Evening star., 1952-04-15
Budget Bureau Baked
Year Ago at Transfer
OF Army's Flood Job
By Froncis P. DouqIos

by FFonCIS T. Oou9loS
The Budget Bureau, about a
year ago. denied approval to
the proposed transfer of the
civil functions of the Army Engi-
neers' Corps to the Interior De-
partment, it has been learned.
Instead, Frederick j. Lawton,
Budget Bureau director, recon-
mended an inquiry by a commit
tee of Congress as the basis for
resolving the controversial issue.
Mr.. Lawton's comments were
contained in a report to the Sen
ate Expenditures Committee. That
committee had asked Government
agencies for comment on a bill to
carry out most of the recon-
mendations in regard to the In
terror Department made by the
Hoover Commission on Govern
ment Organization.
Adviser to President.
The significance OF Mr.. Law
tons statement is that his bureau
is adviser to the President in re-
gard to proposed legislation. and
his agent in drafting proposed
bills.
It is understood the bureau has
worked on the proposed reorgan-
ization plan. which President Tru-
man will send to Congress soon.
It will call for transfer of the
flood control and rivers and har-
bors work of the Engineers to the
Reclamation Bureau of Interior.
Writing to the Senate Expendi-
lures Committee on May IS, 1851,
Mr.. Lawton stated:
I'm the experience of the Bu-
reau Of the Budget, many of the
difficulties cited by the Hoover)
Commission on Organization of
the Executive Branch in the pres
ent organizational arrangements
for water resources development
have been demonstrated to exist
in fact.
Vital to Solution of Issues.
"1t may likewise be said that
strong arguments have been ad-
vanced to this bureau asserting
the Importance of the Corps of
Engineers civil functions to the
fulf1llment of its military mission.
I'm my opinion. many of the
factors involved in both these
positions rest so directly on poll
cies and relationships established
by the Congress that a fact-flnd-
ing inquiry into these subjects by
a congressional committee would
be both an appropriate and a nee
eSSary action to solution of the
organizational issues involved"
Interior Secretary Chapman
said the transfer would be con-
sistent with "the concept of In
terror as a natural resource agen-
cy." He said he believed it would
contribute to "integrated natural
resource development"
Pace Presents Opposite Views.
Army Secretary Pace presented
opposite views. Summing up, he
wrote:
"A. Our military engineering
and logistical support organiza-
tions were decisive factors in our
World War II victory.
"B. The Individual training of
our engineer officers in civil works
and the existence Of a civil works
organiZation-in-being within the
framework of the Corps of Engi-
neers were both decisive factors in
achieving and maintaining our
superiority in military engineering
and logisticS.
&C. The present organization is
of invaluable assistance in domeS-
tic emergencies.
ID. The integrity Of the civil
works organization of the Army
Corps of Engineers should be pre-
served"
StenniS Would Reverse Transfer.
Meanwhile, a new quirk was
given the transfer plan by Senator
Stennis, Democrat, of Mississippi.
He proposed that the engineering
functions of the Reclamation Bu-
reau be turned over to the Army
engineers.
He said he believes that the pro-
posal to do the reverse will have
the united and solid opposition
of the entire Mississippi Valley
area"
The Reclamation Bureau now
works in only II States in the
West and its major concern is
irrigation.