viii FOREWORD 



no time has the attempt been made to study all of these activ- 

 ities and agencies with a view to the assignment of each activ- 

 ity to the agency best fitted for its performance, to the avoid- 

 ance of duplication of plant and work, to the integration of all 

 administrative agencies of the government, so far as may be 

 practicable, into a unified organization for the most effective 

 and economical dispatch of public business." 



To lay the basis for such a comprehensive study of the or- 

 ganization and operations of the national government as Pres- 

 ident Taft outlined, the Institute for Government Research 

 has undertaken the preparation of a series of monographs, of 

 which the present study is one, giving a detailed description of 

 each of the fifty or more distinct services of the government. 

 These studies are being vigorously prosecuted, and it is hoped 

 that all services of the government will be covered in a com- 

 paratively brief space of time. Thereafter, revisions of the 

 monographs will be made from time to time as need arises, to 

 the end that they may, as far as practicable, represent current 

 conditions. 



These monographs are all prepared according to a uniform 

 plan. They give: first, the history of the establishment and 

 development of the service; second, its functions, described 

 not in general terms, but by detailing its specific activities; 

 third, its organization for the handling of these activities; 

 fourth, the character of its plant; fifth, a compilation of, or 

 reference to, the laws and regulations governing its operaitions ; 

 sixth, financial statements showing its appropriations, expen- 

 ditures and other data for a period of years ; and finally, a full 

 bibliography of the sources of information, official and private, 

 bearing on the service and its operaitions. 



In the preparation of these monographs the Institute has 

 kept steadily in mind the aim to produce dociunents that will 

 be of direct value and assistance in the administration of public 

 affairs. To executive officials they offer valuable tools of ad- 

 ministration. Through them, such officers can, with a min- 

 imum of effort, inform themselves regarding the details, not 

 only of their own services, but of others with whose facilities, 

 activities, and methods it is desirable that they should be fa- 

 miliar. Under present conditions services frequently engage 

 in activities in ignorance of the fact that the work projected 

 has already been dorej, or is in process of execution by other 

 services. Many cases exist where one service could make ef- 

 fective use of the organization, plant or results of other serv- 



