On March 15, 1937, the United States Civil Service Commission, in a forward-looking attempt to keep pace with the increasing demand for trained social scientists in the federal service, announced an examination for “social science analysts”—six grades in all—as follows

Since over 80 new ministers have entered French cabinets subsequent to the period covered in a previous article in this REVIEW, the figures supplied therein may well be brought down more closely to date. During the 805 months between February 19, 1871, and March 13, 1938, 434 persons, under-secretaries excluded, have formed the 106 separately appointed or reappointed councils of ministers. The question as to how many different cabinets France has had under the Third Republic may be left to metaphysicians. Almost every newly-appointed Conseil contains a large percentage of those who served in its predecessor. Cabinets which resign upon the election of a new president of the Republic are frequently reappointed in toto. Some cabinets have served for only a few days.

Out of the period at the beginning of this century in which revolt and revision of the lines of established political control produced the Progressive movement, the initiative was developed as a means for amending state constitutions. It may not be said with accuracy, however, that the initiative was a product solely of the Progressive movement. Men such as Dr. John R. Haynes of California and W. S. U’Ren of Oregon were urging the initiative in their respective states before the Progressive movement crystallized. Nevertheless, the initiative was a tool much to the Progressives’ liking, and most of the states that adopted it as a method of amending their constitution did so during the time in which the Progressives were at the height of their effectiveness as a party group.

As in previous lists, mention is here confined generally to units specifically authorized by law or established by the President by executive order or Reorganization Plans under general authority vested in him. Changes in units created by heads of departments or independent establishments are excluded unless of major importance.

Administrative Office of the United States Courts. Created by Public No. 299, 76th Congress, approved August 7,1939, effective 90 days thereafter. This office has charge of all administrative matters relating to the offices of clerks and administrative personnel of the courts, the disbursement of appropriations, and the preparation of budget estimates; this work having been formerly in the Department of Justice.

Resort to armed force as an instrument of national policy, though often outlawed and denounced by common consent, seems as inevitable today as ever before. When the Covenant of the League of Nations was adopted, it was agreed “that the manufacture by private enterprise of munitions and implements of war is open to grave objections” (Art. 8, Sec. 5). Shortly after, on September 10, 1919, 28 nations assembled at St. Germain-en-Laye and Paris to sign a Convention for the Control of the Trade in Arms and Ammunition. This was followed by a conference to consider the draft of a new convention which was called by the League and met in Geneva on May 4, 1924. The adoption of the Arms Traffic Convention the following year was hailed everywhere as a signal victory.

Proportional representation was regarded favorably for use in New York City elections at least 40 years before it was finally adopted. The legislative commission which drafted the so-called first charter for the city of Greater New York in 1896 expressed regret that “under the constitution of the state as it now stands, it has appeared to be impossible to provide for minority or proportional representation in the charter of Greater New York without making a vital part of the charter depend upon a provision of uncertain constitutionality.”

As in previous lists, mention is here confined generally to units specifically authorized by law or established by the President by executive order under general authority vested in him. Changes in units created by heads of departments or independent establishments are excluded unless of major importance.

This article is not intended as a criticism of the objectives of proportional representation. The election of the New York City council in 1937 and the seven Cincinnati council elections under the Hare system of proportional representation have undoubtedly resulted in the improvement of the caliber of the legislative bodies in those cities. The aim of this article is to suggest certain rules which may secure some of the advantages of the Hare system without a long and costly count.

It is no mere coincidence that greater reliance on government for social stewardship in a decade of economic stress has been accompanied by a reconsideration of public personnel problems. Foremost in the new orientation of thought is a deeper appreciation of administrative leadership within the civil service. As a result, considerable emphasis is being placed upon the demand for “upward extension” of the merit principle. In reality, the term “extension” appears to be a misnomer. If the leading staff positions in the administrative hierarchy are to be filled on a basis of competency and permanency, far-reaching questions of recruitment, promotion, and general grouping present themselves which can be answered only in relation to a revised conception of the entire service.

The original veto power in Illinois was vested in a council of revision, consisting of the governor and the justices of the supreme court, whose function was limited to a preview of legislative acts for the purpose of making recommendations in regard to their constitutionality. Practical difficulties hampered the effective operation of this council, especially the inability of justices to perform adequately their two sets of diverse duties. The constitutional convention of 1848 found it expedient, therefore, to reform the constitutional mandate of veto by concentrating the function in the governor.

The preliminary report of the select committee of the United States Senate appointed to investigate the executive agencies of the government with a view to coordination, under authority of Senate Resolution 217, 74th Congress, passed February 24, 1936, was presented to the Senate by Senator Harry F. Byrd, chairman, on August 16, 1937. Except for a brief introduction by Senator Byrd, in which he states that his committee has reached no final conclusions and that it expects to continue its investigations, the document is given over entirely to the report prepared for the committee by the Brookings Institution. Dr. Moulton, president of the Institution, explains in a letter of transmittal the contractual arrangements under which the report was prepared and lists the staff members, regular and special, who participated in its preparation.

As in previous lists, mention is here confined generally to units specifically authorized by law or established by the President by executive order or Reorganization Plans under general authority vested in him. Changes in units created by heads of departments or independent establishments are excluded unless of major importance.

In the historic chamber of the Montecitorio on March 23, 1939, the Fascist régime unveiled its latest legislative model, the third in a series. The royal session of the Senate and the new Fascist and Corporative Chamber (Camera dei Fasci e delle Corporazioni [C. F. C.]) opened the thirtieth legislature just twenty years after the founding of the fascio of Milan.

Until recently, despite repeated intimations from official sources that a definitive Reichsreform was in preparation, little has actually been accomplished in the direction of reorganizing administrative areas in Germany. A few consolidations of territory have been effected, a Greater Hamburg created, and the Prussian provinces4 and districts (Bezirke) made units of intermediate national administration. But thus far the traditional forces of German separatism and the opposition of powerful local party bosses have prevented the redistricting of Germany along more rational economic and geographic lines.

Developments in rural local government during 1938, although including occasional innovations, consisted chiefly in the continuation and extension of trends previously discernible. Although most state legislatures were not in session, several of those which met gave an unusual amount of attention to problems of local government. Especially in evidence were efforts to place local finances upon a sound basis, but there were also noteworthy measures designed to adjust local areas to present needs and to revitalize the internal machinery of local government. In reviewing the events of the year, a topical arrangement similar to that used in previous summaries will be followed.

A special committee on research materials has been set up by the Committee on Public Administration of the Social Science Research Council. As the title indicates, this Committee is sponsoring a program for the “collection of data limited in time and place, including the statement of relevant facts involved in an administrative problem, the decision taken with reference thereto, and results arising therefrom.” This program is worthy of the backing and coöperation of all political scientists interested in the field of public administration, and having faith in the possibility of developing a science of public administration.

In the light of the recent enactment of the Emergency Powers (Defense) Bill into law, the question of how Great Britain has dealt with national crises in the past is both timely and significant. The crises which will be touched upon here are (1) the World War, 1914–18; (2) the coal strikes of 1921; (3) the general strike of 1926; and (4) the new war of 1939. All of these situations led Parliament to give virtually unlimited powers to the crown for purposes of defense of the realm.

The British colonial services include the government appointments in the tropical African colonies, British Malaya, Hong Kong, Ceylon, the islands in the Western Pacific, and occasional vacancies in Cyprus and Palestine. The services fall into two groups, the Administrative and the Specialized or Technical Services such as police, education, medical, engineering, agriculture, forestry, and irrigation. The Administrative Service includes virtually all appointments concerned with the formation or supervision of policy from the probationer at about $2,000 to the colonial secretary whose salary varies between $7,000 and $13,650 according to the importance of the colony.