Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1939-12-14
Bruckar9s Warrington Digest
Delegation Of Authority to So
Many Agencies Seen Dangerous
Clause in Act Hands Over to Unelected Officials Right
To Say What Congress Meant in Language of
Law; Makes Many Little Dictators.
BY WILLIAM BRUCKART
WNU Service, National Press BLDG. WashinRton D. c.

- e1Bs1 WOouAub tO41 ~ Os
am quite sure that the above
paragraph does not fully set forth
all Of the possibilities. The outline
thus given, however, ought to be
sufficient to awaken citizens to the
dangers inherent in continued dele
CATION Of authority to various
branches Of the government. It
calls attention 20 the sad fact that
nothing at all has been done within
the government to correct probably
the most dangerous trend In official
administration.
Perhaps. ought to qualify the
statement that nothing at all has
been done within the government.
There was a feeble attempt some
years ago out Of which 1t was hoped
there would be some corrective
program emerge. A committee was
named and, as far as I have been
able to run down the facts. It man.
aged to hold few meetings. The
story Is that the meetings became
50 earnest on one or two occasions
that mention was made of the pur-
poses Of the committee. But they
were soon forgotten and the COM
mittee gradually succumbed to
creeping paralysis.
Delegation Of NeW Power to
Executive Officers Goes On
Through all Of the years, there
fore, there has continued to be q
delegation Of new power to execu-
tive officers Of the federal govern
ment. II Ii nearly as bad in the
state governments. Moreover,
through all Of the years, officials of
these agencies-being human-have
continued to reach for and obtain,
more power than was ever intended
to be in their hands. There Ia no
mushroom that can grow faster than
q federal agency. once it gets In
proper soil and temperature. It Is
well to remember. also. that there
are many types of mushrooms that
are poisonous.
ALI Of this brings US to what the
American Bar association is trying
to do. 1t brings to the front seat
efforts made by a special commit
tee Of the association by way of get
ting legislation through congress to
fence In these boys and girls on pub
lie payrolls SO that the rank and
hle Of citizens have O chance.
The special committee is headed
by Col o. r. MCGUIRE. who lately
resigned as an attorney In the Gen.
eral Accounting Office. Colonel Nc
CURE saw the black death approach
ing, and he believes the disease Of
granting more and more power to
executive Offices of the government
Is surely going to reach the vitals
Of our republican form Of govern
ment unless drastic medicine u
given.
am not prepared to say that the
bill which Colonel Mcclure almost
single-handedly pressed before con-
gressional committees is the proper
corrective measure. There have
been loopholes found In 1t, plenty Of
them. There has been opposition to
It from among members Of the ma
tional lawyers group. Doubtless.
other weak spots will be found. But
It must not be said that the principle
of checking the vicious trend Is
wrong: and II seems to be an op-
perfume time for real work to be
done. The American Bar associa-
ton Is big enough, its members have
brains enough. its membership has
power enough. to force something
through congress. Whether It is the