THE NATIONAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
It has long been a matter of general belief among persons who have
had occasion to deal with the Government that the system as a
whole lacks coordination and general efficiency, and thereby fails
to render the quality of service which Americans have a right to
demand of their Government, and at the same time involves a great
waste of public money.
Successive Administrations have attempted to remedy this situa-
tion, so entirely opposed to the genius of our people. But the
archaic system still confronts us, its inefficiency brought into sharp
relief by the increase in the number and importance of the duties
which the government has been called upon to assume during the
past few years. This intolerable and un-American situation stands
out today as the greatest single obstacle to a mutually satisfactory
cooperation and understanding between government and business.
With our Government operating largely by means of machinery
installed in the days of our great-grandfathers, supplemented by a
number of assorted functions developed during recent years for a
variety of reasons, some sound and some unsound, but involving
in all cases almost complete lack of coordination with the old
machinery, it is not surprising that the modern business man and
the government officials, no matter how able the latter may be, find
it hard to meet on sympathetic terms.
It is evident that many public officials are underpaid. But it is
highly probable that the saving which can be effected through the
combination of similar services now separately and wastefully han-
dled, will save money ample to provide not only for needed salary
increases, but also for entirely new services which modern conditions
urgently demand, and still leave a handsome unexpended balance.
The Chamber most earnestly invites the attention of the Gov-
ernment to the great opportunity for service to our people as a whole
and particularly to American economic life at a period of eritical
importance to its stability, which is involved in a thorough depart-
mental reorganization at this time. It calls upon the Government
to fulfill without delay its pledge in this regard, and to proceed to a
reorganization and a coordination of services along lines consistent
with its declared policy of “More business in Government.” (Reso-
lution, Ninth Annual Meeting, 1921.)
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