PUBLICATIONS OF THE INSTITUTE FOR GOVERNMENT RESEARCH SERVICE MONOGRAPHS OF THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT. The Geological Survey. 174 pp. $1. The Alaskan Engineering Commission. 134 pp. $1. The Federal Board for Vocational Education. 86 pp. $1. The Federal Trade Commission. 92 pp. $1. The Steamboat-Inspection Service. 142 pp. $1. The Public Health Service. 312 pp. $2. The National Park Service. 184 pp. $1. The Employees' Compensation Commission. 98 pp. The General Land Office. 236 pp. $1.50. The Bureau of Navigation. 136 pp. $1. The Coast and Geodetic Survey. 120 pp. $1. The Federal Power Commission. 138 pp. $1. The Interstate Commerce Commission. 182 pp. $1. The Division of Conciliation. 48 pp. $1. The Women's Bureau. 44 pp. $1. The Office of the Supervising Architect. 150 pp. $1. The Bureau of Internal Revenue. 283 pp. $1.50. The Bureau of Public Roads. 134 PP. $1. The Office of the Chief of Engineers. 178 pp. $1. The United States Employment Service. 142 pp. $1. The Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce. 192 pp. $1. The Bureau of Immigration. (In Press.) The Patent Office. 139 pp. $1. The Office of Experiment Stations. The Customs Service. (In Press.) Of all undertakings, none in the U in the world, approach in magnitude, that of the national government of th dent Taft expressed it in his message 1912, in referring to the inquiry bei into the efficiency and economy of public business, the activities of the almost as varied as those of the entire tions of the government affect the in within the jurisdiction of the Unite embraces stations and centers of wo in many local subdivisions of the cour amount to billions annually. Includin tary and naval establishments, more are required to do the work impose tive branch of the government. "This vast organization has never piece of administrative mechanism. been laid for a thorough consideration parts. No comprehensive effort has b ous activities or to group them in such picture of what the government is d description been given of the agencies ties are performed. At no time has the attempt been made to study all of these activities and agencies with a view to the assignment of each activity to the agency best fitted for its performance, to the avoidance of duplication of plant and work, to the integration of all administrative agencies of the government, so far as may be practicable, into a unified organization for the most effective and economical dispatch of public business." To lay the basis for such a comprehensive study of the organization and operations of the national government as President Taft outlined, the Institute for Government Research has undertaken the preparation of a series of monographs, of which the present study is one, giving a detailed description of each of the fifty or more distinct services of the government. These studies are being vigorously prosecuted, and it is hoped that all services of the government will be covered in a comparatively brief space of time. Thereafter, revisions of the monographs will be made from time to time as need arises, to the end that they may, as far as practicable, represent current conditions. These monographs are all prepared according to a uniform plan. They give: first, the history of the establishment and development of the service; second, its functions, described not in general terms, but by detailing its specific activities; third, its organization for the handling of these activities; fourth, the character of its plant; fifth, a compilation of, or reference to, the laws and regulations governing its operations; sixth, financial statements showing its appropriations, expenditures and other data for a period of years; and finally, a full bibliography of the sources of information, official and private, bearing on the service and its operations. In the preparation of these monographs the Institute has kept steadily in mind the aim to produce documents that will be of direct value and assistance in the administration of public affairs. To executive officials they offer valuable tools of administration. Through them, such officers can, with a minimum of effort, inform themselves regarding the details, not only of their own services, but of others with whose facilities, activities, and methods it is desirable that they should be familiar. Under present conditions services frequently engage in activities in ignorance of the fact that the work projected has already been done, or is in process of execution by other services. Many cases exist where one service could of the organization and operations of be had if an enlightened public opini upon the conduct of governmental affa These studies are wholly descriptiv is made in them to subject the cond nor to indicate features in respect to advantage be made. Upon administra sibility for making or proposing chan improvement of methods of administ outside agencies should be to empha facilitate its fulfillment. While the monographs thus make for improvement, they cannot fail gr that direction. Prepared as they are and setting forth as they do the activit sonnel and laws governing the several they will automatically, as it were, re to which work in the same field is b services, and thus furnish the inform consideration of the great question of coördination of activities among the lishments, and bureaus, and the elimina organization and work. Through the |