Show FOR ECONOMY IN government for seven years I 1 have observed the departments and bureaus of the government at washington at close range having had official business with nearly all of them I 1 am simply appalled at the loafing indifference and inefficiency there are thousands upon thousands of unnecessary employees er n and endless duplication of alleged effort there is an inexcusable waste of much more than a half billion dollars a year so says congressman martin L davey democrat of ohio in a letter to the reaper in which he enclosed a copy of his bill giving to the president autocratic power for a period of two years to reorganize the extension departments of the government in a complete businesslike manner if what congressman davey says about loafing indifference and inefficiency is true if only half of it is true his bill ought to bo be supported most lear heartily tily ought to be enacted into law as quickly as possible and the president should be pre upon to make a rapid and thorough thoi ough job of it we a are e inclined to think that congressman daves observations are correct and we do not think that lie he in the above quoted paragraph of his letter to us e exaggerates any too much had it not been so appalling what mr davey observed we doubt that lie he as a democrat would try to confer upon a republican president such a far reaching power as is the davey bill proposes here are two more paragraphs bioni mr davens letter which we think are interesting according to the reports of the united cited states civil service commission there were civilian employees of the government on decem ber 31 1923 on june 30 1925 there were employees an increase of more than in a year and a half the tendency is to increase rather than to diminish the personnel and expenses of government the president said in his recent budget message to congress we have about reached the time when the legitimate business of government can not be carried on at a less expenditure than that which it now requires with regard to our legitimate business the operating costs have been reduced to nearly a minimum the normal ex mansion of the business of the government in keeping pace with a growing nation will involve added expenditures from year to year assuming that the president is correct his statement is the strongest argument that could be advanced for the passage of my bill or something very similar to it now as to the practical side the thing proposed in my bill ought to be done in all probability it is the only way that it ever will be done donea it is doubtful if real government reorganization will be accomplished by congressional action the question is will congress pass such a drastic measure congress will do it if public opinion demands it in a way that is vocal and persistent |