Evening star., 1939-03-30

is that Congress
may veto any change in the Federal
establishment within 60 days after
the Encouragement has been pro-
mulgated as an executive order. The
chances for dilatory action through
prolonged debate or through delay
in committees has been diminished.
Reorganization will, therefore, be
possible on it's merits, with the Con-
gress participating in the result,
either by acquiescence or by veto.
There is one provision inserted in
the law at the request of Senator
O'Mahoney, Democrat, of Wyoming,
which imposes upon the President
the obligation not to abolish any
existing functions when he trans
fers bureaus or agencies. This may
prove more theoretical than real as
an obstacle to reorganization be-
cause functions have rarely been
defined with any degree of minute
ness except in appropriation bills or
the general statutes authorizing a
bureau or department, and Congress
always has had the power to add
by the appropriation route that
which the President or his associ-
ates may have omitted in their
projects each year.
May Prove Worth.
There is no change in the status
of the quasi-judicial commissions or
in the Office of the Controller Gen.
eral, and other features around
which controversy ranged have also
been eliminated. But a start has
been made toward a reconstruction
of the executive branch of the Gov
eminent and if attention is focused
on efficiency, it is going to be eX-
ceedingly worth while in the long
run.
When Reorganization" of the
Government departments was pro-
posed in the latter part of l936-in
fact. just after the elections-this
correspondent pointed out that the
Democratic party had remarkable
opportunity because it possessed
such an overwhelming majority,
and that, heretofore. moves to reor-
ganize the Government had been
blocked by bipartisan coalitions.
Had the President put the reor-
ganization of the executive depart
ments ahead of all other business,
the power would have been granted
in the January, 1887, session. But
for reasons of his own, Mr. Roose-
velt preferred to give priority to the
proposal to "rorganize" the Supreme
Court Of the United States. This
evoked Nation wide fight on the
subject OF "usurpation" of power,
and when this fight was lost in
Congress, the same atmosphere of
friction carried over into the pro-
posals to "reorganize' the executive
branch of the Government. Cries Of
dictatorship" were heard, and al
most as much excitement was de-
veloped as had surrounded the Su-
preme Court controversy, with the
result that the administration lost
again.
Preservation Instincts Aroused.
AS was explained at that time, the
battle over reorganization" was not
at all the concern only of those who
were defending principle of con-
stitutional government. It was di-
rectly related to the efforts of Gov.
ernment employees, regardless of
party, to prevent their jobs from
being abolished. Indeed, perhaps
the latter was the strongest influ-
ence exerted against the bill, and
the opposition was understandable
because no group Of employees can
be blamed for trying to substitute
security for insecurity in employ
ment.
But every President for almost Sc
years has felt that something ought
to be done about reorganizing the
executive branch of the Government
and there have been excellent plans
proposed by Republican as we'll as
Democratic Presidents, only to have
the political influence in Congress
knock them overheard.
May Be Shakeup Prelude.
Regardless of the unfortunate
atmosphere which surrounded the
1887 fight on reorganization from
which doubtless in the minds OF
many readers the word has become