Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1933-07-23
Put the Men to Work!

Z w tuC mCu W WIN.
The director of the Bureau Of the
Budget now has before him the request
of the Commissioners for permission to
spend on necessary local public works
approximately 100000 of idle money
collected from the gasoline and water
taxpayers of the District. On Friday
the Commissioners supplemented their
former request for permission to spend
$l,500,000 of idle gasoline tax money
by an additional request for permission
to spend $5O1 900 of surplus water tax
funds.
The Commissioners have framed their
request for this permission by stating
facts that cannot be logically refuted.
Some Of these facts may be set down
In brief as follows:
The money to be spent has been au
thorized by Congress for necessary work
on bridges. streets and water system i'm
provements and extensions ito aid in
the relief Of unemployment" when the
budget director approves
1t Is money collected from local tax
payers, without participation by the
Federal Government and unless 1t Is
spent 1t will remain idle in the United
States Treasury, without interest. I'M
available for national budget balancing
or anything else.
If spent. 1t will result in the new en-
ployment Of approximately $500 men
and prevent the discharge Of 500 en-
ployes in the local government, in the
case Of the gasoline tax money, and, In
the case Of the water fund, will provide
work for 466 employees of the Water
Department who have been laid of.
While the director Of the Federal
budget is holding the strings on this
purse which. If opened. would give work
at decent rate Of pay to some 1900
men here in the District, in addition to
leading to the purchase Of materials
in manufacturing centers. the local
taxpayers, with some help from Federal
grants, are paying 5000 men $3.50 a
day-for two or three days work week
every other week-for made work."
some Of which consists In saving wood
They are supporting, in addition, 100
women. This necessary relief work cost
about 81 800 600 last year, and for the
present fiscal year the money In sight,
about 81 400, 900, will last at the present
rate OF expenditure through the middle
Of January. These disbursements are
over and above the money spent in pri-
vate charity. And the money for the
support Of private charity is about all
gone.
At the outset of the Governments
great drive to persuade and maybe
bludgeon employers into raising wages
and spreading work and increasing pur-
chasing power, is 1t not an opportune
time to permit the expenditure of
money collected from local taxpayers
which will furnish work, bread and
meat and housing to as many as 1000
men in the District?
Is there any sound reason under the
sun for not spending this money?
Is there any logic in letting a man
saw wood or pick up trash at the
princely fee Of five dollars q week once
every two weeks, when he might be
given q decent wage in bridge. building,
street paving or digging bitches for
water mains?
Can money collected from the tax
payers for q specific purpose morally be
retained in some Treasury vault while
additional sums are collected in taxes
to pay the cost of daily handouts to
those denied the right to work?
Is the new deal in Washington to
send men to the wood yard, or to put
them to work?
The Bureau Of the Budget has al
ready spent enough time considering
the Commissioners request for gasoline
tax fund expenditure. Every day wasted
in further cogitation over question
that has only one answer continues
and increases local unemployment. Is
it not about Agne for the director Of
the Bure>~ e the Budget to put some
of this zale local tax money to work?
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