Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1938-07-21
National Topics Interpreted
BIZ WILLIAM BRUCKART
National Press Building.
Observation-Disclosures Roose.
welt addressed letter to Chairman

WASHINGTON. -President Roose-
welt addressed letter to Chairman
Stuart Rice of the
Too Many central statistical
Reports board the other
day, in which he
asked in effect why there is need for
so many "official reports" from in
dividuals and corporations engaged
in business. The Presidents letter
indicated feeling that, if there are
so many reports as complaints have
disclosed, something ought to be
done about it.
It is now Mr.. Rice's job to find out
when, and where, and why concern
ing these floods of reports which
government demands. But how
about me finding out, too, thought
I started on the job like bird dog
through the bush. It did not take
long for me to realize that / had set
myself to a task that is likely to
occupy Mr.. Rice and his staff of
several hundred perhaps a year to
assemble an answer. / learned a
lot of things, however, and that is
the reason / am writing about "offi-
cial reports" at this time.
Speaking generally, at first, I can
say that never in all history has
there existed condition such as
business men and women now face,
and, of course, within the last few
years farmers have had to make
out reports, too. The reason for
the statement that the condition is
worse now is that the situation rep
resents growth. Year after year,
generation after generation, sue
ceeding Presidents and succeeding
congresses have sdded to the func-
tons of the national government.
Government has gone into new
fields, taken on new obligations, new
commitments, increased its scope of
regulation of this and that and the
other. As these functions have in
creased, more and more reports
have been ordered and required;
more facts have been needed, and,
in addition, abureaucrats have reles
gated to themselves additional, and
iunanticipated powers, \, Now, what
we have is tangled mess, Shiny
octopus whose tentacles reach into
every corner and nook and Granny
!, Of the nation. 9e A@1@42i1'1 e'1A
Before considering some Of the
horrible details (Which are horrible
only because they. are 80 general in
application), it seems to me we can
well consider who is responsible.
mentioned above how succeeding
Presidents and congresses have ex-
banded the functions of government.
Those Presidents and members of
the congresses were elected by the
voters. The campaigns, in nearly
every instance, | n clu d e d har-
ranguing for establishment of some
new agency, passage of some law
to drive money changers out of the
temple; to prevent grinding the lit
tie fellow, the poor, into the earth !:
to regulate monopolistic business; to
care for the aged after their lives
Of useful work had been spent: to
collect new taxes here and there
to assure the aJr. cultural commune
ty parity price for its products
a thousand and one things were
campaigned for or against. So the
people voted and elected Presi-
dent or q senator or a representa-
tive. They also elected a governor
and the various officials of their
state wherein legislature operated
as does congress for the country.
1t has not mattered, therefore,
whether there has been a Democrat
or Republican in the White House,
except in the matter Of degree to
which the new laws have been en-
acted. The growth has gone on Just
the same. Every time a politician
conceived an idea to get votes. he