing
committee that would take away the
jurisdiction of his committee, and
other House committees which have
made long and continuing studies on
certain classes of legislation. He pro-
tested that the Civil Service Commit
tee is best qualified to handle all ques-
tions regarding Government person
nel and that legislation in the inter-
ests of efficiency and economy are
already under consideration.
Chairman Buchanan said that q
good, strong committee, with the
ablest men in the House drafted by
the Speaker, would find a great field
for good service He emphasized,
however. and in this he was force
fully supported by Chairman Cochran,
that the new committee must have
power" He pointed out that these
two resolutions submitted by him with
report was the recommendation ex-
clusively Of the special House Com
mittee on Reorganization set up
toward the close of the last session
of Congress, and its sole object is
Ito get little economy and business
in government" The purpose of the
joint committee is to give 1t "in-
quisitorial powers" and to effect CO.
operative action through both branches
of Congress. Buchanan marked q
sharp distinction between the report
Of his House committee and that OF
the President. Our object is re-
trenchment In expenditures; the other
Is reorganization for a more orderly
Government and efficiency" he said.
Chairman Ramspeck of the Civil
Service Committee, in arguing that the
proposed legislation must not be in
trusted to a committee made up of
men who are unfamiliar with the
problems and what Is involved. pointed
to the retirement law, which was
put through as an economy measure.
This is costing the Government
100000, ,000," he said. ''They got the
veteran employees off the pay roll, but
they got them on the annuity rolls
until they die"