Evening star., 1939-05-09
oredens sMessage Management

tivities already carried on in the
Once of Education. Similarly,
Government participation in the
work of the American Printing
House for the Blind, except fiscal
functions relating to trust funds,
Is transferred from the Secretary
Of the Treasury to the Federal
Security Agency, in order that
this work may be co-ordinated
with the other work for the blind
now being carried on in the So
cial Security Board.
The plan provides for the aboli-
ton of the National Emergency
Council and the transfer to the
Executive Once Of the President
of al It's functions, with the ex-
ception Of the film and radio
activities, which 60 to the ONCE
Of Education. Subject to appro-
priations by the Congress. these
activities transferred to the
White House would be admins
tered In the manner best de-
signed to give the President the
information he requires from all
parts of the country.
The National Emergency Coun-
Gil was established by execu-
tive order in 1888 and Is composed
of the President, the Vice PreSi-
dent, the members of the cab
met and the heads of some %
independent establishments. Its
usefulness as an actual council,
which met weekly under my
craftsmanship. was very great in
the period of the emergency
which then confronted the coun-
try, but, as time has gone ON, 1t
no longer operates as 4 council,
but does continue to carry on
important activities which are
indispensable to the President Of
the United States, as we'll as to
other branches Of the Govern
ment, and the public. It main
tains an information service and
q press intelligence service, 1t
publishes the United States Gov
ernment Manual, and it carries
on through State and central
stats an important work Of CO.
ordinating and reporting.
The information service makes
available general information
concerning all phases of govern
mental activity and is provided
for all who submit questions or
inquiries by mail, by telephone,
or by personal call. In one sense
it may be called post Office ad-
dress-"Uncle Sam, Post ONCE
Box No. l, Washington, D. c.
to which persons who want in
formation about the Government,
but do not know the exact divi-
sion or agency of the Government
to which to apply, may write with
confidence that their questions
will be answered or else sent on
to the proper agency for direct
reply.
The press intelligence service
carried on in the council is not
a service for giving intelligence to
the press, but rather for making
available to responsible persons
in the Government, both in the
executive and in the legislative
branches, clipping service,
which shows what the press of
the country has printed. The
partial consolidation of clipping
services in this unit-a consolida-
ton which should 60 further-al-
ready has resulted in economy
and convenience. A clipping
service Of this kind, on a smaller
scale, was maintained for many
years in the White House, but it
was not then available to other
branches of the Government. It's
return to the White House with
the additional feature of avail
ability to all the rest Of the Gov
ernment will promote efficiency
without violating tradition.
The publication of the United
States Government Manual makes
available to every citizen a sim
plif1ed textbook of information as
to the organization and avail
bility of the Federal agencies.
Published in loose-leaf form. 1t is
sold by the Superintendent Of
Documents of the Government
Printing ONCE.
Progress and Effect
OF Federal Activities.
The co-ordinating and report
ing functions of the council
have to do with the presentation
to the President of factual in
formation, independently gath
cred, as to the progress and effect
Of our governmental activities.
Through its State of1ices the
council has been able to facili-
tate the various Federal pro-
grams, particularly with respect
to State and local governments.
The plan also includes certain
general provisions in order to ac-
complish fully the purposes of
the act. In addition to the
transfer Of bureaus and other
units, 1t is necessary also to
transfer certain functions of
heads of departments; to trans
fer records, property and per-
sonnel: to transfer funds, and to
provide that the power of ap-
pointment occasionally, and
sometimes apparently quite &C
cidentally, vested in subordi-
nate official of department,
shall be vested in the head of the
department. 1t Is impossible to
exercise the proper direction
and supervision over subordinate
units unless the definite power of
appointment, fixing of compen-
sation, transfer and promotion or
dismissal of personnel is vested
in the principal responsible head.
In no other way can the purpose
of consolidating similar functions
under a single head as required
by the act be accomplished in
practice.
1t is one of the five purposes
of the Reorganization Act ito
reduce expenditures to the fullest