Evening star., 1953-01-30


to cut down the vast sums this
country has ben spending abroad
have received strong support for
their position. in an official SEN
ate report. attacking waste, du-
plication, excessive personnel and
other shortcomings in the ad-
ministration of the foreign aid
programs.
The report has been filed BY
Senator Johnston. Democrat. Of
South Carolina. on a personal
study of Federal pay and per-
sonnel practices in 10 countries
in the Near East, Africa ano
Europe.
Senator Johnston made the
study as chairman of the Senate
Postoffice and Civil Service Com
mittee in the Democratic-con-
trolled 82nd Congress, and one
of his major conclusions was:
"The variety. scope and size Of
our foreign programs and ac-
tivities should be reduced imme-
diately. Further. appropriate
measures should be taken to as
sure continued curtailment as
warranted and to prevent ire
sponsible growth in the future:
Cites Instances.
He supported his stand with
numerous instances of confusion
duplication of effort and over
tapping of functions stemming
from what the Senator said was
"the lack of central direction
and coordination in Washing
ton"
AS an indication of overlap
ping functions, Senator Johnston
cited that this country has three
individuals in France with the
title of ambassador and three
others with the title of min
lister.
I'm addition to these Six" he
added, I'VE have a score or more
with the title Of administrator
director. head Of mission. etc
In Paris alone, the United States
Government has 40 separate
agencies. each with separate au-
thority and responsibilities. Per-
haps even worse than this is the
duplication Of staffs down
through the ranks. even to the
mail clerks and messengers.
Senator Johnston said 100000
overseas employees could be re-
moved from the American pay
roll in the next IL months. I'll
certain useless and valueless &C.
tivities" were curtailed. In talk
ink with reporters after the re-
port was issued, the South Caro-
linian said the best estimate he
could get was that the United
States employees "about a quar-
ter of a million" overseas.
Separate Service Functions.
From his observations, the
Senator reported, IAN inordi-
nate proportion" Of employees
abroad are engaged in perform
ing administrative and house
keeping functions. Part of this
he attributed to lack of overall
planning and direction, but he
said that, in the main. it results
from the fact that each agency
however large or small. had a
separate organization to carry
out its service functions.
One exception was in Athens
where Senator Johnston said he
found that the common services
were being performed by one
organization. But he added that
any economy that could be ex-
pected from such a consolidation
has been dissipated because Of
"the overly extensive and plush
manner" in which the agency is
operated.
This agency, the Senator said,
has a staff of more than 100
local Greek engineers, plumbers,
electricians, carpenters, elevator
operators, charwomen and guards
1t is responsible for operating
five hotels and two mess halls
and supervises a bus system and
far flung taxi service" Its
motor pool has 29O vehicles and
personnel of 135 chauff
40 truck drivers and 70 me-
chanics.
Evidence of Sales.
Senator Johnston said it was
disturbing to observe "the loose
manner in which large amounts
of Federal funds" are being
handled overseas with no evil
dence of accepted business prac-
tices, and added:
Testimony was received tc
the effect that fraud ano
favoritism have invaded oul
procurement operations. The
circumstances surrounding the
letting of some large construc-
ton contracts are open tc
question. 1t was rumored that
pay rolls are being padded ano
that incidents of alleged theftS
of equipment and materials are
in fact sales of such items by
Federal employees to outside
parties"
He said that, in one instance
payment of more than 100000
was made to a contractor on
the basis of his personal state
ment that his contract had been
fulfilled.
MANY months later" i1t
added. "it was discovered that
the contract had not only moi
been completed, but very little
work at all had been started
on it,"
Senator Johnston said the for.
eign aid programs have beer
conducted on much "too granc
a scale" and have extended
over too large a territory in toe
many directions"