Evening star., 1948-04-18

A blueprint Tor reorganization
tive branch, designed to modernize
administration, is being etched VI
group of architects.
The craftsmen are headed b.
and number many of the Nations
observed the inner works of the
executive branch from vantage
points.
They will submit their plan to
Congress soon after the tumult at
tending the November elections
subsidies and the press will report
the recommendations for revamp-
ing that branch Of Government
which officially carries out the
peoples wishes, through law.
AS every schoolboy knows, the
American Government is divided
into three branches. The judicial
branch has been reorganizing for
Wars. 1t got its budget separated
fiom the executive branch and now
ID answerable only to Congress
New and up-to-date criminal and
civil rules of procedure have been
adopted.
The administrative office OF the
United States Courts has been set
up to give a more businessfke re-
gime to the judiciary. Federal
judges who are not too busy with
cases are shifted to other jurisdic-
tions for temporary duty where
dockets are congested. And the In
terpreters of the Law have tried
to come into step with modern
progress and practices. The jurists
have stepped down from thei,
benches and sought the aid and
advice Of laymen on improving the
administration Of justice.
Congress-the legislative branch
has likewise shed archaic proc
esses. Through its Reorganization
Act, 1t has abolished a number o1
committees, consolidated, set up
businesslike groups and enlisted
the aid of more experts in an effort
to legislate more efficiently.
Now the third branch-the ex.
ecutive-is under intensive study. II
seems fitting that Americas only
living former President, Mr.. Hoover
who headed that branch, should
now be directing the study designed
to modernize and make more eff
cient the work of that great arm ol
Government.
How the Group Was Picked
This study has been under way
without benefit of klieg lights
cameras, press agents, handouts OF
the rest of the goth century trap
pings of "pitiless publicity"
Last July Congress adopted the
act setting up the commission and
the legislation unanimously passed
both houses. 1t provided four men,
bers to be named by the President
four by the President Of the Senate
and four by the Speaker of the
House, with representatives of the
public included.
At the White House last fall the
commission met and picked Mr.
Hoover as chairman. Dean Ache
son, former Undersecretary Of State
was elected vice chairman.
1t may be well to recall the com.
mission membership. President Tru'
man nominated Secretary Of Ma
tional Defense Forrestal and Com.
missioner Arthur S. Fleming of tht
Civil Service Commission from thu
executive branch, and from th'
public he chose George Mead. widel!
experienced industrialist, who alst
served In Government, and Mr.
Acheson.
Senator Vandenberg, Republican
of Michigan, as president pro tenn.
pore of the Senate, named JOSEPH
P. Kennedy, former Ambassador tt
England, and Prof. James K. Pollock
professor of political science at thu
University of Michigan; Senator
Aiken, Republican, OF Vermont ane
Mcclellan, Democrat, Of Arkansas
the chairman and senior minority
member of the Senate Committee
on Expenditures in the Executive
Departments.
Speaker Martin nominated former
President Hoover, James Rowe, for.
mer assistant to the late President
Franklin D. Roosevelt; Representa-.
tives Clarence J. Brown, Republican
Of Ohio and Carter ManaSco
Democrat, of Alabama. The two
lawmakers are on the House Com
mittee on Expenditures in the Ex-
ecutive Departments.
A Glimpse of the Work
There are now at work % task
forces" to study different phases Of
the reorganization problem. They
will report back to the commission
Then will come the herculean jot
of winnoWing down and co-ordinat.
ing these surveys. And when Con-
gress comes into session next Janu.
ary, the commission is scheduled tt
lay before it the final report. The
program is to consider the problem
in nonpartisan spirit, for both
major political parties are repre-,
sented in the personnel of the com.
mission.
While the commission has beer
close-mouthed about the Who'll,
business, Prof. Pollock drew asid,
the curtain bit and gave tn.
American Society for Public Ad
ministration, meeting here recently
at the Statler Hotel, a glimpse int
its workings.
Prof. Pollock said: I'm connection
with the problem faced by our com
miSsion-that of organizing tn
Federal Government in a NOR
efficient manner so that it can b.