7 



PREFACE 



While employed in the United States Department of Agri- 

 culture during the years 1912-1917, the writer first became 

 interested in the growing importance of this relatively new 

 executive unit, and particularly in its purely administrative 

 or regulatory work, as distinct from its research and educa- 

 tional activities. The aim of this study, as the title and 

 table of contents indicate, is to describe, examine, and criti- 

 cise the conduct of this administrative work. It is believed 

 that such studies will be conducive to a better understand- 

 ing of the actual operations of our government — a subject 

 to which too little attention has been given. 



No attempt has been made to examine the constitutional 

 basis of the various statutes affecting the Department of 

 Agriculture. This is an interesting subject, but its con- 

 sideration lies outside the scope of the present study. 



Likewise no account has been taken of the important 

 " war legislation " committed to the Department of Agricul- 

 ture for administration during 1917 and 1918. While some 

 permanent changes in organization and function may result 

 from these extraordinar}' activities, it is probable that most 

 of the work thus undertaken will prove to be of a tempor- 

 ary character. 



Both in the inception of this study and in bringing it to 

 completion valuable assistance has been received from Pro- 

 fessor W. W. Willoughby, Dr. A. C. Millspaugh. and Presi- 

 dent Frank J. Goodnow. I am also greatly indebted to 

 many officials of the Department of Agriculture for in- 

 formation and assistance. 



W. L. W. 



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