In connection with the rights of your department, for instance, there is preserved for you at all times in connection with the coordinating order of the Federal Board of Hospitalization, a right of appeal to the President of the United States. If this Coordinating Board interferes to such an extent with the plans of your unit that you think the disadvantage so great that it counterbalances the beneficial effect to the government as a whole, the right of appeal to the President is with you. But for the first time in the government, as you know, there will be presented to the President by the Chief Coordinator the interests of the government treated from the standpoint of the Coordinating Board, so that the President of the United States in making his decision on your matter has the strongest possible statement of the needs of the unit from you, and the strongest possible statement of the needs of the government as a whole from the President of the Board. But the final authority, of course, is in the President of the United States and he will exercise it. In all of these orders the right of the head of the independent unit to a proper examination, by the supreme authority, of his plan is preserved, and it has been so in connection with all of these coordinating agencies and with the Director of the Budget. Let me tell you something as to the spirit of cooperation shown. I have never had a contest before the President with a cabinet officer or head of a department in connection with a coordinating action. I have never had one for this reason. Take in connection with the transfer of ships,—we have independent agencies for the examination of conditions. We have the right, as agents of the President, of obtaining information from any bureau chief or head of a department. We have, through Colonel Smither’s wonderful organization of course, the means for securing essential knowledge about these things. Regarding ships,—we asked the Navy the other day for a couple of mine sweepers for the Coast and Geodetic Survey. They refused. That was always the case in the old days. Of course, everybody looks out for the interest of his own department. Well I called over one of the Assistant Secretaries of the Navy, and gave him a bird’s-eye view of the situation. They had 49 mine sweepers; and they were going out of commission. If they went to the Coast and Geodetic Survey, they would be kept in commission and would not deteriorate so rapidly. What is more, if they didn’t go to the Geodetic Survey, the United States would have to ask for a million dollars to build new ships. That matter was taken back and proper attention given to it with this knowledge of the whole situation and the Secretary of the Navy joined in the request that the ships be transferred.