Faded Flower

An early flower in the dazzling alphabetical garden of New Deal agencies, bureaus, authorities and commissions, the National Emergency Council appeared in December of 1933. Composed of Cabinet members and the heads of important bureaus, N. E. C.'s job was to co-ordinate all other New Deal agencies, let the public know what they were up to. Headed by two of the President's most trusted aides, first by Frank C. Walker, then by Donald Richberg, it produced two impressive blossoms: a press intelligence service, to let Federal organizations know what U. S. newssheets were saying about them, and the United States Manual, to enable newsgatherers and others to find out what the hugely expanded roster of Government agencies were and who was in them.

Last week, about three weeks after Rexford Tugwell's Resettlement Administration was liquidated by the Department of Agriculture, the N. E. C., long recognized as no flower but a cumbersome New Deal weed, was uprooted by an executive order of Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Except for its Press Intelligence service, which may continue under another bureau, its personnel of 251 will cease functioning December 31.

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