Evening star., 1933-08-20
FLOOD CONTROL WORK TO PROVIDE THOUSANDS OF JOBS
ALABAMA FINDS |
TASK in SELLING
FUNDING BONDS
States Road Back to
Recovery Proving
Little Uneven.
BY ]. f. ROTHERMEL.

Special Dispatch TO The star.
BIRMINGHAM. Ala, August 10
AlAbamA's road back to prosperity at
times has proved q little uneven. One
of the rough spots was hit this week
when the State found itself unable to
dispose Of $1,000. 900 worth Of refund
ing bonds by which 1t had hoped to
refinance some Of the States oblieA-
tions.
Gov. Miller and State Controller Hard
went to New York to peddle the bonds,
but found the big bankers not inclined
to fall over each other with offers. A
part Of the hesitancy may be traced 70
the fact that considerable haziness sur
rounds . loan Of $1,000 900 made BY
the Chase National Bank OF New YORK
clared Illegal and Is still cluttertng up
the files of the bank, where 1t has been
much longer than the original length
of the loan.
Nothing to Very About
There Is nothing to worry about, how
ever, said Gov. Miller. He said the
State would stiu sell its bonds. and the
failure Of the one effort was over Q
matter of rates. Some worrying Is be-
ing done, nevertheless, by Alabama
school teachers, to whom Is owed In the
form of warrants most Of the State 9
floating Indebtedness, which the bond
issue was supposed to amortize.
But while the Governor and control
ler are working more than any 10
hours q week over the States financial
situation, the shadow Of the Blue Eagle
has spread over every hamlet IN the
State Some 20 1000 signAtories TO the
- nL>k hau hnnVr
State, affecting about 160 900 workers.
Just now the Blue Eagle is something
Of q double eagle. He Is bird Of hope
still for most Alabamans. But he Is
rapidly becoming bird Of Ill omen for
those who may be seeking loopholes In
the national recovery program.
Nearly every county in the State has
organized . recovery council to see that
the purposes Of the national industrial
recovery act are carried out. Some
complaints of violations Of the code
have been made, particularly In the tex
tile and laundry groups, where cheap
labor has prevailed. Alabama Is also
experiencing, along with other States.
the problem created by the discharge
Of colored workers and their replace
ment by white labor. Many employers
have taken the attitude that since they
QaQ 10 pay MINIMUM OF $l4.oU Week,
they would have white labor rather
than black. The colored man had
worked for much less. As q result
some menial tasks heretofore left for
the colored man are now being done by
unskilled white labor. Colored men are
filing protests against this practice and
the last Of the matter has probably
not been heard.
Employment Increasing.
Employment is steadily increasing in
the State. The last two weeks, accord
ing to Judge s. F. Hobbs, Selma. chair
man of the Alabama Emergency Re-em-
ployment Campaign Committee, has
seen about 5000 60 back to work in the
industrial centers Of the State.
The State has Jagged in the matter
Of beginning its highway construction
program with Federal aid funds. but
this week submitted to the United
States Bureau Of Roads partial sched-
ule of road projects to be undertaken
with the $4,000, 900 which the State
has available at Washington. This
fund, according to State Highway d.
rector Langdon Smith, will put down
300 miles Of paved roads in all coun-
ties. Five hundred miles will be on
Federal aid highways and the rest in
feeder highways and city and town
thoroughfares.