Political and academic career Louis Brownlow

brownlow s former residence in dupont circle neighborhood of washington, d.c.

brownlow came washington, d.c., reporter 2 tennessee newspapers, , made acquaintance of president theodore roosevelt. caught attention of president woodrow wilson in 1914 after being 1 of few newspaper reporters correctly predict german empire go war serbia on assassination of archduke franz ferdinand (which caused start of world war i). expressing desire put practice many of administrative practices had reported on europe, brownlow sought , won president wilson appointment in 1915 commissioner of district of columbia, serving until 1920. 1917 1920, president of commissioners, , vocal proponent of home rule. during period, metropolitan police department of district of columbia unionized, , brownlow supported unionization (although not affiliation american federation of labor). helped guide city through 1918 flu pandemic, closing schools , businesses , banning public gatherings. served on district of columbia public utilities commission , district zoning commission 1917 1919. city manager of petersburg, virginia, 1920 1923; city manager of knoxville, tennessee, 1924 1926; , city manager of radburn, new jersey, 1927 1931. briefly worked united states daily newspaper in 1927. consultant city housing corporation in new york city 1928 1931, , elected director of corporation in 1931.

brownlow began teaching political science @ university of chicago in 1931, , later year appointed director of public administration clearing house (which had helped organize in 1930) @ university. remained clearing house s director until 1945. brownlow became chairman of committee public administration of social science research council in 1933, worked bridge gap between academics , practitioners. chairman of national institute of public affairs 1934 1949.

brownlow committee

on march 22, 1936, roosevelt established committee on administrative management (commonly known brownlow committee) , charged developing proposals reorganizing executive branch. three-person committee consisted of louis brownlow, charles merriam, , luther gulick.

on january 10, 1937, committee released report. famously declaring president needs help, committee s report advocated strong chief executive, including among 37 recommendations significant expansion of presidential staff, integration of managerial agencies single presidential office, expansion of merit system, integration of independent agencies existing cabinet departments, , modernization of federal accounting , financial practices.

while member of committee on administrative management, brownlow named official delegate sixth international congress of administrative sciences in warsaw, poland. although left government service after termination of committee, brownlow continued advisor presidents franklin roosevelt , harry s. truman. left position in 1939.

brownlow received honorary doctor of law degree american university in 1938. suffered heart attack in december of year.

post-brownlow committee

brownlow helped co-found american society public administration in 1940, serving in various executive , advisory capacities until 1945. brownlow director of franklin d. roosevelt memorial foundation in 1947, , director of woodrow wilson foundation 1948 1953. retired university of chicago in 1949, , served visiting professor @ university of washington in 1957 , maxwell school of citizenship , public affairs @ syracuse in 1958 , 1959.