CIVIL SERVICE

Approximately four-fifths of all the employees in the executive civil service now occupy positions subject to competitive examination under the civil service law.

There are, however, still commanding opportunities for extending the system.  These opportunities lie within the province of Congress and not the President.  I recommend that a further step be taken by authorization that appointments of third-class postmasters be made under the civil service law.

DEPARTMENTAL REORGANIZATION

This subject has been under consideration for over 20 years.  It was promised by both political parties in the recent campaign.  It has been repeatedly examined by committees and commissions—­congressional, executive, and voluntary.  The conclusions of these investigations have been unanimous that reorganization is a necessity of sound administration; of economy; of more effective governmental policies and of relief to the citizen from unnecessary harassment in his relations with a multitude of scattered governmental agencies.  But the presentation of any specific plan at once enlivens opposition from every official whose authority may be curtailed or who fears his position is imperiled by such a result; of bureaus and departments which wish to maintain their authority and activities; of citizens and their organizations who are selfishly interested, or who are inspired by fear that their favorite bureau may, in a new setting, be less subject to their influence or more subject to some other influence.

It seems to me that the essential principles of reorganization are two in number.  First, all administrative activities of the same major purpose should be placed in groups under single-headed responsibility; second, all executive and administrative functions should be separated from boards and commissions and placed under individual responsibility, while quasi-legislative and quasi-judicial and broadly advisory functions should be removed from individual authority and assigned to boards and commissions.  Indeed, these are the fundamental principles upon which our Government was founded, and they are the principles which have been adhered to in the whole development of our business structure, and they are the distillation of the common sense of generations.

For instance, the conservation of national resources is spread among eight agencies in five departments.  They suffer from conflict and overlap.  There is no proper development and adherence to broad national policies and no central point where the searchlight of public opinion may concentrate itself.  These functions should be grouped under the direction of some such official as an assistant secretary of conservation.  The particular department or cabinet officer under which such a group should be placed is of secondary importance to the need of concentration.  The same may be said of educational services, of merchant marine aids, of public works, of public health, of veterans’ services, and many others, the component parts of which are widely scattered in the various departments and independent agencies.  It is desirable that we first have experience with these different groups in action before we create new departments.  These may be necessary later on.