Evening star., 1950-01-03
Billions for Buit

One Of the more important jobs Wnlcn
Congress faces in the new session has been
laid out for It by the Hoover Commission
A review Of what was accomplished last
session in carrying out reorganization rec
concentrations Of the President and OF the
Committee on Organization OF the Execu-
tive Departments shows that necessary
governmental reform has barely begun.
The bait for tackling the job anew Is
tantalizing one-billions OF dollars In saw
ings for the taxpayers.
While the first session passed lot OF
piecemeal legislation patterned after parts
of the Hoover Commission proposals, only
two major recommendations out Of eigh-
teen urged by the commission became law
last year. These were Public Law 2l6, re-
organizing the Defense Department, and
Public Law 152, creating the General Ser
vices Administration. These two reforms
are expected to save the Government about
$1,25o, ,ooo,0 900 year-perhaps more. The
President has asked Congress to do more.
He submitted six other reorganization
plans to Congress. One, to convert the
Federal Security Agency into a Depart
ment Of Welfare, was killed by the Senate.
The other bills, putting into effect parts
of the Hoover recommendations respecting
the Labor and Post ONCE Departments,
the Executive ONCE of the President, the
Civil Service Commission, the Maritime
Commission and the Public Roads Admin
istration, were approved.
OF course Congress does not have to wait
for the President to submit additional
ainoS tow otH
on It's own initiative and adopt the re-
manning sections Of the Hoover reports.
And there are many smaller reforms which
do not require legislative action ct all, re-
forms which the Hoover experts declare
the administrative agencies can and should
adopt without waiting to be told to do 50
by Congress. It would take q confirmed
optimist, however, to believe that either
Congress or the departments will 60 as far
as they should without lot Of prodding-
from the President and from the public at
large. 81.
It is estimated that several additional
billions each year could Be saved If the
remainder Of the reorganization program
recommended In the Hoover reports were
adopted. The savings opportunities lie In
these major fields: Federal personnel poll
cies and procedures, budgeting and ac-
counting reform, Post Office activities
medical care, veterans, Treasury Depart
ment, Department of Agriculture, Interior
Department (including reclamation and
rivers and harbors), Commerce Depart
ment, Labor Department foreign affairs
and social security and education.
This Is bold program, requiring bold
action by both the executive and legislative
branches. There is inertia to be overcome
in both branches, inertia born Of die-hard
opposition to changes that reduce bureau
cratic powers or call for personnel cuts.
Fortunately, public opinion is beginning to
demand the changes with increasing per-.
sistence and persuasiveness. Much Of the
credit for this salutary uprising Of the tax
payers and voters must 60 to the Citizens
Committee for the Hoover Report, a spon-
taneous, voluntary group of leading citi-
zens mobilized in all parts of the Nation.
The new session Is going to hear great
deal from this group OF civic minded, econ
omy-bent advocates of efficiency in Gov-
ernment.