Evening star., 1937-01-13
Former Controller General
Sees Machinery of Execu.
tive Branch Unbalanced by
Proposed Changes.
BANKHEAD PREDICTS.
APPROVAL BY HOUSE
Speaker Expects Some Modifca-
tions, Holds Program Based on
Efficiency Rather Than Econ
omy-Secretary Wallace Voices
Support After White House Call.

President Roosevelt's governmental
reorganization proposal would seem
woefully to unbalance the machinery
of the executive branch" former Con-
troller General j. R. McCarl charged
today in a vigorous denunciation of
the plan.
Shortly before McCarl's attack upon
the presidential plan Speaker Bank
head predicted the House will approve
the proposal. although possibly with
some notifications. He emphasized,
however, this was merely his personal
opinion.
Directing his criticism particularly
at suggestions involving the Treasury
Department and the General Account
ing Office, the latter of which would
be abolished under the plan, McCarl
said the former would be given "a
strangle hold on all other Govern
ment departments and activities Of
government"
AS for redistribution of functions Of
the accounting Office, McCarl said the
suggestion is a move to "emasculate
our independent accounting system"
and is "camoufaged by an attack upon
the administration" of the system.
Sees Loss by Congress.
Approval of the proposal. he added.
would "revamp the respective jurisdic-
tions of two of the three coordinate
branches of Government-withl loss by
the Congress of means whereby to dis
charge its constitutional responsible.
ties to the country"
"On the whole, the Presidents
recommendations are based on ef-
fciency rather than on economy. the
Speaker said in reply to questions as
to whether any great saving in cost Of
Government would result. There viii
be some economy through elimination
of duplication and overlapping, he
pointed out, but added that If all of
the existing organizations are re-
tanned with personnel, there can be no
very important reduction in cost.
Questioned regarding the sivil serv-
ice, Bankhead said that as far as get.
ting rid of congressional patronage is
concerned, he would be glad, because
this is "a big headache" However, as
matter of fact, he pointed out,
members of Congress have been get.
ting very little patronage.
Bearing in mind the Presidents ad-
monition to act speedily. Congress
already has turned to consideration
of the vast and provocative reorganiza-
ton plan.
Resolutions Considered.
The House Rules Committee is con-
sidering this afternoon the two reso-
lutions introduced by Chairman
Buchanan of the special House Com
mittee on Reorganization. That COM
mittee has recommended permanent
joint standing committee of the House
and Senate to consider continually
any questions involved in Government
reorganization.
One of the resolutions Is for ap-
pointment of such a new standing
committee in the House and the other
is for change in House rules to per.
NIT appointment of such Joint stand
ing committee.
Meanwhile, as some Democrats
joined Republicans in opposing por-
tions of the Presidents reorganization
program, support for the plan came
from Agriculture Department off,
cials, including Secretary Wallace.
F. A. Silcox, chief of the Forestry
Service, and Ira N. Gabrielson, chief
of the Biological Survey, accompanied
Wallace on a call on the President.
One of the Presidents proposals Is
to change the name Of the Depart
ment of the Interior to the Depart
ment of Conservation, which presum-
ably would absorb the Forestry and
Biological services.
Asked If this was discussed today,
Wallace said, with a smile, 1--WE
haven't come to that yet," adding the
general outline Of the scheme was
agreeable to him and his two aides.
Majority Leader Robinson of the
lSee REORGANIZATION Page Asp