Evening star., 1933-09-22
ROOSEVELT ASKS
|. FOR WORKS PLANS
Message Read to Mayors
Conventi0n-SeattIe Raps
AII0cati0nS.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
CHICAGO. September 22-President
Roosevelt told mayors Of the Nations
largest cities today to bring in their
plans for using the $1,000 900 900 Fed
eral public works fund and the Gov
ernment would allocate the money with
all possible speed.
The Presidents message was read at
the United States conference Of mayors
just as Mayor John F. Dore Of Seattle,
had finished a declaration that the Pa
cific Northwest was slipping deeper into
depression because of delay in ALLOCATE
ing the public relief money
THE impetus of recovery is collaps-
ing" Mayor Dore had said The rea-
son is that we can't get help from the
public works fund. I don't believe ths
President knows it, but the N. r. A.. 70
far as the Pacific Northwest Is con-
cerned, has ended"
Mis.rost Blamed.
Mayor Dore declared mistrust OF Fed
eral officials in the honesty of cities
caused delay.
He said Senator William E. Borah
had openly declared such a mistrust
and the Public Works Federal engineer
for the Seattle district had been re-
quired before appointment to fill out a
QUESTIONABLE telling whether he had
confidence in city and State officials
The City Of Seattle had 100000 and
fn IF Iyoc Id
amount for public works." he said
Every day for seven days we tele-
graphed Washington an inquiry about
whether the Federal Government would
give an amount equal to 80 per cent of
that $500, 900. as provided by the pub
lie works bill.
I'VE never got a reply. Some one in
Washington was afraid to answer"
CurIey Backs N. r. A.
Mayor James M. Curley OF Boston
told the executives that they should do
everything in their power to speed the
national recovery act program. He
further admonished them to direct to
the best interests of the people the ex-
penditure of the billions of dollars in
Federal funds provided fer public works
and unemployment relief.
Several mayors from the West and
Midwest brought to the conference
complaints that Eastern cities were OBJ
tanning too much of the Federal fund.
Mayor T. Semmes Walmsley Of New
Orleans called for establishment Of a
Federal agency to provide cash and
credit for municipalities, carrying on
the work OF the Reconstruction Finance
Corporation, which has ceased making
loans.
Quick Action Asked.
IT it is to serve its real purpose"
Mayor Walmsley told the conference,
that new agency must be made avail
able quickly"
The New Orleans mayor commended
the aims and accomplishments Of the
national recovery act and the $4,000,-
600. 900 Federal public works fund, but
declared Government in individual COM
munities was fully as needy of financial
assistance as Is any industry.
Pointing out that cities must provide
70 per cent OF the money for new pub
lie works under the Federal program,
Walmsley said many municipalities had
insufficient funds to participate.
He said many States were In no
better condition than the cities and
that the Federal agency he proposed
might well take over short-term paper
Roosevelt's Message.
The Roosevelt message follows:
May send through you my personal
greetings to the mayors who are assem-
bled in Chicago. I hope that during
your deliberations you will consider
carefully the relationship Of your States
and subdivisions to the recovery pro-
gram Of the Federal Government Con-
gress has appropriated three billions
three hundred millions Of dollars to a.
nance comprehensive program Of pub
lie works, in part for Federal projects.
approximately one billion six hundred
millions already have been allocated.
We are at the point now where the
States and municipalities interested in
public works projects should come for
ward quickly with proposals which will
give immediate work to their unem-
ployed
We want to cooperate to the fullest
possible extent and assure you that
after your projects have been passed
upon by the State Advisory Boards they
will be acted upon in Washington with
minimum Of delay.
I'VE will match speed with you The
money Is available and we want to put
men to work
II wish the mayors all success in
their deliberations and especially hope
that these deliberations will result in
stimulation Of interest all along the
line on our public works program"