The Place of the Department of Agriculture in the Reorganization of the Federal Government

• Author: Henry C. Wallace
• Date: 01 May 1924
• DOI: 10.1177/000271622411300124
• Published date: 01 May 1924
• Subject Matter: Articles

182
THE ANNALS OF THE AMERICAN ACADEMY
But, whatever their legal status may
It was the idea of some of the leaders
be, it must not be forgotten that the ion the Federal Convention, notably
states will probably continue to func-
Madison and Wilson, that those
tion as local governmental units and
subjects which are national in scope
that certain functions can be more
and character should be regulated by
satisfactorily performed by these units
the Federal Government and that
than by the central government. It is
others should come under the juris-
regrettable that more thought has not
dictions of the states. What interests
been given to the question of division of
are national in character, and what are
labor between the central government
local? Apparently the railroads in-
and the states. Both the National
herently lend themselves to national
Government and the states are becom-
control, and regulations affecting per-
ing overcrowded. Neither can afford
sonal conduct seem to arouse less
to duplicate the work of the other. If
opposition when attempted by the
a working agreement is to be reached
states and localities.
The problem
between the Federal Government and
for the legislator as well as for the
the states, serious attempts should be
student of government is to try to
made to delineate more clearly what
delineate what functionally belongs to
subjects inherently lend themselves
federal control and what can be more
respectively to national and to local
satisfactorily regulated by the states.
control. This is a problem to en-
It is folly to impose functions on the
gage the attention of political scien-
one which can be more satisfactorily
tists.
performed by the other.
The Place of the Department of Agriculture in the
Reorganization of the Federal Government
By HENRY C. WALLACE
Secretary of Agriculture of the United States
THOSE who have considered the velopment of the nation, its location or
subject of governmental reorgani-
natural resources.
zation will in the main agree that gov-
The encouragement of the produc-
ernment departments should be organ-
tion and efficient marketing of food and
ized around the different functions that
organic raw materials is another func-
are necessary to the maintenance of the
tion of government that is becoming
complete national organization. Some
more important with the progress of
of these functions, such, for example,
the years. In young and growing na-
as diplomatic relations, fiscal affairs,
tions with small populations and an
and national defense, are so clear and
excess of food production this function
outstanding that they have almost uni-
may not be as important as some
versally been recognized in the crea-
others, but in the older and more
tion of departmental units in govern-
thickly populated nations one of the
ment organizations. The clearness
major problems is to provide sufficient
with which other functions are appar-
food and raw materials to maintain an
ent may depend upon the stage of de-
ever-increasing population and a de-

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PLACE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
183
veloping industry, and here the func-
function and have organized their de-
tion is recognized to be important and
partments accordingly. This depart-
adequate provision is made for its de-
ment in England was called the De-
velopment.
partment of Agriculture, Forestry and
Fisheries until recently. Then the for-
POPULATION OUTDISTANCING
estry problem, becoming even more
FOOD PRODUCTION
acute, was set off as a separate division
The United States is in a tran-
under a commission for its more rapid
sition period. After three centuries of
development. The 1923 Yearbook gives
continuous excess food production we
Dr. Mueller as Minister of Food and
have reached a situation in which the
Agriculture in Germany. The 1920
increase in population is steadily out-
Yearbook shows that Agriculture in-
distancing the increase in food produc-
cluded Forestry and the Public Do-
tion. If the ratio is allowed to con-
main, and the last publication on fish-
tinue we will join England, Germany,
eries from that Government bears the
and France in the category of food-
heading of the Department of Agricul-
importing nations. Our cotton pro-
ture, indicating that the entire prob-
duction has been decreasing. Our corn
lem of the handling of...