The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1944-04-19

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terrible. He processes, however, to
be all in favor of congressional in.
designations If they are -discip-
lined efforts to improve government
tai administration, and not mere
political ballyhoo for the headline
gloriflcation of one individual want
ing to make capital out of another's
mistakes.
And he has been through so many
of these internal battles of govern
ment that his further ideas on this
subject of administrative policing
are worth listening to, even if they
do blow the Bureau of the Budgets
usually muted bugle.
Under the present governmental
system of separation of powers, ex-
plains Mr.. Smith, all government
departments are constantly haraSS-
ed by both congressional commit
tees and the Bureau of the Budget.
From these two sources there is
double pressure to economic, or
conflicting pressures to expand. No
government agency may ask Con-
gress for an appropriation unless
the request has first been approced
by the Bureau OF the Budget. New
ertheleSs, when the appropriation
bills are written in Congress, no
Budget Bureau man sits in. Exc
cutive and legislative aren't to-
gether.
One result of this may be OBJ
served in the fact that in IL out
of the 20 pre-war years, Congress
has raised total appropriations
above recommendations by the
Bureau of the Budget in order to
increase pet programs or finance
pork projects dear to the congress
Sional heart. This is one side of
the picture which is seldom shown.
TO 4 HUNDRED MILLIONS
A YEAR SAVED
But even so, after appropriations
have been made by Congress Bureau
Of the Budget has been able to eff
feet reductions in expenditures
through its regular inspections of
all government agencies, constant
ly reviewing programs and person.
mel. In the war period, while APP
preparations have been heavy, these
savings have amounted to as much
as $500, 00O, 600 to $500, 900 900 a year.
These savings, it is worth noting,
are made without the aid of mi
crophone, loundspeaker and goldfish
bowl which are the standing props
Of all congressional investigations.
1t has frequently happened, the
budget director asserts, that con-
gressional committees have taken
credit for savings and cuts that
have already been made by the
Bureau of the Budget. Further,
many of the economy investi . lions
conducted with loudest noise have
been unnecessary in that all the
information uncovered by the pro-
bers could have been secured by
telephone call to the Bureau of
the Budget, which had already COL
lected the dirt and raised cain
about it, inside the government.
SMITH SEES A NEED
In spite of these things which the
public never hears about, Director
Smith still sees that there is great
gap in the inspection job done by
federal agencies on their own &C
tivitieS. 1t is two-fold shortage
First Is the shortage of competent
administrators who can put bust
ness in government and take out
waste. Second Is the need for a
field service which can pull together
the scottered activities Of the many
federal agencies throughout the
country.
A start was made at organizing
this field service in the summer Of
1913, with the opening of Houston
office for the southwest. In Kan
sas City it was shown that equip
ment and facilities of % federal
offices were used only half the time,
and that was an indication of po-
tential savings. Later Offices were
opened in San Francisco and Chi
cago and plans had been made to
open nine such offices. The House
approved this program but the Sen
ate Appropriations Committee cut
out the item, so the six offices now
in ouperation will be closed by June
30-in the interests of economoy.