Evening star., 1938-12-10
Reorganization

The ghost of the Government re-
organization bill, which died in COM
mittee last summer after the admin
tstration suffered a major defeat in
the House, shows signs of coming to
life as the new Congress prepares to
convene
Events of the past few days, in
Guiding conference of experts on
the subject at the White House, give
clear indication that the subject will
be revived. 1t is not quite so clear yet
whether changes will be suggested,
or whether administration forces will
make another effort to put through
all features Of the omnibus bill that
failed.
In either event the revival will be
the signal for another battle, the de-
gree of conflict depending on the
scope of the program presented.
The fight that was waged around
the bill at the last session was not di-
rected so much at the objective of
regrouping bureaus to eliminate
overlapping, but against the delega-
tion of broad power to the Executive
to reorganize without congressional
review. Much of the opposition also
centered around other far-reaching
features of the omnibus measure,
namely: Substitution of a one-man
administrator for the bipartisan
Civil Service Commission; establish
ment of new system of accounting
that would have abolished the Cen
eral Accounting Office, and creation
of a new Department of Welfare.
Some administration supporters in
Congress are suggesting as they re-
turn to the Capitol that the pro-
gram be broken up into a series of
bills instead of again presenting an
omnibus measure. This strategy
might enable the administration to
get some of the less Objectionable
proposals through. The omnibus bill
had the effect of bringing together
lawmakers who objected to different
parts OF the plan.
On the other hand, the Repub-
licans gained ground in both Houses
In the November election, which will
not smooth the path of such contro-
versial legislation as Government
reorganization
In the Senate, where the omnibus
reorganization bill passed by the
close vote Of forty-nine to forty-tWo,
the Democrats have lost eight seats.
In the House, where the bill later was
sidetracked, 204 to 1876, despite the
large Democratic majority, the Re-
publicans gained eighty seats last
month. OF course, the changes in
the election returns, especially in the
House, were not all on one side OF the
reorganization fight, and the attitude
of the new members on this subject
awaits development in the coming
session. The general trend in the
election results, however, Is likely to
make more difficult the enactment of
any reorganization plan as all
inclusive as the last one.
Even if the program is presented
piecemeal, as the House originally
proposed to do before the omnibus
measure was drafted, it is safe to
predict that the more important of
the separate bills will continue to face
strong opposition If the basic causes
of the last fight are retained.
For example, it is not expected
there will be any letup in the effort
to preserve the Controller Generals
Office and the present form of Civil
Service Commission.
The old bill provided that presi-
Dental reorganization orders would
take effect automatically sixty days
after being presented to Congress.
This meant an order could be stopped
only by passage OF another law,
which the President would have
power to veto. In such circum-
stances, the opposition contended,
two-thirds vote would be necessary
to override the veto. On this phase,
also, the fight is likely to go on for
some form of congressional review
of reOrpaniZation orders