Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-06-11
Ruresucracy's Peril

ONE of the things impeding the national war effort is
~ BUREAUCRACY in the government at Washington
The public well knows that hundreds Of millions of
dollars badly needed to carry the war continue
to be avished-and wasedupon federal activities which
have ouived any real usefulness that they ever had.
The recent movement in Congress to abolish the CCC
resulted directly from the increasing belief that all super
numerary peace of the reformeys and the poll
ticians should now be dropped
The point is not debat2be that, when Congress
Is having difficulty in writing bill to fit the
treasurys requirements not dollar should 90 need
lessy into non-war expenditures
THERE is however another way which bureaucracy
is greatly interfering with the efficient prosecution of
the war
This impeachment has been brought to the attention
of Congress by Representatives Treadway of Massachu
sets and Rich of Pennsylvania.
1t exists in the cumbersome, complicated and eXpen
sive paper work which governmental bureaus have the
arbitrary power to demand of business in the
form of official reports.
fragrant phase of the evil is that these reports
frequently duplicating due to the fact that federal
department or bureau may summariy require the COM
plaon and filing OF data which have already been pre-
pared oftener and which, therefore actually
hand, unconsulted, IN SOME OTHER GOVERN
MENTAL OFFICE.
IN CALLING upon Congress to take remedial action,
Representative Treadway said:
81 that receiving similar letters to those
received by other members of Congress from people
engaged in the production of defense materials complain
ing of the tremendous burdens imposed them in the
form of questionnaires by the departments and in the
making up of reports of consequence, ALL OF WHICH
CAUSES MUCH DELAY IN THE WORK OF DEFENSE
PRODUCTION"
Representative Rich then interjected
THE reports that the OPM are asking of the people
ARE THE SAME AS THOSE FILED WITH THE IN
COME TAX COLLECTOR IN JANUARY"
They ought not to be required" said Mr.. Treadway.
They are very voumnous," commented Mr. Rich
D REPRESENTATIVE TREADWAY put some of his
N typical correspondence into the official record
One letter to him from small manufacturing
company in Massachusetts, which said it had been COM
PEELED to complain by the
". many reports, compilations and paper work that
we continually forced to prepare in our little company
here in PittsfieId upon request from Washington.
Are supposed" the letter asked "to devote
entire time to getting out work for the navy maritime
commission and for other government agencies
supposed to devote time to getting out lot of
paper work in the form of reports and statistics?
ut would seem to that efforts here In support
OF the effort should have full and undivided
attention.
"On the contrary, forced by the multiplicity
OF requests from Washington for information on different
subjects TO DEVOTE GREAT PORTION OF OUR
TIME to non-productive work to work that is not
directly concerned with the war effort.
"Our shop Is damned full of all descriptions of war
work, and as fast can take more will do it.
but please leave hands free to do this and not spend
much time with the pencil and paper.
EVERY MAIL BRINGS NEW REQUEST"
Obviously less bureaucracy at Washington would be
most effective in conserving power well tax
II II