HOOVER VACUUM CLEANER

Close on the heels of the announcement of Speaker Garner favoring consolidation of the departments of Army and Navy into one department of Defence comes the special message of President Hoover, fulfilling his promise of three years' standing to undertake the matter of bureaucratic reorganization. After a sketchy description of the inefficient duplications, overlappings, and lack of responsibility under present conditions, Mr. Hoover launches into his proposed reforms. His main theme involves the grouping of various activities under their major purposes, and the establishment of more direct responsibility between bureau and public. He favors the clean cut separation of power between executive and quasi-judicial bodies. But it is his last suggestion that bears the true significance of the whole message. Here Mr. Hoover proposes that the power of reorganization be placed with "proper safeguards" in the hands of the president. Congress under this clause would have only a ratifying power.

The nightmare of bureaucratic reorganization has long haunted the White House. Year after year has seen new bureaus formed and inserted with little deliberate consideration in to handy departments. The result is chaotic irresponsibility reduplication, useless expense and inefficiency. Reformers and students have long demanded changes, but courageous in deed would be the president first to buck the ire and political weight of the government bureaucracy. Opponents of Mr. Hoover will search with considerable success for points of attack in this message. They will delight in its incompleteness and lack of forcefulness. But nothing will suit their purpose better than his final proposal, which is almost sure to be excelled by Congress.

If must be admitted, however, that Mr. Hoover's proposal is the only possibility. The tangle will require long study and forceful action. It is clearly the office of an executive. Taking everything into consideration, Mr. Hoover may well congratulate himself for his tactical manoeuvre in a most embarrassing situation. Even if his proposal is voted down, as it is almost sure to be, he will have little reason to regret his step. Mr. Garner will be forced to retreat with his abortive gesture; officeholders will continue to trail the Hoover band-wagon; a watchful public will be satisfied.