Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-03-05
EMERGENCY FUND
FOR PUBLIC WORKS
URGED BY HOOVER
Speeding of Building Pro-
gram Offered as Relief for
Unemployed.
TARIFF DELAY BLAMED
BY LABOR SECRETARY
Davis Declares Wagner Proposal
for Sterilization Appropriation
Is Too Cumbersome.
ny the Associated Press.

ny the Associated Press.
With Government figures indicating
that 5000 900 men are out of employ
ment, the administration suggested to
Congress today that some relief might
be found in an emergency appropri-
alton authorizing the President to go
ahead with a public building program.
In a letter to Chairman johnson Of
the Senate commerce committee, Sec
rotary Davis of the Labor Department
described as cumbersome a pending
proposal by Senator Wagner. Democrat
New York, to provide $50, 000, 900 to be
used by a Federal employment stabili-
zation board, and added:
New MISUNDERSTANDING.
at would seem that it ought not to
be necessary to create the machinery
provided in this act In order to have
somebody to which the $3.50, 000. 900
could be appropriated. In short, while
1t is absolutely necessary that Congress
devise some way OF having money i'm
nediately available when emergency
arises, a less cumbersome method might
be devised. It occurs to me that it might
be appropriated to the Treasury De-
partment to be called upon by the
President in an emergency.
To Consider Wagner Bill.
Senator Wagner's bill viii be con-
sidered tomorrow by the Senate COM
merce committee. Secretary DAVIS con-
watson of Indiana, the Republican
leader, and Senator Wagner. Conf
dence was expressed at these confer
ences by Davis that the passage OF the
public buildings measure now before
the Senate and the enactment OF the
tariff bill would combine with other
conditions to alleviate Unemployment
substantially by early Summer.
Replies to Wagner.
Referring to the speech in the Senate
Yesterday by Senator Wagner Of New
York. Secretary Davis said today:
Senator Wagner makes great show
OF indignation that the administration
has not been able TO overcome the
whole-o the terrific dislocatton OF busi-
ness and consequent Unemployment re-
sultinR from the stock crash in New
York, the Senator's home city. admit
that there is distressing unemployment.
but for the first time IN the history OF
these events, by Its actions and policies,
the administration has held unemploy-
ment TO less than one-half that of pre-
vious crashes, and by the Sterilization
Of wages and cooperation OF the busi-
ness world. work Is being provided in
a way that should relieve most OF this
within the very near future. While
employment for the week of February
II. as compared with February 10,
showed a drop Of 3-l0 Of per cent.
the situation today Is greatly improved
over the low point of last December.
ut is fair estimate to make that
the new census will show something like
A6 900 600 individuals earning living
ID the country, and certainly 100000
are at work.
Construction Program Effective.
"The construction program worked
cut by President Hoover exceeds that
of 1929 and Is having its effect. The
Secretary of Commerce has announced
o $1,000 900 900 program for the Gov
eminent and other civic agencies.
Senator Wagner's own proposals are
for more Federal employment agencies
and mort statistics, and, as 1 see II,
hoped-for cures of the result of future
crashes. I am in accord with them.
However, none of these things create
Jobs right now. For what they are
worth. the present administration
recommended necessary expansion IN
employment agencies and statlsGlcs
through the Department Of Labor
budget, not yet passed by the Senate.
But of far more Importance, as see IL,
is the urgent necessity for the pubic
buildings bill, which passed the House,
the appropriations for public works N
the deficiency bill now awaiting Senate
action.
BIames Tariff Delay.
But above all, the workers Of the
country need the passage OF the taItI
act to remove uncertainty and allow the
workers to make in our own factories
the hundreds of millions OF dollars
worth of goods now coming in by I'M
ports. In fact, the delays in tarin Iegis-
iation are more responsible today FOL
creating unemployment than any other
factor.
Push the building program, pass the
tariff bill, and our workers VIII mo
employment"