Evening star., 1933-11-14
Apportioning the Relief Money.

More than a thousand representatives
of States, counties and cities are gath
ering In Washington for the Civil Works
Conference tomorrow, at which the
President will explain the purposes OF
his latest relief and unemployment
plans, through which about Sl00,00O,O00
a month for four months will be dis
tributed by the Federal Government to
take men off relief rolls and put them
to work at prevailing rates of pay.
The subject of greatest interest, of
course, will be the method chosen for
allotting this sum- The Federal author
tiles will seek as far as possible to have
Federal funds matched by local funds,
as some Of the emergency relief money
has been matched in the past But it
is doubtful that any proportionate con-
tribution of local funds will be de-
manded, as In the beginning. Some of
the States have already confessed their
inability to take care Of their relief
needs. In Kentucky the whole burden
has been assumed by the Federal Gov
ernment. The policy adopted by the
Federal Government in allotting the
money is, therefore, important. 1t will
presumably go about the business on
the basis of demand for relief rather
than upon the demonstrated ability or
attempts by the States to meet their re-
lief problems.
The District Commissioners have al
ready drafted a program of suggested
improvements In Washington, which, II
carried out, would mean the expendi-
ture Of more than $2,OOO,00O. The
amount of work that might be done,
however, is Of less importance in the
eyes Of the Federal authorities than
the existing justification for taking men |
on the relief rolls and putting them to
work at regular rates Of pay. An idea
of the local demand for this new type
of made work is gained from the cur
rent public relief expenditures. For
the week ending November 3 these
reached the astonishing total of s71 ,s15.
Something over $4,000 of this amount
went for administrative expense. which
naturally increases as the relief de-
nands increase. On November 4 there
were 1896 persons receiving public
relief in Washington, about 5000 of
whom are receiving 1t in the form of
compensation for labor on made-work |
projects. About s6 per cent OF relief !
expenditure goes for made work. Be-
cause of the demand and the limita-
ton on expenditures, of course, those !
who are paid for made work are able |
to get such employment only a few
days week. Were all those applying !
for relief given work six days a week, !
and at regular wages, the expenditures
OF course, would be enormously in |
creased. The Presidents plan, however, |
Is to accomplish that very reSult-to /
take men off relief rolls and give them !
work six days week.
When the Federal Government dis
tributed the S400 900 900 of Public
Works Administration money for road
building the funds were divided by an
arbitrary plan of allotment which took
into consideration population area and
mileage OF post roads in each State. the
District Of Columbia and the Territories. |
Under this method of distribution the
District Of Columbia received $1,elS. 469. !
The conference tomorrow will establish
the elements for consideration in allot-
ting the $500, 900 900 of Civil Works Ad-
nlinistration funds. When these are
known, the local authorities will be able
to arrange the program of made work
In order OF precedence based on i'm
portance to the community and suit |
ability in providing employment for
skilled and unSkiled labor.