54 



National Resources Corrvmittee 



mation are effected througli such conferences, and the 

 ground is often prepared for later, more formal co- 

 operation. 



It has been seriously suggested that the Govern- 

 ment might ver}' advantageously stimulate interagency 

 associations by helping to organize, in addition to the 

 cafeterias now provided in the various buildings, a 

 central club for employees of the Government where 

 members of different branches of the Government 

 might come in contact with one another. 



Examples of Effective Cooperation 



There are numerous examples of effective coopera- 

 tion. An extensive study of consumer practices was 

 conducted by the Works Progress Administration in 

 cooperation with the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the 

 Bureau of Home Economics, the Central Statistical 

 Board and the National Resources Committee. 



The following paragraph quoted from the state- 

 ment made by the National Park Service continues the 

 exemplification of the relation between the adminis- 

 trative and scientific activities of the Government 

 which is discussed in preceding paragraplis and at tlie 

 same time illustrates the advantages which are derived 

 from cooperation between Federal agents. 



Other Government agencies which help solve prob- 

 lems for the National Park Service: 



Public Health Service details two men to help with sanitary 

 problems. 



■Bureau of Plaut Industry details one man to help with plant 

 disease problems. 



Bureau of Entomology studies aud makes recommendations 

 on all forest insect matters. 



Bureau of Public Roads surveys and builds all major road 

 projects. 



Bureau of Fisheries operates fish hatcheries and furnishes 

 fish for planting. 



Geological Survey in the past studied and mapped many 

 park areas. Water Resources and Topographic Branches have 

 been most helpful. 



Forest Service on occasion has loaned grazing experts and 

 timber-survey experts for special projects. 



National Museum has detailed experts to help solve indi- 

 vidual archeological and museum problems. 



Bureau of Chemistry and Soils. 



Weather Bureau. 



The United States Tariff Commission makes the 

 following statement : 



Under section 33-1 of the tariff act, the Commission cooperates 

 with other Government departments, in both the giving and 

 receiving of information. Such cooperation has been with 

 the Departments of State, Agriculture, Commerce, and Labor, 

 the Treasury, etc. As explained above, the Tariff Commission 

 cooperates closely with these departments in connection with 

 the trade-agreements program (through the Executive Commit- 

 tee on Commercial Policy, tlie Trade Agreements Committee, 

 and the numerous country committees — all of which are inter- 

 departmental) and informally on numerous occasions in con- 

 nection with its daily work. 



Examples of Lack of Coordination 



On the other hand there are examples which show 

 that cooperation is not complete. The Bureau of For- 

 eign and Domestic Commerce and the Tariff Commis- 

 sion, both dealing with importation and exportation of 

 commodities, emi:)loy different methods of inquiry and 

 ajjpear to have different purposes in mind for their 

 researches. The traditions of the Bureau of Foreign 

 and Domestic Commerce have been largely promo- 

 tional, and it is only within the last 5 years that the 

 need for and value of basic economic research in both 

 foreign and domestic commerce has been recognized. 

 Of similarly recent origin is the cooperation at present 

 in effect with respect to trade agreement work and for- 

 eign trade statistics. 



A type of incoordination between Federal agencies 

 Avhich has been commented on of late is that which ap- 

 pears when the activity of some emergency agency 

 seems to invade the established area of operation of 

 one of the regular bureaus of the Government. 



The Office of Education and many of the educators 

 of the country were of the opinion that the efforts 

 made by the Government to discover the needs of 

 young people should have been channeled through the 

 Office of Education. The Office of Education was in 

 process of conducting a survey of young people out of 

 school when the relief agencies began to make inquiries 

 in this field for the purpose of adjusting the adminis- 

 trative activities of relief. 



It can be argued that relief measures in an emer- 

 gency should be assigned to a special agency in order 

 to leave the established bureaus of the Goveriunent 

 imdistracted from their regular duties. The estab- 

 lished bureaus, on the other hand, are unduly sensitive 

 with respect to their resources and prestige, and some- 

 times resent the assigmnent of funds for research and 

 administration to a temporary agency. 



Methods of Fostering Cooperation 



To one who observes a disagreement with respect to 

 policy such as that described it seems evident that in 

 many cases incoordination is a result of size and lack 

 of proper facilities for communication. The solution 

 of conflicts and the establishment of cooperative rela- 

 tions involve, however, in some cases personal relations 

 which it is extraordinarily difficult to adjust. The 

 method of meeting difficulties of this kind is not easy to 

 prescribe. It is to be hoped that some day research 

 agencies will be able to assume an attitude sufficiently 

 scientific to make cooperation rather than competition 

 universal. In the meantime, the general principle 

 pointed out by the President's Committee on Adminis- 

 trative Management seems to be worth keeping in 



