"law making without legislation"; at any time a law can be passed changing such regulations but until special necessity arises, it seems a wise economy to allow those who know most about their problems to make their own rules.

(c) The President as Party Leader. The party platform and the President's letter of acceptance of the nomination center attention upon laws favored by public opinion. The President is leader of all the people, responsible for seeing that their will is carried out in law making. He is able to exert great influence upon legislation because of this fact. The public knows what laws the President favors, and exactly which members of Congress support or oppose his will. Under these circumstances, it is not easy for members of either house to oppose the President when he recommends passage of a measure supported by public opinion. And though no President barters appointments for the votes of senators and representatives, the fact that the party leader who can make political appointments favors a bill, insures it careful attention. No politician prefers to oppose his chief.

The President's Cabinet. Some of those who framed our Constitution believed that the Senate might act as a small advisory body for the President. Had this come to pass we should have had something like the cabinet government of England, in which members take an active part in Parliament; though it has been discussed repeatedly, Congress has never given cabinet officers the right to speak in either house. Cabinet members are responsible alone to the President who appoints them; Congress cannot make them resign nor, except by impeachment, call them in question. The President is held accountable for their work.

In appointing his cabinet the President considers personal fitness, party service in the past and probable effect upon party

strength in the future. Some of his "official family" must be capable business men and all must be experienced in dealing with the public if the administration is to be in the greatest possible degree successful. So important are cabinet officers that many are inclined to base their support of a presidential candidate upon his probable cabinet appointments.

The cabinet has weekly meetings at which important matters are considered but no record is kept other than a brief statement for the newspapers. Usually questions arising in relation to the Department of State are considered first, followed by others in the order the departments are listed in the pages which follow; this program is varied so that most important problems may receive attention whenever they arise.

Executive Departments. In addition to being one of the President's advisers, each cabinet member is head of a great administrative department-some of them employing thousands of persons. Most of the duties of the President are transacted through these departments; they enforce laws passed by Congress; in brief they carry on the work of the federal government. Each department includes several bureaus in charge of commissioners, or divisions headed by directors. Only the most important duties of each department can be noted here.

1. Department of State. This department has charge of our foreign relations. We send ambassadors to leading countries like England and Italy; to small nations we send ministers. In all important commercial cities, we have consuls who protect business interests of Americans abroad and look for opportunities to expand our commerce. Passports are issued by the State Department, for the purpose of guaranteeing the American traveler his rights in foreign countries to which he may journey. The State Department has charge of

the great seal of the United States, preserves copies of all laws and publishes these in accordance with law.

2. Treasury Department. The Treasury Department collects all tariff duties on imported goods, all internal revenue upon such articles as tobacco, and all income taxes. In collecting duties swift boats called revenue cutters are used to prevent smuggling goods into the country without payment of duty. In connection with this work the life saving service of the government is maintained on all our coasts.

With all our sources of income, war made it necessary to borrow billions of dollars by issuing bonds and thrift stamps which are government promises to pay with interest. The Treasury Department has charge of issuing these. Though they do not pay a high rate of interest, they are the safest investment in the world. All our money and stamps are made under supervision of the Treasury Department. American paper money is made with great care; it is convenient, durable and very hard to counterfeit. Our coins are made at the mints located at Philadelphia, Denver, and San Francisco. The Treasury Department also directs National Banks, Farm Loan Banks, and the Federal Reserve Bank. Examiners are sent to all of these to make sure they are safely operated. The Bureau of War Risk which looks after Soldiers' Life Insurance is part of the Treasury Department.

3. The War Department. This department cares for the details of our military forces. In time of peace, the United States has a very small army, but in war this department expands. The United States has always practiced preparedness to the extent of having well trained officers ready for a much larger army than that of "peace footing." These leaders are trained at West Point Military Academy, and in various train ing camps, all directed by the War Department.

4. Department of Justice. This division of the executive branch of the government is headed by the Attorney-General. The Department of Justice directs the work of United States district attorneys and gives legal advice to the President and heads of departments, since it is better to know beforehand the full meaning of law than to depend upon the courts. The Department of Justice renders "opinions," in a sense deciding cases before they actually arise. Such opinions may be overruled by a decision of the court.

5. Post Office Department. The Postmaster-General who is usually an able business man has charge of the department of federal government with which we are in most constant contact. Our government has always encouraged the circulation of papers and magazines and the writing of letters. This policy has greatly aided communication and the spread of intelligence. If you visit a post office and make a list of its activities it may be surprising to note how much this department is doing for all of us. Stamps, post cards, newspaper wrappers, registry, money, parcel post, rural free delivery, aerial mail service, are some of the names which indicate what our people do for themselves through the post office. Careful wrapping of packages and plainly written addresses represent ways in which boys and girls can help this branch of the gov

ernment.

6. Navy Department. Unlike the army which is very small, our navy is very powerful. The Secretary of the Navy is in charge of this great force and of the Naval Academy at Annapolis where our naval officers are trained.

7. Department of the Interior. Conservation of our resources is the principal business of this department. To preserve our few remaining forests, Forest Reserves have been set aside since 1891; irrigation and reclamation projects