Book Reviews : The Role of the Congressman. By ROGER H. DAVIDSON. (New York : Pegasus, 1969. Pp. vii, 220. $6.95 cloth, $2.25 paper.)

Date01 December 1970
Published date01 December 1970
DOI10.1177/106591297002300420
AuthorJohn F. Manley
Subject MatterArticles
881
A
history
or
beginning
of
the
organization;
how
it
grew
and
developed;
its
present
structure
and
task;
its
relations
with
the
President,
Congress,
other
publics
and
governmental
agencies;
its
conflicts,
issues,
and
controversies;
and
the
future
of
the
agency
make
up
the
basic
format
of
all
the books.
There
have
been
numerous
books
written
on
the
Foreign
Service
Commission,
and
the
Smithsonian
Institution
which
are
as
readable
and
informative
as
those
presented
here.
Nevertheless,
Blancke’s
book
is
an
entertaining
and
authoritative
account
of
the
Foreign
Service
in
which
he
presents
its
complex
role
and
structure
and
the
inevitable
changes
that
may
come
when
the
new
generation
moves
into
positions
of
command.
The
work
on
the
Civil
Service
Commission
is
a
thorough,
well
researched
and
easy-reading
book
which
examines
all
aspects
of
the
agency.
The
study
of
the
Smithsonian
Institution
is
written
with
literary
flair
describing
the
growth,
development,
current
activities
and
problems
of
each
of
its
impressive
programs.
There
has
been
less
written
on
the
subjects
of
the
other
three
volumes,
the
National
Science
Foundation,
the
Bureau
of
Outdoor
Recreation,
and
the
Soil
Conservation
Service.
The
NSF
book
describes
the
development
and
accomplish-
ments
of
the
agency
as
well
as
the
NSF’s
activities
in
research,
science
education
and
science
information,
which
in
some
cases
is
written
with
an
overabundance
of
detail.
Although
&dquo;outdoor
recreation
in
some
form
or
other
is
as
old
as
the
human
race,&dquo;
it
has
only
been
recently
that
the
federal
government
has
recognized
its
existence
with
the
creation
of
such
a
bureau.
The
purpose
of
such
an
agency
is
to
act
as
a
coordinator
for
all
government
agencies
with
an
interest
in
outdoor
recrea-
tion.
It
is
books
like this
one
in
the
series
which
gives
the
reader
a
great
deal
of
information
about
a
little-known
agency
which
is
bound
to
have
a
strong
impact
on
the
preservation
and
the
use
of
public
lands
for
the
future.
Finally,
the
Soil
Conservation
Service
explores
the
nation’s
efforts
to
combat
soil
erosion
in
the
1930’s
to
its
present
position
of
promoting
a
complete
land
use
program
which
includes
the
nation’s
water
resources
as
well
as
its
soil.
These
books
are
part
of
some
twenty-four
titles
published
on
government
agencies
by
Praeger
with
the
purpose
of
providing
students
with
information
about
his
government;
for
students
seeking
career
information;
and
for
anyone
con-
cerned
with
public
administration
or
a
specific
government
program.
The
series
succeeds
in
its
purpose.
Eventually,
it is
hoped
(and
planned
by
the
publisher)
that
every
major
government
department
and
agency will
be
included
in
the
series.
Although
some
researchers
may
consider
the
study
of
organizations
as
dull
work,
it
is
important,
academically
and
pragmatically,
that
such
studies
be
made
in
order
that
the
internal
workings
of
government
agencies
be
known.
Lehigh
University
FRANK
T.
COLON
The
Role
of
the
Congressman.
By
ROGER
H.
DAVIDSON.
(New
York :
Pegasus,
1969.
Pp.
vii,
220.
$6.95
cloth,
$2.25
paper.)
The
Role
of
the
Congressman
takes
as
its
model
for
studying
the
U.S.
House
of
Representatives
the
1962
study
of
four
state
legislatures
by
John
C.
Wahlke,

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