REORGANIZATION OF FEDERAL AGENCIES 



of that reorganization would be a general overhauling of 

 the agencies themselves in order to slough off activities not 

 in accord with their primary function. 



Fundamentally, there can be no quarrel with a logical 

 administrative set-up ; indeed, it is to be advocated wherever 

 practical. But one cannot start at the bottom and build up 

 the federal administrative system; one must start with the 

 system that already exists and is in daily operation. Under 

 those conditions reorganization inevitably implies an interval 

 of disorganization, followed by one of readjustment, and 

 both periods are detrimental to administrative efficiency. 1 



The only reasonable ground for change is proof that the 

 present system has serious defects, that these can best be 

 remedied by a general reorganization and that the new set-up 

 will be less expensive or at least measurably more efficient. 

 The benefits accruing from a general reorganization may be 

 worth the price the government must pay but the one point 

 that should be kept in mind is that reorganization can only 

 be had at the price of temporary disorganization. There- 

 fore, it should only be undertaken when definite results can 

 be foreseen. 2 



Before coming to the various plans for reorganization it 

 might be well to consider the activities of the most impor- 

 tant of the federal bureaus, other than the Biological Survey 

 and the Bureau of Fisheries, which are engaged in wild-life 

 conservation. 



1 Indeed, the mere talking about reorganization has a bad effect on the 

 administrative personnel. When a bureau chief is uncertain who is going 

 to be his superior next week or next month, it is likely to color all his 

 actions. If reorganization is to be undertaken at all it should be carried 

 through as rapidly as possible. 



2 See remarks in the same sense by T. Gilbert Pearson, representative 

 of the National Association of Audubon Societies, Consolidation of Fed- 

 eral Conservation Activities, Hearings, Special Committee on Conservation 

 of Wild Life Resources, United States Senate, Jan. 12-13, 1933, p. 34. 



