164 State Papers and Addresses

tions affecting the respective departments, duplication of effort will be avoided
by waiting for the Council to determine its program before deciding on ques-
tions of policy in these respects on the part of the Executive branch of the
government.

But in addition to the ever-present justification for invoking every economy
measure several other topics immediately present themselves for consideration.
Discussions might be had as to the possibility of interchange or reports of
activities of different departments handling similar matters, with a view to
preventing over-lapping. Also, suggestions as to how the activities of the
several subdivisions of the State may be coordinated in order to produce the
best results.

Because of the fact that a decidely large portion of the State budget is
made up of salaries of employees, it stands to reason that anything which
makes for better service by the employees of the State will be advantageous
to the functioning of the State Government as a whole. Accordingly, it will
be in order for this Advisory Council to consider the question of standardiza-
tion of salaries in connection with which question a Board is now engaged in
formulating revised scales of proposed salaries. It is generally agreed that
disparities and inequalities exist in salaries paid by the State to different
persons performing substantially the same kind of service. Again, the question
of uniformity of hours and of working days also might be considered by this
Council.

It is clear that because some of the State institutions, such as the hospitals,
etc., are on a 24-hour-day operation, different conditions affect those units
which are foreign to the departments open only during the ordinary business
day. It is significant that officials having contact with the hospitals and similar
institutions are members of this Advisory Council and their advice and ex-
perience should prove most helpful in this respect.

From time to time, the question of a comprehensive pension system, set up
on a sound actuarial basis has also been discussed. While the State has made
certain advances in this field, many urge that it would be to the advantage of
the Public and, therefore, for the better functioning of the government itself,
if a broad pension system were in effect. In this respect, policies might be
determined upon to guard against the over-loading of the State payroll with
aged persons which might constitute a drain on such a pension system as has
been proposed.

Another question which sooner or later will have to be faced squarely and
decided, might present itself before this Advisory group completes its task.
I refer to the serious problem which is becoming more serious all the time,
resulting from the unprecedented growth of administrative law in our State,
as well as in other sections of the Country. Today, more citizens transact
their business before boards and commissions than before the courts. For
example, under one Maryland administrative agency, the State Industrial Ac-
cident Commission, there are handled 12, 000 workman's cases annually. These
bodies frequently make their own rules, draft their own forms of applications,
petitions, notices, forms of licenses and decisions..

The primary purpose of the creation of the administrative bodies is to give
the citizen prompt, simple and expeditious justice. But there is a great danger
of this primary purpose becoming lost under an avalanche of administrative
procedure.