Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-15
HOOVER DROUGHT RELIEF
PROGRAM HELD ADEQUATE
Representative Cramton Also Justifies
Red Cross Stand on Federal Aid
In Radio Talks.

ton program this coming construction
season will amount to over $3.50, DOC, 900,
which Is more than $2O0, 1000, 900 larger
than the largest year heretofore. Add
to this State and Federal cooperative
program the known road programs of
| States and counties for highway con-
) struction, betterment and maintenance,
and you have an expenditure for high
ways in the United States of more
than one and one-uuarter billion dol
lars. Add to this the expended pro-
gram of paving that will be undertaken
generally in the cities, and you have
some idea of the large part which our
highways are playing in the movement
for relief of unemployment. Commits
sioner Macdonald Of the Bureau Of Pub
lie Roads insists that a dollar for road
building goes more fully to labor than
any other dollar the Government ex-
ponds in construction.
Red Tape Reduced.
Congress has passed the Elliot bill
eliminating much of the red tape in
letting contracts for construction Of
public buildings in this emergency so
that congressional authori2ation and ap-
preparation may more speedily be. trans
lated into demand for days of labor
Of men. Federal construction programs
in other lines than highways have been
enlarged. River and harbor work and
roads in the public domain to the
amount of $46 600, 900 beyond the regu-
lar programs are authorized by the act
of December 90, and the work will all
be under way in few weeks, many
men having already been given employ
ment under this authorization. The
first deficiency bill which became law
February 6 carried $45, 000,00 for i'm
mediate construction purposes, much of
it for needed programs expanded and
expedited in order to give employment.
The fiscal year of the Government be-
gins July and the regular appropria-
ton bills are for the year beginning
that day. In accordance with the Pres
ident'S appeal for expansion and cX-
pediting of needed public works, the
Committee on Appropriations OF the
House has recommended and the House
has approved making Immediately avail
able wherever feasible appropriation for
construction purposes. AS a result in
the eight regular appropriation bills that
have passed the House and are now
pending in the Senate or in conference,
and the bill approved today, there are
such appropriations pending for con-
struction purposes to the amount of
$346, 900, 900. The minute those appro-
priation bills become law the Gov
eminent will be authorized to en-
ploy tens of thousands of men and
each man so employed will have an in
come on which he can support his de-
pendents. The sooner those bills be-
come law, the sooner will those millions
of dollars begin to relieve unemploy-
ment through construction projects
scattered through the whole Nation.
While this controversy about relief has
ragged, these highly important projects
Tor relief of unemployment have been
retarded days and weeks. For instance,
the Interior Department appropriation
bill, which passed the House December
IL and was reported to the Senate De-
cember 16, becoming involved in the
Legislative deadlock over relief measures,
had only today been sent to the Presi-
dent for his approval carrying $4,000
900 Immediately available for. construc-
ton purposes in numerous communities
that sorely need the employment, not
including S15,O00000 additional for
Boulder Dam. While the controversy
has ragged so hotly about other forms Of
relief. these appropriations of S346, 000,-
900 in the nine regular appropriation
bills that will relieve through opportu-
mites for employment have had to wait.
Sets Tin Relief Agency