Evening star., 1937-06-13
Reorganization Revealed.


1t has been SO easy to lead Congress
to the legislative fountain and make 1t
drink during recent years that the pres
ent experience of the President with
two of his major proposals may be dis
concerting Both of these proposals
have to do with governmental reorgani-
zation, the first with reorganization of
the executive departments of the Gov
ernment and the second with judiciary
reform Administration bills covering
these proposals were sent to Congress
last Winter, along with special messages
from the Chief Executive.
The bill for the reorganization Of the
executive departments was blanketed
for long time by the bill for the re-
organization of the courts. The country
literally gasped when the President sug-
gested possible increase of six in the
membership of the Supreme Court. 1t
lost sight Of the tremendous implications
and the concentration of new powers in
the hands of the Chief Executive pro-
posed in the bill for the reorganization
Of the executive departments In addi-
ton, the measure was turned over to
joint committee of the Senate and the
House, which has held all its meetings
and hearings behind closed doors. This
procedure also had tendency to soft
pedal public discussion.
Now, however, the governmental re-
organization bill shows signs of coming
actively to life again. new compro-
mise. third draft of the bill, has been
handed to the committee, and the ad-
ministration is hopeful that something
may be done with 1t before Congress
adjourns. While concessions are made
by the President in the matter OF the
so-called independent and quasi judicial
agencies of the Government, like the
Interstate Commerce Commission. leav-
ing them still considerable measure Of
independence, the compromise bill gives
to the President wide powers he does
not at present possess. For example, the
President is left to determine what posts
are policy determining" and only ap-
polntees to those posts are to face con-
f1rmation by the Senate. The President,
under the new draft bill, will also have
sweeping authority to regroup, consoli-
date, reorganize, segregate and abolish
governmental bureaus and agencies.
Congress is given a veto power only, IL
it chooses to exercise it. Virtually the
whole set-up Of the executive branch of
the Government is left to the President.
The new bill makes provision for only
one new major department, with a new
cabinet officer in charge, a Department
OF Social Welfare. The original bill
proposed two new departments, the
other being department OF public
works. That apparently has been laid
on the shelf-for the time at any rate,
There has been no real concession
with regard to the most controversial
so far as Congress is concerned-part of
the reorganization bill, which still pro-
vides for abolition of the General Ac-
counting Office and the Office of Con-
troller General of the United States,
substituting therefor an auditor gen.
eral, whose only function apparently
shall be to make post audit. Under
the existing law the controller general
may and does make an audit of expendt-
lures before money Is actually spent a
check which Congress has sought to
keep on governmental spending. The
compromise bill proposes to set up
new congressional committee on public
accounts, composed of twenty -four men,
bers which will have the duty of study
ing the post audit made by the auditor
general and then reporting, If necessary,
to Congress.
Ihe President also is given by the
new bill full authority to appoint and
to f1x the salary Of the proposed six ad-
minlstrative assistants to the President,
NO other laws relating to employment
or compensation are to govern the Pres
ident in obtaining or paying these six
assistants whom he has demanded.
Here is bill that Is worth the care
ful study, not only OF Congress, but of
the American people. No pretense is
made that the reorganization is to bring
real retrenchment or any saving of the
taxpayers money. The law, if enacted.
Will merely create and consolidate fur