Evening star., 1939-07-12
Editorial Held Unfair :
To Reorgonizers
Griffenhogen Associate Takes
Exception to Comment on
Reorganization Report
To the Editor Of The Star:

SSPSsS" w SSbttsuS'A VII
Reorganization Report
To the Editor Of The Star:
Don't you think you were wee bit
unfair in your leading editorial Satur-
day on Mr. Kennedy's report on his D.
c. reorganization bill?
In substance, you accuse him, and us
who served as his technical advisers, Of
calling by the ugly name Of ignoramus"
those who disagree with us on the school
reorganization. Such thing would be
farthest from our thoughts. What ac-
tually was said is that some such per-
sons are not sufficiently informed on the
real issues involved. That is quite a
different thing
A physician for example, might be
quite unable to convince layman of
the correctness of his own diagnosis of
q case. But this would not mark the
layman as ignorant He might be the
best-informed man in the country on
international affairs, or relativity, or
education, or, by your leave, editorial
writing, and still not be sufficiently we'll
informed on medical science to diagnose
a case or pass intelligent judgment on
doctors diagnosis. And the doctor might
be equally at a loss, however expert in his
field and however wise In general, to
design a bridge, or decide case in
court of law.
After all, we cannot all be specialists
in every field. No doubt I or any Of
my professional associates would cut a
sorry figure at running a newspaper.
But We do think that we have right
to believe, without being accused of un-
due vanity or self-importance, that we
have acquired some degree of special
information and ability to judge, in
our chosen field of specialization, that
of government organization and admin
istration. If we have not done So 1t
has not been for lack Of opportunity.
In our nearly thirty years of continue
Gus, intensely practical experience we
have built up a national reputation in
this field that it means lot to maintain.
I am sure that you did not really mean,
by your perhaps hastily considered COM
ments, to try to tear 1t down. Others,
those whom we have served, and people
otherwise in the best positions to Judge,
have been kind enough to speak we'll of
us and our work. 1t would seem that,
without undue pretension, we might lay
rightful claim to some degree Of respect
for what we have to say as to matters
within our particular field of specializa-
ton.
Obviously, we can have no axe to
grind, no particular ends of our own to
serve. We have nothing to gain or lose
for ourselves, whether or not the schools
and libraries are brought into the pro-
posed local government merger. Our
only interest has been, and continues
to be, that of doing the very best pro-
fessional job that the experience and
ability we may have acquired will permit,
IN seeing that our clients, in this case
the D. c. committees of Congress, and
through them the inhabitants of the
District, get the very best local govern
ment that we can help to provide, and
that they and those who have the de-
Gliding voice in Congress, will allow.
That is what we were asked to do, and
have tried to do. Give us credit please,
for sincerity, for impartiality, and for
at least some measure of good judgment
and special knowledge and training in
our professional field
There are some principles and prac-
tices Of good organization and admin
istration that we, and other unbiased
authorities in the field, have found to
operate uniformly and invariably, when
properly applied, to produce good re-
suits, just as the principles of physics
and mechanics can be made to produce
desirable results when they are adapted
and applied by those specially trained
in those fields. We have satisfied our
selves that some of these principles and
practices in our chosen field are equally
adaptable to any field Of human en-
deavor, wherever results are to be ex-
pected from the combined efforts of in
dividuals, whether in commerce or in
dustry, organized religion, or govern
ment activity in any of its branches,
including, If you please, schools and Ii
braries. Are we to be reproved and our
honest efforts to be behttled because we
have the temerity to say so as a matter
OF honest and experienced specialized
judgment?
We have yet to hear advanced any
adequate, sound, practical and defensi-
BILE reason why schools and libraries are
to be treated as exceptional fields to
which the principles of good organiza-
ton do not apply, but have found that
logic and experience point inevitably
in the other direction. We have met,
here in Washington, no new argument
or consideration, that we have not met
and disposed Of, at least to our own
satisfaction, over and over again, in
connection with different projects of
the same general kind, throughout the
country.
Contrary to the statements in vo1r
editorial, we have met and refuted the
arguments and frequent misstatements
that we have encountered here, again
and again, also to our own satisfaction.
We have given specific examples. But
this has all been much like yelling down
well. What we have said has been
consistently ignored and the worn out
arguments, as they seem to us, and fire.
quent misstatements, have continued
just as though we had not spoken, But
that affords no grounds for your fiat
statements that the ARGUMENTS boyo ,.4