Evening star., 1938-07-08

~~~ e~S
originally and as n-,,,
it is now known
by the country are two different
things When, for instance, the COM
mittee composed of Louis Brownlow,
Luther Gulick and Charles E. Mer-
rian, issued its first plan, this cor
respondent and many others who have
wanted for long time to see the
Government departments on more
businesslike basis expressed enthusi-
asm for it. The only obstacles seen
then were the possible objections of
petty politicians.
But all this was before Mr.. Roose-
welt projected his scheme to ''reor-
ganize" the Supreme Court of the
United States. 1t was before this
amazing plan to appoint judges who
would conform to Mr.. Roosevelt's in
depreciation of the Constitution was
broached. The question of con-
stitutional amendment for compulsory
retirement of justices at 10 or IS
which would have taken care of the
age issue was lost sight of in the larger
objective which Mr.. Roosevelt con-
fessed, namely that he actually wanted
to correct judicial decisions by adding
justices who would outvote the others.
Such an abuse of the appointing
power under the guise of "reorganiza-
ton" 50 completely stunned the coun-
try that even the members of the
Presidents own party rebelled and
the measure was defeated. Unfor-
tunately Mr.. Roosevelt from that
time forward vas regarded with dis
trust that has carried over into his
other plans for 'reorganizing" the
Government.
Can Remove Distrust.
To find a President of the United
States distrusted. in Congress when
it comes to the grant of public power
is not pleasant circumstance, espe-
cially when it is widely recognized
that reorganization of the executive
departments and agencies is sorely
needed, and has been delayed all too
long. But Mr.. Roosevelt can remove
the distrust and recover the faith
Az AAdo 4Oob Ny ASAl0&lot4 dtl1lS IlldU 1lC
really wants to put the Government
on an efficient and disinterested basis.
The first and most important step
Is to rid the Government departments
and agencies of politics. The W. p A.,
for example, when charges are made,
makes its own inquiries and white
washes itself. Mr.. Roosevelt has not
lifted finger to see to it that the
w. P. A. and other agencies disbursing
public funds were not engaged in
politics. The Senate debate on
proposal to prohibit by law the use
of Government agencies like the
w. P. A. and P. w. A. for political
purposes evoked no public word of
support from Mr.. Roosevelt. Nor has
the White House done anything to
rid the Government Of the feeling
which has arisen during the present
administration that commissions and
boards are creatures of the Executive
Quasi judicial commissions were orig
inally created by Congress as fair and
objective tribunals which could sit
more or less as administrative courts
But the President confers with these
officials and no publicity is given to
what takes place in these conferences
The suspicion is that the President
does not hesitate to influence the
decisions of these so-called quasi
judicial commissions. Likewise, the
reorganization" plan as set forth in
the beginning would have required
these commissions to go to the depart
ments headed by cabinet officers
political appointees-for approval of
their budgets. 1t is well known that
control Of the budget Of commission
means undue influence can be exer-
cised. 1t is certainly no satisfaction
to see the Federal courts subservient
to the Department Of Justice for their
annual appropriations. Rather than
seek the favor of department whose
officers appear before it as prosecuting
attorneys, Federal judges in too many
instances have hesitated to ask for
needed increases to take care OF en-
larged activities Of the courts.
Independent Budget Bureau.
An independent budget bureau, one
that is divorced from executive con-
troll, would take care of the financial
needs of the courts and the quasi
judicial commissions. The President,
moreover, wants to get rid of the
General Accounting ONCE as now
operated.
There are many things needed to
make reorganization" of the Govern
ment effective and one of them is an
atmosphere of n-partisanship and
fairness. and an atmosphere in which
petty politics and the use of Govern
ment agencies and funds for political
purposes has been materially curtailed,
if not altogether eliminated. Then the
plan for reorganization" especially
If entrusted to a special commission
OF non-political persons In no way
responsible to presidential influence.
would really mean q permanent i'm
provement in the Government
v,1orho piSpo