Evening Star Newspaper, May 8, 1921, Page 33

EDITORIAL PAGE | NATIONAL PROBLEMS SPECIA L ARTICLES == ———— . EDITORIAL SECTION Part 2—22 Pages WASHI) GTON, D. (., SUNDAY MORNING, Joy CONGRESS FOR AN AMENDMENT Regulation of Expenditures in Primaries and Elections Sought by Senators Kenyon, Johns Y G. GOVED LINCOLN. OW that Congress and the country have been definitely informed by the United States Supreme Court that the federal szovernment. under the Constitution as it stands, has no au- thority to mix up in primary elec- tions in the states for memberg of ‘the Senate and House, the proponents of federal regulation are planning to | put through an amendment to the Constitution. They insist that corruption excessive expenditures in primary elections for members of Congress— and for nominations for and elec- | 1ions of President—can be dealt with, Vest by uniferm federal law. They ) point out that in many of the states | primary laws do not exist and that in some instances they are not taken seriously, even whert they do exist. Rack of the movement for a fed- eral law dealing with primary clec- tions is the demand that excessive expenditures be halted. This applies to the candidates for the presiden- | tial nomination particularly. And | any amendment to the Constitution that may be presented undoubtedly will cover the presidential prefer-! ential primaries, and the election of% presidential electors in the states. Committee’s Conclusion. The decision of the Supreme Court in the case of Truman Newberry, sen- ater from Michigan, deciding that the federal law covering the primary elections for members of the Senate was not constitutional, made it elear that a federal law designed to control expenditures in presidential preferential primaries would be equally unconstitutional. The Ken- | yon campaign expenditures investi- gation committee, which toiled for weeks and months last summer. and amassed a tremendous amount of in- formation regarding the expenditures for the various candidates for the presidential nomination, and regard- ing campaign expenditures generally, recognized the constitutional ob- stacles to the enactment of a federal law dealing with this subject. “We recognize there are constitu- tional difficulties involved in the passage of iaws to regulate expendi- tures in presidential campaigns,” said the committee in its report to the senmate. filed last February, “but are of the opinion that the committee on privileges and elections of the Sen- ate in the next Congress (the pres- ent Congress) should take up the question of remedial legislation, and, if & constitational amendment should be necessary, that the proper steps be taken to submit the same, as pro- vided by the Conmstitution. The sub- ject is of such importance that the next Congress should give early at tention thereto.” Vast Expenditures a Menmace. The committee expressed the opin- jon that the expenditure of vast sums is a “present and growing menacc to the nation” And the figures given by the committee, showing the contribu- tions and expendityres during the| last campaign would indicate that the committee was justified in its recom- mendations. For instance, the known campaign expenditures of the two great parties, republican and demo- eratic. aggregated $10,338,509.92. The republicans expended $8,100.739.21, and the democrats $2,237,770.71. The sggregate expenditures of the two | parties were far larger than ever be- fore in the history of the country. The high cost of campaigning and everything that went into the cam- paign. was ziven as the reason for much of the increase. H In the preconvention campaigns for| nomination for President, therc was| & great outpouring of money also' The Kenyon committec found that approximately $3,000,000 had been ex-: pended. Of this $1.773.303 was spent | in the interests of Maj. Gen. Leonard | and Wood. Former Gov. Lowden of 1li- nois came next on the list, with| $414.950. President Harding's sup- porters expended $113,109 in this pre- MEMBERS on and Borah . upreme Court is that of June 010. and amended the following year. Views of Senators. Senator Hiram .Johnson of Cali- fornia, republican, is one of the lead- ers in the movement to bring about a constitutional amendment which would give Congress the power to enact a law dealing with campaign expenditure, not only in the case of senators and representatives, but in the case of presidential electors. He is preparing such an amendment to the Constitution and will offer it at an early date. Other republican sen- ators who have this matter at heart include Senators Borah of Idaho and Senator Kenvon of low Senator Kenyon, as chairman of the Scnate investigating committee, may a constitutional amendment: Borah is inclined to give the right of way to Senator Johnson in the mat- ter of offering the proposed constitu- tional amendment. It is the opinion of Scnator Borah and the others that it will be possible to’ have the proposed constitutional amendment adopted by Congress and ratified by the states fairly, promptly. They believe that the country's at- tention has been directed to the need of legislation curbing political cam- paign expenditures in no uncertain terms, and that public opinion will back up the demand for the amend- ment. In ‘e opinion of Senator Borah, will b possible to make the desired amendment to the Constitution by merely inserting a phrase which wowld make it clear that Congress should have the power to make or alter regulations relating to primary elections. as well as elections of sena- tors and representatives, and should have the power to regulate so far as may be necessary the election of presidential and vice presidential electors. Making Amendment Effective. But once the proposed constitutional amendment has been ratified, Con- gress will have a man size job on its hands. 1t will have to frame the legis- lation to carry the amendment into effect. It will take a wise man to say what shall be the limit upon campaign expenditure in presidential elections, which must cover the entire country. But the proponents of such legislation are not daunted by the difficulties thaf confront them. and believe that an equitable bill can be drafted. Un- doubtedly, full publicity of all cam paign expenditures, in primaries as well as in the elections proper, will be one effective way of dealing with the matter—the publicity to come during the campaigns. and not alone after| the elections have been held. l It is true that the Supreme Court 5-to-4 decision in the, Newberry case| was concurred in by Assoctate Justice McKenna, with the reservation that had the corrupt practices act of 1910-11 been enacted after the adop- tion of the seventeenth amendment to the Constitution providing for the di- rect election of senators instead of; by the state legislatures, the consti- tutionality of the act might have been upheld. He did not say, however, that he would have upheld it. So the senators feel that the best way of| dealing with the the Constitution. rather than to at- tempt further legislation now, with the hope that Justice McKenna might cast the balance of power on the side of the constitutionality of the corrupt practices act. _— i PENROSE HITS DISARMING. Senator Calls Proposition Purely Idealistic and Impractical. The American people cerned just now “in revised and the tariff retired to thel background than in any academi discussion” of international disarm ment, Senator Penrose of Pennsyly nia. a republican member of the « naval committe lared in a mal statement. are more con- getting taxes to n- for- tuation is to umtml[ copyention campaign. and those of { “I look on this disarmament propo- former Gov. James M. Cox, who be-|sition as a purely idealistic and nebu- came the democratic standardbearer. lous theory,” said Senator Penrosc. Power Given Congreas. The power of Congress to dval w the elections for senators and repr septatives, such as it ix. ix found in scction 4. article 1. of the Constitu- tion. which provides. ““The time places and manner of holding tiops for senators and representa tives shall be prescribed in each state by the legislature thereof. but the Congress may at any time by make or alter such regulations. cept as to the places of choosing sen- law exe wtors The Supreme Court. in the Newberry case, held that there is no support for the contention that b resentative were created by the Con- indeti- in its opinion sourt said. The corrupt practices acts by which Congress has sought to regulate the manner of holding elections and to punish corruption, particularly the excessive expenditure of money, have been cnacted from time to tim ginning with the act of January 26, 1907, which makes it unlawful for national banks and other corporations to make money contributions in con- nection with any election to any po- Litical office. There have been five pubsequent acts dealing with this ‘matter, the last approved October 16, 1818, The particular act invelved in _the NewbesTy case and quoted by the use the offices of scnator and rep-j “I don’t look with favod on any con America with other certed action by ations. It does not appeal to me in any way. 1 believe in attending to our own business with tion from attack, which to_come quate protec- not likely |Will Be U.S. Envoy ! stitution Congress has some nite. undefined power over elections for senators and representatives not derived from scction 4 And in the spinton of the court the fathers. when adopted the Constitution. did ot have primary ions in mind. “Primaries were then unknown.” the i DR One-time 1o German, wl ccording has heen selected. by ing to be emvoy to Japam, X%} To Japan, Report Says‘ MAY 8, 1921 Public Interest in the Government Asked to Help Program of Economy|c,,.... wi s BY N. 0. MESSENGER. RULY. if. ficuratively speakinz, we should sit down and essay to gabble over the topics of news interest at the National Capital, so many would present themselves that we would hardly know where to commence. The only thinz that keeps people from going plumb distracted over the multifari- ousness of the subjécts is that “news” and in- terest therein kind of run in cycles. First, it will be foreign affairs generally, with the league of nations always in the background: then the tariff, the plight of the farmers, the look ahead for permanent tariff; the railroad situation: a wondering where all the money is coming from to pay all the vast expenditures. Tt isn't com- ing. this year nor the next, to pay them all, appears., e ¥ President Harding 12 said shocked. and his cabinet as well, when he received a letter from Senator Warren of the appropriations committee saying that over $200.000,000 in departmental deficits now exists. At the cabinet meeting it was private- Iy estimated that before the year closes the deficits may approximate half a billion dollars, unless they are promptly and rigorously stopped. The President at ohce took steps to prevent to have been the other day, 3 te., stion w! ver- Qerman; note, :the question. ghether: the Ver the occurrence of any more, but those already sailles treaty can be utilized in amended. though attenuated. form: naval disarmament, ~ S'ATted may grow. o : > el - The present administration of the depart- taxes and tax reform, the interfercnce of the : e . TRiL Iemialative’ ith e exesutive’ fanction anl | s fecls i donge ol L e D i 4o on ¥ tion The heads of the departments have been Ty e i 3 et in office only two months, and did not incur the ditures iq’_omf;""f'mi. "'“""‘x?r"m""'.fm e deficits. They found them an inheritance of a < coming in for attention—until it s ovigys administration and a prior Congress, thrashed over for a few days and then displaced by something else that pops up as an exigency. The Secretary of the Treasury “started some- thing” when he denounced the shocking ex- travagance in government expenditures, and warned the nation that it could not proceed at the rate it has been going. without “going bust.” * ¥ ¥ X Secretary Mellon occupies a unique position which cannot be said to be one on a bed of roses. He has to look facts in the face, with a cold and calculating eye. He assembles from all sources information as to the income and outgo of Uncle Sam and tells Congress that it is Foing the pace too fast. Conzress provides for raising the money and also stipulates as to its expenditure in purpose and sum. It would hardly do to say that Congress strictly limits the cxpenditure, for it is not able to keep the departments of the government from incurring deficits and running ahead of their allotments of appropriations. Secretary Mellon keeps tab on all these deficits and regular expenditures and watches carefully the inflow of income, try- ing his best to have them not too far apart, but in which effort no man is-likely to succeed at present, Secretary Mellon finds the game constantly stacked against him. There is Congress, itself, which constantly goes beyond prudent limita- tions of expenditures. The appropriations com- mittees of the two houses are sternly economi- cal, but they have to fight all the rest of Con- gress, in which the idea seems largely to pre- vail that “Oh, just a few millions more for this little project won't count.” The departments, each one justifiably zealous in promoting its own special line of work for the good of the country, clamor at all times for more, more and still more money and employes. And there sits Secretary Mellon, with his eve on the ledger watching the cash account, and but they will be called upon to handle them. - * ok k¥ Chairman Good of the House committee on appropriations has a word of admonition to every man and woman voter, for these parlous times of financial perplexity. It might prob- ably be said of a great many congressional con- stituents that their watchword is “Let George do it,” as applied to their congressman, once they elect him. They pick out a representative whom they think possesses the qualifications and send him to Congress freighted with all the wisdom necessary to solve any problem. As one studies and analyzes the balance sheet of a corporation in which he is a stock- holder, so now should all study very carefully the balance sheet of the nation of which we are all a part,” says Mr. Good. “If we should do this constantly and keep ourselves informed at all times on the subject of national expenditures and advise our representatives in Congres more frequently and more intelligently, on the subject of economy, we would have a more bu ness-like administration of public affairs. At this time such consideration would result in Congress refusing to enact legislation which will call for enormous appropriations out of the Treasury of the United States, which, in the end. must be met by taxation.” “At first blush,” Chairman Good continues, “the expenditure of four billions of doilars a year to conduct the affairs of the national gov- ernment in time of peace seems excessively large. Tt is large: larger than Is necessary economically to run the government in time of peace, and, after the indefinite and unliquidated obligations growing out of the war have been paid. the annual expenditures can and should be reduced to $3.300,000,000 per year.” ¥ ok kK So it would seem that the best that may be expected is to lop off half a billion of taxes, with three and a half billions to be raised, but even that won't be until several years hence. The requirements of the next year will be four billions of dollars. That sum is contrasted with the amount of one billion, a hundred and fourteen million, which sufficed for sgovern- mental needs in 1916, before the war. The dif- ference in these two amounts represents what the war did to us in the way of hoisting ex- penses. The old-day methods of financing the govern- ment “are past, never to return,” says Chair- man Good. He points out that one item of ex- pense alone is greater by $230,000.000 than the total cost of administering the whole govern- ment in 1907. This item is the interest on the national debt, which is almost one billion dol- lars a year. Continuinz his appeal for greater interest by the public at large in the affairs of government, Chairman Good contends: “At times, some have thought of the gov- ernment as an institution separate and distinct from their participation in it, but more and more our people are beginning to realize that they constitute the government, and that the cost of government affects us all. Directly or indirectly, every one contributes to its support. Formerly the cost of administering the govern- ment was small, and the revenues from which these expenditures were made came through a system of indirect taxation that the ordinary citizen did not feel and that did not affect industry except to stimulate production. Tt re- quired our participation in a great world war to bring home to us all the great outstanding fact that the government is nothing more or less than all the people of the United States bound by a Constitution, and governed by laws common to us all. The expense invoived in de- fending the Constitution and administering the laws must be borne by all in proportion to our ability to pa ERE I S Kvidenée is brought to Washington by tors from all parts of the country that the people are thinking more about business than about polities just now, and that their interest in the republican administration is largely what the republiicans are going to do to help business and prosperity, and they care very little about the republican party itself. “You cannot get any enthusiasm over party politice,” is the summing up of this situation made by Gov. Allen of Kansas to a man who saw him a few days ago. “The people in sec- tions where normally politics rage always are not giving a rap about democrats or republicans, but are looking only for results from the turn- over of the party control of Congress and the government.” (Copyright, 1921, by The Washington Star.) If World Is to Be Safe for Democracy, Law Must Not Confer Special Privileges BY THOMAS R. MARSHALL. | Former Vice President of the L ed States. S 1 go from place to place in America and converse with men in every station In life, listening to what they say and peering beneath their suffer lo: of life over neck- What each civilized people has words, I am compelled to admit yokes? Why not appoint some accepted as the better way to that I find facing my mind this one who s fair-minded to decide reach the truth in controversies portentous question: “Of what ' ownerships?”’ But even then your between citizens or subjects, the use was it to make the world “times he got sometimes, in Hoosier vernacular, he got it in the neck. bitterness and violence spread as different neckyokes disappeared. Civilization moved forward and men finally began to ask thé neckyoke and Strife and courts are, ble to doubt, order. Why * ¥ ¥ * tory as the system may be and as any system fashioned by brain is apt to be, our laws and nevertheless, prefera- confusion and dis Since far-off Babel the call of the tongue, the call of the blood, the call of the wild, the call of the clan, the call of the class, all have started mankind in devious ways. The battle cry has been “each for himself” far more frequently than “each for ail" human pretended progressive was pres- progressive thought of all demo- safe for democracy if the men ent, for one said: “If the judge . cratic minds has deemed to be a and women who live in it are un- errs we should appeal to the | principle which could and should willing to be democratic?" crowd.” But your real pro- be applied to all those questions It is not worth while to make a gressive answered: “No, for if | _\which, left unsolved, lead to war world safe for anything else but we do, we go back to the strong between nations. In the larger democracy. Indeed, it §s not need- ful. Special privilege will make the world safe for. itself without assistance. 1 once heard the greatest of the present-day French philoso- phers say that the war was worth to France all that it had cost. in that it had made a real democracy where only the form thereof pre- viously had existed. His Idea was that France had long been a de- mocracy only in name; that it had | taken the war to make it one in fact from.” From court: * ok K However cunningly and bombas- tically you may write your or- ganic law and proclaim your pur- pose, unicss both statute and con- duct crystallize along democratic lines your system is but sounding brass and tinkling cymbal. 1 announce as the essential of a true democracy laws which confer cqual privileges, guarantee equal protection and impose equal pen- HE altic There can be none who |blossoms off century pop- | PRy Auiint ihe daw if the seveine. lalie estimation, at least; [ may call to see me. This lasts until ment is to remain u democracy. Not so today. Calvin Coolidge of about 11:50 o'clock, when I go over Human nature is imperfect and | Massachusetts, the twenty-ninth Vice |0 the Vice Presidents office in the man is essentially selfish. 1 speak | President, is on the job from 9 Capitol preparatory to the opening of of the ultimate+good, not of pres- |o'clock in the morning., When he ar- |the session of the Senate. From noon ent attainment. 1 was—1 yet am— a democrat in the hope and confi- dent belief that we will arrive at that godl sonfe way and some time. I am not unmindful of the almost universal yielding to the tempta- tion of evening up past grants of privilege to one group by extend- ing new grants to other and dif- ferent groups. *£ K& R 6 o'clock sion to dine week—and I have often thought about the |'n8ton. The Vice President admits | ¢ /"0t wiile | am in Washing- origin of man-made laws and hu- |1t himself. N ~ lion and the Senate is in session 1 man tribunals, Wwhich arc the The Vice President is accessible. | ou1q 4etend to the work.” he com-j sure and only indicia of advancing | Pot®ithstanding the demands upon |, po0g i civilization. Improved methods of |18 time destruction mark only an advance the ways of barbarism. The in trial by wager of battie and the i'_"t “‘"f"’- m”j"“‘"""}"’f"”l He Duts inlsont is necessarily away from the duello caused more injustice than "t m'_" of h" ; in’ ‘the -h;“f““’ Office | o ening of the Senate session. These the stupidest court ever convened | PUilding. the huge marble structure, .. .cupinet days” .at the White; on earth. " As to the origin of laws and courts, 1t is pleasing to recall their early simplicity: When man- kind emerged from the chase into the field of the husbandman, a pioneer more enterprising than his neighbors made a neckyoke Capitol itse days, as much in leaves the Capitol. all—not by a jugful, is permissible ys of prohibition. ident and Mrs. Coolidge are expected evening have averaged ac- tually five out of seven days In each week since they have been in Wash- out they such e He elf. crude the United States. used to call very 9 receives who come to his office at without formality and with a friend- And arm which we want to get away beginnings emerged our system of laws and Imperfect and u Sourts mperteet snd voentetuc: | Mo jmade bim for DORenioot VICE PRESIDENT IS A BUSY MAN, BUT HAS A SMILE FOR CALLERS! Finds the Cabinet Meetings Intensely In- teresting—Considers Finances the Big- gest Problem Confronting Country. oftice of Vice President of | in the old for about ! activity as picking plans—in rives at his office at the Capitol, the afternoon, when that's not if that expres- in these piping The Vice Pres- the vis the Capitol erected for the convenience ienators just across from the Senate wing of the Capitol. dent, who is President of the Senate | also. has a suite allotted him in this building and also an The Vice Presi- office | 1t was in the office building 1 found Ihim, secking an interview, to which sense, the world has always been safe for democracy. God made it for that purpose; to that end He fashioned it. When He made man He ,made him for brotherhood. tisi He smile. “I get down here about 9 o'clock in the morning,” he said; “attend to my mail and receive such visitors as looked over with a qulzzical until the Senate adjourns, anywhere from 5 to 6 o'clock, T am in the Sen- ate chamber practically all the time. Then 1 come back here, finish up | whatever may remain to be done, and |then back to the hotel. My time is pretty well occupied.” The Vice President said that it was his privilege to call a senator to oc- cupy the chair during a session of the Senate while he himself took time ofl,' But he sticks on the joh. ! until he in they 1OrS | Crhere are a couple of days each| week. however—to be exact. Tuesduys and Fridays—when the Vice Presi-| of the | 1y ce, when President Harding gath- | ers his official family about him for conference. For the first time in his- ltory the Vice President is included.in these gatherings by special invitation !of the President. | 4The cabinet meetings are intensely linteresting,” said the Vice President. in the As we watched the splendid her- oism and self-effacing sacrifice of our people and of the peoples of the nations with which we were associated in the cause of democ- racy was glorified in the battle cry: “Make the world safe for democ- racy.” 1 am unwilling to admit that it was a failure. Nq lofty idcal, valiantly contended for, ever is a failure. It can come. It must come. It shall come. * ok ok ok In moving toward the goal which 1 hold to be the end and aim of true democracy, I have fought by voice and vote the granting of special privilege to wealth. I never could see how unequal privi- lege tallied with true democracy. 1 can readily understand how those who feel themselves to be the victims of corporate greed be- gin at once the old system of re- dressing their grievances, when they get the chance—not by plac- ing every one upon an equality, but by granting to themselves ad- vantages in the way of special privileges and exemption from the operation of laws which bind others. Of a surety, if men are to keep on fighting for control and to use power when they get it only for themselves regardless of others, who has any right to com- plain? 1f the theory is to be: “You stole a horse and went un- whipped of Justice; now is my turn,” 1 fear that making the world safe for democracy was not unaccompanied by a barbaric re- vival. Of what real value to the cause of equal and cxact justice is it to enact laws to punish trusts and then to exempt large bodies of men from their operation? How much real progress in democratic tendenci€s im government is made when the special privileges of yes- terday are taken from those who hold them and tomorrow are given to others? To have no statutory law is only worse than not to have that law rest equally upon all. * kK ¥ Never in the history of our country since the era of good feel- ing have party ties been so 10os- ened. Those gentlemen who are engaged in the business of organ- izing and reorganizing parties would better look around or they may find, when their organization is complete, that it contains few besides its officials. There is a constantly growing number who say to predatory rich and preda- “A plague on for his team of oxen. On going | 2 “I have been impressed with the| -tory poor alike: a-visiting he hung it up in the |!¢ Kindly consented strength and wbility of the men with| both your houses.” who, condemn- forks of a tree. A neighbor com- |Finds His Time Pretty Well Occupled. | (om the President has surrounded| ing and condoning the present, are inz alonz saw the yoke. admired | “Mr. I'resident” (that is the title ac- |himself. They think quickly, make| ready to join in a movemcnt to it and took it. The owner, miss- |carded him at the tol as Iresident|up their minds promptly and act.| make America really democratic ing his yoke. started out to re- 'of the Senate), 1 said, “what about|Every subject that comes up for con-| S0 far, at least, as her laws are gain his posseSsion, not_ by per- suasion, but by force, Some- > Nk ke cor S Washington? here to occupy your time2” .Do you find. enoygh |sideration at the cabinet .meetings concerned. g * (Continued on Third Page.) (Copyrignt, 1921, by Thomas B. Marshall) AIMING TO FEDERAL REGROUP AGENCIES e Guided by Committee Fmdmgs in Lonsxdermgf Budget Bureau's Recommendations. BY WILL P. KENNEDY. | HE public generally. the army of government empioyes more directly, are somewhat perplexed regarding the pro-) posed reorganization of the federal government service by these facts: (1) Congress has organized a joint congressional committee to investi- gate the need for reorganization and to make a report with recommenda- tions to Congress and where he has the power and to recommend action to Con gress when the 'd changes re- quire legislat One of the gre complished by the him to act dire tly propo: sanction t reforms to be ac- budget bill is that it will give the President in the bud- get bureau such an agency That bureau, it is presumed. wil act only piecemeal, taking up in or- der of importance things that ought to be done, co-ordinations of activi (2) The federal budget legislation!'le® =eftling clashes of authority, contains a provision which authorizes|¢tc- Probably not a session of Con- j the budget bureau, under direction of | ETes8 will go by but that the budget Jthe President, to make a regrouping | Purean will advise something that of the federal services. (3) By passage of a both branches of Congress authorized! the President to appoint Y representative to work with the joint | ional committee jaint resolution | a persona lcongres (1) Various piecemeal bills have been introduced, with support of the lexecutive or administrative branch of the government, proposing the 1.\N\i»-‘ Jlishment of new government divi-| sions, bureaus or departments New Agencies Proposed. As illustrations of this latter might| be cited the proposed department of public welfare, pledged by Mr. Hard- ing to the women of the country dur- ing his campaign, publicly sized by the President in his first ad- dress to Congress. and which legis- lation Representative Simeon D. Fess| of Ohio, chairman of the republican congressional committee, is preparing to press. Another example is the joint, { resolution recently introduced by Sen-| ator Calder of New York and Repre- ! sentative George H. Tinkham of Mas- sachusetts, supported by Secrctary Hoover. to establish a division of, housing and construction in the bu-| reau of standards, Department of! Commerce. What the public, and especially the emp! The federal budget bill contains the | following section in regard ibureau of the budget. which many have construed as authorizing another zgency to do exactly what the joint congressional committee was specially organized to do: “The bureau, when directed by the President, shall make a detailed study of the departments and establishments for the purpose of enabling the Presi- of the public service) should be made lin (1) the existing organization, ac- tivities and methods of business of {such departments or establishments, (2) the appropriations therefore. (3) the assignment of particular activities to particular services, or ({) the re- | grouping of services. The results of such study shall be embodied in a report or réports to the President.) who may transmit to Congress such report or reports, or any part there- of, with his recommendations on the matters covered thereb: Now here is the answer as given by those who have been most earnest in framing and putting through the legis- lation for the joint congressional com- mittec on reorganization, and also the legislation establishing a federal budget system: Both the President, as general man- ager, and Congress. as board of direc- tors, have the responsibility of seeing that the government is properly and effi- ciently organized. Responsibility of President. The responsibility is primarily that of the President. It is his duty as gencral manager to take such action as is within his powers, and when he cannot act| Eimself—when legislation is required— to bring it to the attention of Congress as a board of directors. tit {istrative | eral investigation, the information that to the| should be done on which dent may act directly necessary to call to the the Presi- or may find 1t attention of Congress Now. when the President has done this he has met his responsibility, and would then be up to Congress to act on the suggestion of the Presi- dent—or if the President failed to do his full duty with respect to this mat- ter, then Congress on its own initia- | tive should act—just as in a corpora- tion, when the board of dircctors feel the president has neglected some- thing. the board of directors themselves take up the matter. Purpose of Special Committee. Ordinarily Congress would handle such questions through its regular commit- tee At the present time, however, there is a feeling that the entire admin- branch needs overhauling at rather than in piecemeal patchwork, such as the burcau of the budget would do from time to time. ki view of this special emergency it scem- «d highly proper that Congress by way of departure from the ordinary pro- cedure should appoint a special commii- tee, such as it has done, 1o go into the whole question Apart from the need for such a gen- one time, 4 Y pers| Will be developed by that inquiry wil O i e oio are Perlenable Congress o act more intel sonally affected by the Proposed "e"y gently upon the recommefldations that organization want to know ix how | H 0l RO e Preci. all these reform agencies and propo-| o sals dovetail together, and whether [“°C0 L e two first they will not be overlapping and du-| =0 FEC) b0 CoBe ot con plicating, just as it has been com-| ouds of doubt, viz, how the joint co 4 gy gressional committee and the budget bu- plained the federal agencies are over-j ' ‘(o) yiny tozether for furthering the lapping and duplicating various ac- h 5 s {desired reform. Now, with regard tc the third doubt, growing out of the Functions of Budget Bureau. authorization for a personal representa- tive of the President on the congres. sional committec. Closest Harmony Desired. It is highly desirable that the con- gressional committre should work in the closest harmony with the administration in the sense that full opportunity shoui¢ be given to the President and to all b officers to make known their opinions at to what changes are required. It may be that giving the President permission dent to dctermine what changes|/ . i (with a view of securing greater (. "l'(l;:-"m = man g rcnrese-:; hen e economy and efficiency in the conduct g £ COMILTIRG TN, £e0 X0’ arake the relations more intimzte and fa- cilitate the work of reorganization. It would seem to be illogical, however, for such representative to be a member of the committee. 1f the budget bill is enacted, as it probably will be at once, the logical man to represent the President before the joint congressional committee would be 1 the director of the budget, and as it is probable that the budget bill will be a law before the committee has done much work, there seems to be little reason for the appointment of the executive go-be- tween, according to those who have given budgetary legislation the closest study. As regards the various bill already in- troduced and others that have been forecast, those who have fathered the reorganization scheme are hopeful that any piccemeal legislation of this sort will be held up until it can be considered as part of the general scheme of re- organization, so that the proposed new divisions, burcaus, commissions or de- partments can be fitted properly into a closcly co-ordinated, economic and effi- cient federal organization. B Y e HASTEN LIQUOR DISPOSAL Prohibition Agents Told to Close Out Wholesale Concerns. It is, therefore, imperative that the| Federal prohibition directors have President, not only for the present|peen instructed by Commissioner emergency, but permanently, should | Kramer to hasten the disposal of the have an agency through which he could get_all the facts necessary to_enable Argentine Envoy Here Named as Medlator remggning stocks of liquor heid by wholesale liquor dealers and the clos- ing out of wholesale liquor concerns throughout the country. Wholesale liquor dealers who are declining to dispose of their stocks, he said, should be reported to the prohibition bureau tor action. Under an opinion by former Attor- DR. THOMAS A. LE BRETC Argentine ambassndor to the United | States, who has heen authorized to aecept the appointment of arbitrator! of financial claims now pending he- tween American eitizens and the gov- ropeans Mexico, rey General Palmer the prohibition zuthorities were allowed to limit the sale of liquor for medicinal purposes in wholesale quantities to wholesale druggists, but the wholesale liquor dealers were given “a reasonable time” Commissioner Kramer in ‘which to dispose of their remaining stocks. FIND ALIEN SMUGGLING. Immigration Officers Arrest 125 at Mexican Border. The Department of Labor has un- covered a system of smuggling Eu. into this country through it was announced. Slavs, paniards and Jews, numbering about 125, have been captured by immi- ! gration officers while trying to cross the border, it was said. They will be deported. Ships have brought 500 Europeans to Vera Cruz recent- 1y and some of them, it is believed, have succeded in getting across the border. Delzy in the granting of viscs abroad and the anxicty of aliens to gct into this country before proposecd restrictive laws go into efféct, of- ernment. of Pana ecording to a eable from Buenos Alres. ficials believe, arc the cayses of the | sudden increase in such smuggling. S