Evening star., 1933-07-19
|CKES TO PROTECT
RECOVERY FUNDS
Forum Speaker Says Public
Works Projects Must Be
Sane and Useful.

How the Government expects to start
the wheels of industry humming again
under the impetus of $4,000, 900 600
public works fund was described to
Nation wide radio audience last night
by Secretary of the Interior 1ckeS,
speaking in the National Radio Forum.
The broadcast was arranged by The
Star and was carried by a coast-to-
coast network OF the National bread
casting Co.
Will Prevent Waste.
Secretary Ickes. recently named by
President Roosevelt as administrator of
the huge public works program Incl
dentally made it plain that this is not
q come -andg get-it' proposition. to use
the Secretarys own words. and that
the taxpayers money will rot be wasted
on unnecessary or foolish projects
NO one need ask for an appropria-
ton unless he presents project that
Is sane from both an engineering and
a social standpoint" he declared. His
project must meet the requirements of
q sound financial policy. offering re-
turn in money or in increased services
to the community.
1T must be economically desirable
and it must contribute to the revival
of industry and business. 1t must fit
into the carefully planned needs of the
future"
Mr.. Ickes pointed out that the money
appropriated for public works is
precious" having been contributed by
the taXpavers out of their sober deter
mination to give until it hurts in order
to start a needed circulation of money
through the business structure OF the
country
Held as Trust Fund.
Here in Washington" he said, we
regard this fund as trust fund. we
will not authorize the expenditure of
cent of it unless we are convinced bnat
it will contribute toward the economic
recovery and the social welfare of the
country. Every project will be care
fully scrltinized and the undesirable
will bn promptly discarded, regardless
of whatsoever influence may be brought
to bear for it.
The Secretary explains how the fund
will be divided among Federal ana
State projects. the latter including local
and municipal enterprises.
The text of Secretary 1cKes aooreSs
follows: -,
When the country is at war we call
o,1r soldiers to the colors and marshal
our military resources TO oppose the
enemy. In this time of economic de-
preston we are enliStlng our dollars
and marshaurg our economic resources
to fight the foe.
From the day that he took the oath
of office as President OF the United
States on March 4 last, President
Roosevelt has bent every energy TO
overcome the terrible depression that
his administration inherited. His first
task was to rescue the banking system
from collapse. He speedily brought
some degree of order out OF chaos
and within a surprisingly short time
he had in the country a solvent bank
ing system which has continued to
grow in strength and in the confidence
Of the people He brought gold out
of boarding and stopped its eXporta-
ton. j.
Announcing that the Government Of
the United States would not permit
any of its people to starVe or suner
from privation, he caused Congress TO
appropriate $500 900 600, which the Ma
tioral Government proceeded to give to
the States to help them care for their
unemployed citizens. At the same time,
realizing that the Treasury OF tpe
United States could not Indefinitely
pav out money for food and shelter,
he undertook Immediately an amoltlous
program to stimulate business and get
people back to work.
Unemployed Set to Work.
One of his first acts was to enlist
some 300 900 unemployed men and set
them to work on tasks Of reforestatlon,
reclamation and flood control that IN
time will repay generously the present
outlay. AS the keystone to the arch
that he set out to build, he suggested.
and Congress willingly enacted. law
that is known as the national indus
trial recovery act.
This act really comprises two acts
In one Part of it endoWS the Presi-
dent with extraordinary powers to deal
with industry. It encourages the CO.
operation Of American industry with
labor for the setting up of codes OF
fair competition under which business
NAV be revived on basis that will be
fair to both alike. The President Is
gwen drastic powers which he may ex-
ercise to bling recalcitrantS to book IN
the event Of their failure or refusal 10
aid willingly in the desired economic
recovery of the country. As the ad-
ministrator of this section OF the act,
the President appointed Gen. Hugh S.
johnson, who proceeded at once with
his customary vigor to employ all his
talents and ability in the accomplish
ment of mis- task. Progress already
made has been such as to justify the
hope that the results expected from
this section of the act will be forth