there were no means provided for knowing the heating, lighting, cleaning, or other costs as subdivisions of operation. The head of the office was presumably interested in construction; the primary responsibility of the department was for the care and custody of funds; the result was that no attention was given to the development of the information essential to the central direction and control over operative services. And it may be said that the condition found in this office is typical of the condition found in many of the operative services. The report covers only a partial inquiry into lighting efficiency.

The report submitted relative to the recovery of fiber stock of canceled paper money proposes that the method of macerating this stock which has been in use for about 40 years be discontinued and that more modern methods be adopted. Under modern methods of treating this paper stock it is deinked and defibered with but a small loss of pulp, and such stock when recovered can be used in the manufacture of new money paper, at a saving, as compared with the present method of macerating and sale, of about $100,000 per annum.

While during the time and with the staff available it has not been. possible to make final detailed reports on more than a few of the hundreds of offices at Washington, and in only one office outside of Washington has work of this character been undertaken, the reports which are submitted will serve to illustrate the character of results which may follow an extensive investigation of office technique and procedure. It is further to be noted that the offices which have been reported on are those which have been frequently under scrutiny. From what is known of the offices outside of Washington it is thought that it is in this field that the largest opportunities for economy will be found partly due to the fact that these offices have not been brought under scrutiny, and partly due to the fact that a large number of them are dominated by political appointees.

As illustrating the relative importance of services outside of Washington, it is of interest to note that the cost of clerk hire at the New York post office alone is more than that incurred in the Departments of War, Navy, State, Justice, and Commerce and Labor at Washington; that in the customhouse at New York the cost of clerk hire is greater than in any one department at Washington.

In my opinion the technique and procedure of every branch and office of the Government should be submitted to the same painstaking examination as has been given to those on which reports have been made. To do this, however, ample funds must be provided. As stated in previous messages to Congress on the subject, there is no greater service that can be rendered to the country than that of the continuance of the work of the commission until some form of or ganization is provided for continuously doing this kind of work

under the Executive. I have asked, therefore, that $250,000 be provided for the continuation of the investigation which has been so well begun, and that these funds be made available March 4. In my opinion this is not a matter in which the Congress should assume that public money will be unwisely spent. At a total cost of about $230,000 during the 21 months covered by the work of the commission, facts have been developed and recommendations have been made that, if followed up, will result in savings of millions of dollars each year. This has been done under the handicap of inadequate funds and uncertainty of continuation, which interfered with the making of plans which could not be completely executed within a few months. It would be very much to the advantage of the administration if the President were authorized to spend whatever amount he may deem to be necessary within the next two years, the only condition attached being that he render an account of expenditures. WM. H. TAFT.

THE WHITE HOUSE, January 8, 1913.

BRIEF MEMORANDUM DESCRIPTIVE OF THE WORK OF THE COM

MISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY, WITH PARTICULAR REFERENCE TO THE REPORTS SENT TO CONGRESS WITH THE SPECIAL MESSAGE OF THE PRESIDENT OF JANUARY 8, 1913.

72442-13-2

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BRIEF MEMORANDUM DESCRIPTIVE OF THE WORK OF THE COMMISSION ON ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY, WITH PARTICULAR REFERENCE TO THE REPORTS SENT TO CONGRESS WITH THE SPECIAL MESSAGE OF THE PRESIDENT OF JANUARY 8, 1913.

The annual report of the Commission on Economy and Efficiency contains a description of 110 subjects of work and report, the results of 21 months of work since its organization. Of these, 15 have been heretofore submitted as reports to Congress, 68 have been submitted as reports to the President or to heads of departments, and 27 are still in progress. The message of to-day transmits 11 other reports to Congress, making 26 all told which have been made available for publication.

WHAT HAS BEEN DONE WITH THE 83 REPORTS SUBMITTED BY THE COMMISSION.

Of the 15 reports heretofore sent to Congress, 9 contain recommendations for organic legislation and 6 call for Executive action alone or are made available in this form for the information of both legislative and executive officers.

Of the 68 reports which have been submitted by the commission to the President and to heads of departments, and heretofore not sent to Congress, 4 contain recommendations for changes in organic law, 36 call for Executive action alone (or for Executive action supplemented by legislation which is not substantive in character); 28 were for the information of officers. In addition to the reports above described, 56 others have been rendered in response to requests for opinions of the commission relative to the technical aspects of constructive work in progress.

With respect to the 9 reports which have heretofore been sent to Congress recommending legislation, action has been taken on one, viz, the recommendation for the centralization of the distribution of publications. With respect to the 36 reports containing recommendations for Executive action alone (or for Executive action supplemented by legislation which is not substantive), Executive orders have been issued on 31 and 5 are still under consideration. With respect to the reports containing opinions on technical aspects of constructive work in progress, positive action has followed on all of them, except 7 which are still under consideration.