THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

One of the purposes of the Department of Agriculture is to help the farmers raise god ergos and to sell them at a profit.

The Department of Agriculture also helps the farmers in many other ways. It shows them how to build up the soil by planting different kinds of crops. It helps farmers to develop better cows, sheep, pigs, and chickens. This work helps to protect the meat, milk, egg, and butter supply of the Nation. This Department gives the farmers information on the supply and price of farm products.

THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

The purpose of this Department is to help the businessmen of the Nation. Every ten years it takes a census. Each year it collects figures on how many persons are born, die, or marry. These figures help businessmen to determine the possible markets for their products.

Each month it collects and prints information on the amount of goods produced, ordered, shipped, or on hand, in different lines of trade. This information helps businessmen to know the condition of their markets. Also, this Department has special agents who advise what goods made in this country can be sold in foreign countries.

This Department is in charge of the official standards of weights and measures. It works with other branches of the Government and with businessmen to develop better standards. A businessman may order goods and materials by grade and number without listing in complete form the quality of goods desired.

THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

The Department of Labor looks after the interests of wage earners, It studies labor conditions in factories, mills, mines, stores and offices. It tries to improve those conditions. It tries to prevent strikes.

The Department of Labor sets the standards of hours, pay, and conditions of work under which many different kinds of materials are made for the Government. The Congress has said that no goods shall be bought from a plant unless it meets standards laid down by the Secretary of Labor. In this and other ways the Department tries to help the wage earners of the Nation.

THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, EDUCATION, AND WELFARE

This Department promotes the general welfare of the Nation by providing, among other things, a Public Health Service to control and study diseases. It carries out the various Social Security Programs throughout the United States. It helps to improve public education. The Department, through its Food and Drug Administration, insures the purity and quality of our food, drugs, and cosmetics.

THE DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

This Department is concerned with housing and urban development, including the encouragement of private homebuilding and mortgage lending, and the furnishing of information to aid State, county, and other local governments in developing solutions to community development problems.

THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

This Department is concerned with mass transportation and with finding new ways of making both public and private transportation faster, cheaper, and safer. The Department supports and promotes research and development in the field of transportation, provides general leadership in identifying and solving transportation problems, and encourages cooperation with Federal, State, and local governments, labor, carriers, and other interested parties in establishing transportation policies which

basic law of our Nation. Thus, Federal courts eded to help keep the Federal Government and the within the limits of their authority. Federal were also needed to help build a strong Federal ment. Questions as to the meaning of the Consti1, laws, and treaties of the United States were certo spring up. If these If these questions were left to the to courts, then courts in different States might decide same question in different ways. This had happened For the Articles of Confederation. The Fathers of the stitution decided that it should not happen under the w Constitution. They said that there should be a sysof Federal courts to decide such questions.

THE SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES

The Supreme Court of the United States is named in e Constitution. It can be done away with only by an endment to the Constitution. When it has decided hat the Constitution, treaties, or laws of the United tates mean, there is no other court to which the matter ay be taken. It has the last word. We must accept he answer of the Supreme Court. That is the way we To things in our republic.

The Congress has some control over the Supreme Court. The Congress decides the number of judges or ustices. It fixes their pay. No judge can be appointed. by the President unless the Senate agrees. The Constitution names certain kinds of cases that must begin and end in the Supreme Court. Article III of the Constitution sets out the authority of the Federal courts. The Congress can, within those limits of authority, generally decide what cases may come before the Supreme Court. But the Congress cannot change the authority given to the Supreme Court by the Constitution.

| Aŭ Ad Ad

will serve the needs of the public, private industry, labor, and national defense.

THINGS TO DO

Complete each of the following:

1. The group made up of the heads of the 11 Executive Departments is known as the President's

2. The heads of the Executive Departments are appointed by the and approved by the

3. The Department that collects taxes of the Federal Government is the Department of the

4. The Attorney General of the United States is the head of the

of

5. The newest Cabinet officer is the Secretary of

6. One of the services furnished to the people by the Department of State is:

7. One of the services furnished to the people by the Department of the Treasury is:

8. One of the services furnished to the people by the Department of Defense is:

9. One of the services furnished to the people by the Department of Justice is:

10. One of the services furnished to the people by the Department of the Interior is:

11. One service furnished to the people by the Department of Agriculture is:

12. One service furnished to the people by the Department of Commerce is: