Book Reviews : The American System of Government. By JOHN H. FERGUSON and DEAN E. McHENRY. (New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company. 1950. Pp. xii, 1042. $5.00.)

• Author: Victor F. Hoffman
• Published date: 01 December 1950
• Date: 01 December 1950
• DOI: 10.1177/106591295000300423
• Subject Matter: Articles

642
orders issued by the President, the correspondence carried on by the
secretary of state in connection with the ratification of constitutional
amendments, the forms used by the Bureau of the Budget in the formula-
tion of the President’s budget message and other documents. With this
idea in mind, the authors have assembled some 150 items for their collec-
tion of illustrative materials, and they have shown good judgment in
their selection as well as in the arrangement of materials. In general, the
topics considered are those found in the standard textbooks in the field.
There are, for example, materials dealing with the amending process, the
admission of new states, the rendition of criminals, state compacts, the
nomination and election of officers, and the legislative process, as well as
most of the other matters ordinarily dealt with in the American govern-
ment course. Although emphasis is placed upon the day-to-day operation
of government, there are a number of charts and graphs which should be
very helpful in explaining the structure of government and the interrela-
tionship of its various branches.
Some of the later chapters, particularly those dealing with administra-
tive organization and management, the national civil service, and public
finance, are especially interesting. Charts illustrating the need for executive
reorganization and the recommendations of the Hoover Commission are
well done. There are charts showing federal pay scales in the various
classifications, the apportionment of federal employment among the states
and territories, and the growth of federal expenditures and the public debt.
There are chapters dealing with the relationship of government to business,
labor, agriculture, and social welfare. The last two chapters are concerned
with state and local government.
Every student should find this book interesting and valuable as a
means of increasing his perception of government and the way it actually
operates.
,
NORMAN L. STAMPS.
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