Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1948-12-28
Tuck Abo|ishes
3Conservation
Unit Branches
Duke Reorganization
Program Approved;
28 Jobs Eliminated
by the Assoeioted Press

RICHMOND, Va, Dec. 28.-Gov.
Tuck's reorganization program
reached into the State Department
of Conservation and Development
today with its heaviest hand to
date.
1t called for elimination of three
complete branches of the depart
ment and abolishes % positions i'm
mediately at designed salary saw
ing to the State of 1915 a year.
The Governor approved the pro-
gram on the recommendations of
Reorganization Chief Charles J..
Duke, jr., and abolished one out of
every five POSITIONS now authorized
for the agency. He also called on
William A. Wright, department di-
rector, to give careful considera-
ton to some sweeping policy pro-
posals Mr.. Duke embodied in his
3S-page report.
Lee Park Unit to Go.
Among the positions abolished are
those now held by Richard O. Gill
liam, executive secretary and treas
urer ts4,96O and Mrs. Virginia Wal
Ter Davis, director of the depart
mental news service (4,848) Gov.
Tuck also ordered the staff of the
Division of History and Archaeology
reduced to one historian who will
serve until June 80, 1850, and one
clerk-stenographer whose job will be
abolished next June 80. Mantle
nance of the historical worker sys-
tenn was transferred to the State
Highway Department.
In addition to history and archae-
ology and the departmental news
service the other unit scheduled for
extinction is the r. E. Lee Camp,
Confederate Memorial Park.
The % positions eliminated did
not represent net saving in jobs,
however, since the Governor ordered
the creation of nine new positions,
mainly in the Division of Geology.
Tine net reduction of 10 jobs repre-
sents 1874 per cent of the depart
nent's total personnel.
Mr.. Dukes report criticized the
absence of clearly defined policies"
in some undertakings of the depart
ment. particularly in its Division OF
Planning and its Division of History
and Archaeology. Generally, he
said, wherever the functions and
scope of the individual divisions
were not defined clearly, 1.-The in
herent tendency of government to
expand itself is apparent"
Must Define Functions.
1--WE cannot stress too strongly
the Importance of controlling this
tendency through the establishment
of policies defining the functions to
be performed by the several agen-
cies of government and the scope
of their authority and responsible
ity,' Mr.. Duke said.
The reorganization chief urged
that whenever State agencies have
fulfilled the purposes for which they
were established, they should be
abolished unless authorization has
been granted them to engage in
new undertakings"
Along the same line, Mr.. Duke
recommended strongly that all tenn
porary or semipermanent functions
of government should be authorized
and financed on a project basis, with
all hands to be discharged when the
function is completed. Permanent
new undertakings, he said, should be
approved only after the most care
full study.
Gov. Tuck approved all the cur
tailments recommended by Mr.. Duke
as well as simultaneous expansion
program within some divisions of
the department.
To Expand Geology Unit.
The Division of Geology partic-
ularly will be expanded. in line with
Mr.. Dukes contention that full
knowledge and efficient utilization
Of the States mineral resources
would contribute immeasurably' to
the States development.
Mr.. Duke also said information is
needed on depletion of Virginia's
ground water reserves. and he sug-
gested a more comprehensive pro-
gram for the Division of Water
Resources.
He had no comment on the de-
partment's Division of Forestry, and
its activities were left largely I'M
disturbed.
The State Port Authority, now
known as the Division of Ports
within the department under re-
organization laws, also was left Writ
ually as is
In the Division of Parks, Gov.
Tuck abolished a $4,000 position of
architect now vacant, but other
wise made no changes.