Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1949-06-20
Y REORGANIZATION Plans Sent to Congress

and effective organization ON Ia
Dor functions
Time to Reverse Trend
More than IS years ago thf
Federal Governments labor func-
ltions were brought together in the
Department Of Labor" Mr.. Tru-
man explained.
| In recent years. however. the
tendency has been TO disperse such
functions throughout the Govern
ment. New labor programs have
been placed outside OF the depart
ment and some Of its most basic
functions have been transferred
from the department TO other
agencies.
In my judgment this course
has been fundamentally unsound
and should be reversed"
| The President stressed that close
working relationship between the
United States Employment Service
and most Labor Department
agencies lis vital" to both. He
pointed out that the USES viii tie
| in with such units as the Bureau
fof Labor Statistics. the Woman S
Bureau and the Child Labor
Branch of the Wage and Hour
Division.
The Labor Department also viii
pick up the Veterans Placements
Service Board and the Federal
Advisory Council. Actually the
board will be abolished and its
functions simply transferred to
the department.
Unified Direction by Chairman.
The President described his pro-
posal for the Civil Service Com
mission as providing for unified
direction" by the chairman Pres
ident Of the executive affairs Of
the agency.
"At the same time" he ex-
planned. 1T maintains the advan-
tages Of the bipartisan, three
I1Cl1OCI GOk1lL1lSclOIl.
In a breakdown. the President
explained:
This reorganization plan sep
arates day-to-day administration
from the regulatory and appel
late functions. It leaves vested
in the full commission the final
authority with respect to: % the
formulation of civil service rules
and regulations: ca hearing End
taking action on all type of ap-
peals; 80 the administration OF
the political activity statutes; -
the investigating of all matters
pertaining to the civil service
and 90 the functions of recon-
mending measures to the Presi-
dent to promote the more e.fec-
tual accomplishment Of the civil
service laws and rules"
Implementing this arrangement
the plan would provide for full
time personal assistants to the
commission which the body itself
would appoint. and for the ap-
pointment of regional directors
and heads of major administra-
tive units by the chairman latter
consultation with the other com
missioners."
Deputy for Postmaster General.
The Presidents message on this
proposal said that Ito facilitate
the most effective and expeditions
administration of civil service
matters and related affairs. the
plan concentrates operating re-
sponsibility and accountability ir
the chairman by vesting IN him
the operating functions under the
civil service rules and regulations.
The title Of president Of the COM
mission would be changed b
chairman under the plan. Il
For the Post once Department
Mr.. Truman proposed a plan that
would centralize the duties Of the
present four assistant postmasters
general, the purchasing agent for
the Post ONCE Department. the
controller and the Bureau Of Ac-
counts In the office of the Post
master General. The plan would
make the assistant postmasters
general simply ofiicial assistants
without numerical designation.
The Postmaster General would
be provided with a deputy new
ofice-who would receive $10.330
a year. the current salary for
assistants.
Advisory Board to Be Named.
The plan also provides for the
creation of an advisory board Of
nine members-seven from the
public-which would meet quar-
teriy to review postal policy. The
public members would receive q
$50 per diem when on duty.
The Bureau of Accounts In the
Post ONCE Department and the
ofice of the purchasing agent
would be abolished.
In dealing with Maritime Com
mission. the President said tina,
after considering suggested i'm
provements II have concluded
that the proper action at this tint
is to concentrate in the chairman
the responsibility for the interna'
administration of the agency"
This would be brought about
he explained. by transferring x
the chairman the appointment Of
agency personnel except for thu
immediate assistants Of the com.
missioners and the supervision
and direction Of their work"
The President explained tina
'this Is substantially the arrange
ment recommended for regulator,
commissions" by the reorganiza.
ton commission which former