Evening star., 1949-02-07
Merger of 65 Agencies Into %
Urqed in Hoover Board Report

Council of Economic Advisers i.
criticized by the commission. Il
says that to put a full-time boarc
at the head of a staff agency /.
to run the risk of inviting public
disagreement among its members
and transplanting within the
Presidents Office the disagree.
ments on policy issues that grow
up in the executive departments
or in Congress.
The commission comedies thai
the council, a relatively new
agency. has proceeded with eau.
ton in developing its role. But
it says no one can judge the
councils strength or weakness al
this early stage.
In summation the commission
says:
The critical state of worle
affairs requires the Government
of the United States to speak ane
act with unity of purpose. 1irmnes.
and restraint in dealing with other
nations. It must act decisively tt
preserve its human and materia
resources. It must develop strong
machinery for the national de-
fense while seeking to construct
an enduring world peace.
"It cannot perform these tasks
if its organization for development
and execution of policy is confused
and disorderly or if the Chief Ex-
ecutive is handicapped in provid-
ing firm direction to the depart
ments and agencies"
Confusion of Growth Studied.
In a section headed What Is
Wrong With the Executive De-
partments and Agencies, the
commission repeats the now IA
miliar story of confusion in the
departments due to sudden and
gigantic growth of Government, OF
overlaps. Implications and made
quacies in determining policies.
In recommending the consolida-
tion of the IS agencies the COM
mission said that with the COM
plicated activities of the Govern
ment it is not possible to arrive at
perfection in grouping them. An
agency's work may relate to that
of other agencies not ip the same
group, but the commission said
the determination of grouping be-
comes a matter of overall judg-
ment.
On organization of the depart
ments the commission recon-
mended that in general the top
executive staff be composed as
follows:
i. A cabinet officer or admins
traitor with his personal staff.
2. An undersecretary or equiv
alent official who will have gen.
eral supervision of the department
and who can assume the duties
of the department head when he
is absent.
3. Assistant secretaries or equiv
alent officials of such number as
may be necessary with functions
assigned by the department head.
Senate Confirmation Favored.
These officials, being OF policy
rank, should be named by the
President and confirmed by the
Senate.
In addition there should be gen.
orally. the commission said, an
administrative assistant secretary
solely for "housekeep-
ing and management" duties and
giving continuity to top manage
nent.
The heads of major agencies
should have, as some now do,
staff assistants which the COM
lists as follows:
A general counsel, financial Of
ficer to handle accounting, budg-
citing and disbursements; and Of
ficers for personnel, supply. man.
agement research. information
and publications and, finally. con-
gressional liaSon.
The commission also lists briefly
recommendations which have to
do with departmental manage
ment which it says it will make
in future reports.
Management Stressed.
Recommendations encompass
more emphasis on the manage
ment function in the agencies
and. it's ordination with that
function in the Budget Bureau,
a program for building up a
corps of administrators. recog-
milton Of exceptional ability in
employees and their transfer or
promotion from one agency to
another and the simplification Of
discharging inefficient or incom-
patible employees.
For the field services the COM
mission recommends better
geographical grouping of admin
istrative regions and their head
quarters, more use of centralized
services, strength
ening reporting and inspection
simplification of man.
uals of instruction and elimina-
ton of their "self-defeating de-
gree of detail" and standardiza-
ton of relationships with State
and local officials.
Also recommended is expansion
If the Public Buildings Admin
stration responsibility to provide
he field Offices with space of Ger
,ain types.
The commission declares that
some of the recommendations
made today and to be made in
The future can be put into effect
only by legislation. Others, it
says, can be accomplished by
executive action. 1t renews its
that Congress
enact the pending bill to give the
prociIopf nouor fn ro0rpa niZo