The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1938-04-14

- The Reporter, est. January "a,
April 2, 1914 at p. O. at Kennewick,
ECONOMIC H1GHLIGHTS
The Administrations government
al reorganization bill has produced
the biggest and most important di-
vergence of public and congressional
opinion since the Supreme Court re-
organization plan. AS in the for
mer case, differences over the cur
rent bill have disrupted party lines,
and made it impossible for the floor
leaders to enforce so-called party
discipline" And the leaders of the
fight against the reorganization
measure have been largely the same
Democrats who led the previous bat
tie, with Senator Wheeler of Mon
tana, the spearhead of senatorial
opposition. -: .-A 49,.
What lies behind the aggressive,
almost passionate opposition to a
plan which, in theory, would give
the Executive authority to reorgan-
ize our multitudinous Federal bur-
eaus on more economical and effic-
lent lines? It isn't a political oppo-
sition-the Republicans, because OF
their numbers, make up but small
part of it, and the. greater part con-
sists of Democrats who know that
their detection from the party
line can only lead them into trouble
in such important matters as pa
tronage and White House favors. It
it purely an opposition of principle,
and it is a curious and compelling
fact that the bulk of those who are
fighting the present proposal are
the first to admit the burning nee
essity for an overhaul of our pond
erous bureaucracy. Everyone knows
that there are too many bureaus;
that there is a tremendous amount
of duplication of effort; that some
of the bureaus are not adequately
supervised; that some have long
outlived their need and should be
abolished. The opponents Of the
acknowledgements plan simply
think that this is the wrong way to
reach a desirable end-and that
even if the law led to greater effic-
iency of government, which they
doubt, its dangers would still far
outweigh its benefits.
The viewpoint of the opposition
has been summed up by Dorothy
Thompson, who lists four major rea-
sons why she thinks this bill should
not pass. Other opponents bring
forward other reasons, but these
four are fairly typical:
1. The bill provides that the pres
emit Civil Service Board (bi-parti-
san under the existing law) be SUI
perseded by single administrator,
to be appointed by the President for
15-year term.
2. The bill eliminates the Watch
dog of the Treasury" the Comp
troller-General, and transfers his
duties to the budget office, manned
by Presidential appoinntees.
3. The bill provides that no de-
cision of the President made under
the act can be overridden by Con-
gress without two-thirds vote.
4. The bill gives the President
100 percent control over the quasi
legislative agencies, such as the
iva, which are now responsible to
congress as well as the White House.
In other words, the opposition to
the bill is based on the undeniable
fact that it gives the Executive
greater authority over the machin-
cry of the government-its bureaus,
its personnel and it finances-than
was ever known in peace-time in
this country. Worst Of all, they feel,
is the chance the bill would give any
President to extend the patronage
system on an unprecedented scale,
at the expense of the merit system.
So far as the bills experience in
congress is concerned, it at first
seemed that it would pass in prac-
tically its original form. But on
April 2, tremendous hitch struck
Administration plans, when the
House refused, by the relatively
close vote of 191 to 159, to approve a
motion which would have paved the
way to an immediate ending Of de-
bate. The Administration leaders
almost Immediately agreed to a
very important compromising re-
phrase the bill so that Congress
could veto Presidential reorganiza-
ton orders by simple majority in
stead of a two-thirds vote. This is
far more than mere statistical
compensatory President, unless
he be hopelessly unpopular, can
command one more than a third OF
the membership of either or both
branches. But, in great issues, a
bare majority vote can be created
against the plans of even very