Evening star., 1939-04-02
Reorganization Under New Bill
Is Held Unlikely Before 1910
Although 1t Will Probably Be Law in Few Days,
the 6O.Day Period for Congress- Action
May Ball< Changes Now
By J. A. O'Leary.

umlted 70 making post audit OF de-
partmental expenditures.
The New Deal sustained one Of its
first major defeats on Capitol Hill when
the House killed that bill a year ago on
motion to recommit
The measure now awaiting White
House approval is but a shadow of last
years Inflated plan. 1t does not touch
the Civil Service Commission or Gen.
eral Accounting Office 1t makes no
reference to new Department of We'll
fare. 1t exemptS from any regrouping
plan not only the dozen or more quasi
Judicial independent agencies, like the
Interstate Commerce Commission, but
also the Veterans Administration, the
Coast Guard and the Engineer Corps
of the Army.
, Authority More Restricted.
And, with the O'Mahoney amendment
included, even the remaining regrouping
power of the President is more restricted
than the authority he had during his
first two years in the White House. Note
these differences:
The 1888 act said that he might "abol-
lsh the whole or any part of any exec
utlve agency and/or the functions there
Of" The OMahoney amendment means
that he must transfer the functions else
where before he abolishes the agency,
Administration leaders accepted the
amendment because, they said, there
was no intention of wiping out functions
Congress has created by law.
The 1888 law, like the pending bill
gave Congress so days to ponder over
a reorganization order, but meant that
the order could be stopped only by
passage OF another law during that in
terval, with no limitation of debate to
insure action on nullifying resolution.
Under this years bill the Presidents
orders may be stopped by concurrent
resolution, which means disapproval by
both Houses without the signature of
the President. Furthermore, it assures
action on such resolution by enabling
opponents of any given plan to force the
resolution out of committee after 10
days. to be followed by vote after 10
hours of debate in each branch of
Congress.
In reality, however, this new method
OF congressional veto would make it
possible for one branch of Congress to
give effect to reorganization order, be-
cause if one House refuses to disapprove,
the plan goes through at the expiration
of go days.
Hoover Plan in Reverse.
This is somewhat like the Hoover
power of 1882, except in reverse Then,
one branch acting alone, could stop the
order. Now one branch, by failing to
dlsapprove, makes it effective. In other
words, both Houses must disagree with
the President under this bill.
The Wheeler amendment. which a
Senate coalition almost succeeded in
substituting, required definite. affirma-
tive action of both Houses by Joint reso-
luton, which is equivalent to enactment
Of law. 1t contained limitations on
debate to insure a vote.
Because three separate agencies touch
ing on the housing problem have been
set up under the New Deal, that has
been mentioned in recent speculation
over mergers that might be considered
if the pending bill becomes law.
There is H. o. L. c., created to help
homeowners avoid mortgage foreclosure:
F. H. A.. which seeks to stimulate private
construction and home purchase by in
suring mortgages, and the more recently
established United States Housing Au-
thority, making loans and grants to local
authorities for slum clearance and low
rent housing projects.
No intimation has come from admin
istration sources, however, as to any
particular groupings that may be con-
templated, either in new or old line
agencies.
P. w. A. and w. P. A. Merger.
One of the more definite reorganiza-
ton proposals put forward recently is
the proposed merger of P. w. A. and w.
P. A., as part of the plan for permanent
solution of the unemployment problem,
now being considered by special Senate
committee headed by Senator Byrnes,
Democrat, of South Carolina, who also
had charge of the general reorganization
bill in the Senate. His proposal is to
put the two work relief agencies into
new Department of Public Works, along
with the public building branch of the
Procurement Division, the National
Youth Administration and the Civilian
Conservation Corps.
One of the chief arguments advanced
in recent years in support of delegating
reorganization power to the Executive
has been that divergent views make it
impossible for Congress to perform the
task by detailed legislation. The Byrnes
unemployment bill, scheduled to be taken
up before adjournment, may afford a
test of this argument.
Reorganization of the machinery Of
Government has been periodic topic Of
discussion on Capitol Hill since the early
days of the Republic. In the past 80
years it has recurred more frequently.
No New Departments.
Under the 1899 bill no new department
can be created and no existing depart
ment may be abolished, but any number
of bureaus may be moved from the super
vision of one cabinet member to another,
subject to the OMahoney rule that the
functions be preserved.
There is one way by which a speedy
regrouping plan might be put through.
even If there is an early adjournment,