EXECUTIVE ORGANIZATION 207 



discharged a majority of its employees, and put 

 in raw talent? In ordinary manufacturing or 

 commercial business those at the head are selected 

 from those who have spent years in working up 

 from the bottom of the ladder. The head positions 

 are rightly regarded as the important ones. In 

 American govermuents it is the custom to appoint 

 men to the responsible positions who have never 

 had any experience in the government. For a 

 time even the subordinates who are retained are 

 demoralized, and work is paralyzed. Before those 

 in the higher positions have really learned their 

 work they give place to others, and the process 

 of adjustment begins again. "With such a system 

 eflficiency is a practical impossibility.^ 



166. Executive Boards. Another serious draw- 

 back to efficiency is found in the existence of ex- 

 ecutive boards. Absolutely nothing can be said 

 in defense of the idea. Executives have no legis- 

 lative authority. It is the business of executives 

 to act, and to administer the laws as found. A 

 board is very different from an executive council, 

 in which the chief calls his subordinates together 

 for an interchange of ideas, and to hamionize the 

 work in different portions of the department. Such 

 councils are often necessary for purpose of efficient 

 orientation as to conditions. A board is composed 

 of members equal in authority and responsibility. 

 It is true that for parliamentary practice they may 

 elect a chairman or president, and a secretaiy to 

 whom may be intrusted special duties and respon- 

 sibilities; and they may have an executive, who 



1 See Public Health, Chap- 

 tor IV. 



