Evening star., 1961-11-14

AS an integral part Of present
steps to increase the effective
ness and economy of Federal
agencies, I want coordination
of government activities out
side of Washington signifi-
cantly strengthened. That is
to include improvement of the
management and direction of
Federal offices throughout the
country by the chief depart
mental officials in Washington,
and provision for an inter-
agency working group for closer
coordination across depart
ment and agency lines in i'm
portant .centers of Federal ac-
tivity outside of the National
Capital area. ,
More than 80 per cent of
all Federal employees work OUT
side of the Washington area.
Decisions affecting the expen-
diture of tens of billions of
dollars are made in the field.
Federal programs have their
impact on State and local gov
ernments largely through the
actions of regional and local
representatives of our depart
ments and agencies. Most i'm
portant, Federal officials out
side of Washington provide the
principal day-to-day contact
of the Government with the
citizens of this country and
generally constitute the actual
point of contact of Federal
programs with the economy and
other phases of our national
life.
Need for Action at Home
In the international assist
ance programs, previously sep
arate United States efforts are
being brought together in order
to provide a common focus on
the needs and problems Of in
dividual countries. Here at
home we must similarly bring
more closely together the many
activities of the Federal Gov
.ernment in individual States
and communities throughout
the Nation.
Although each executive
agency and its field organiza-
ton have a special mission,
there are many matters on
which the work Of the depart
.ments converge. Among them
are management and budgetary
procedures, personnel policies
recruitment efforts, office space
uses, procurement activities
public information duties and
similar matters. There are op-
portunities to pool experience
and resources, and to accomE
plish savings. In substantive
programs, there are also op-
portunities for a more closely
co-ordinated approach in many
activities, as on economic
problems, natural resources de-
velopment, protection Of equal
rights, and urban development
efforts.
/ As "a first step in bringing
Federal officials of Washing
ton closer together, I have di-
rected the chairman of the
Civil Service Commission to
arrange for the establishment
of a board of Federal execu-
tives in each of the commits
sion's administrative regions.
Where associations of Federal
regional officials exist in other
regional centers they will be
continued. Each executive de-
partment and agency is di-
rected to arrange for personal
participation by the heads of
its field offices and installa-
tions in the work of these
Federal executive boards. Those
activities are not to require
additional personnel but pro-
vide means for closer co-ordi-
nation of Federal activities at
the regional level.
Initiative Stressed
The cooperative activities
Of Federal executive boards
must be undertaken primarily
through the initiative of the
heads of our field activities.
The chairman of the Civil
Service Commission and the
director of the Bureau of the
Budget will furnish the boards