Evening star., 1934-07-08
Economic Planning
Next on New Deal
BY HARDEN COLFAX.

Can city-planning methods be
applied successfully to land and water
problems? President Roosevelt be-
lieves they can, If we use the
drainage basins Of our streams as
units and include in our considera-
ton all the phases and problems,
physical and human, of both land
and water use.
National economic planning Is q
phase that sometimes frightens peo-
ple. However, what might be prop
erly called a national plan for the
control and utilization of water re-
sources was actually discussed in
Congress early in the year. The
President approved this idea as part
of his larger idea Of conserving all
national resources on a broad and
statesmanlike scale. Therefore, In
order to aid the Senate and House
in framing legislation, Mr.. Roosevelt
requested aid from several OF the
Federal departments. Last week ne
received reports from a group OF
technical experts, including one from
a cabinet committee consisting Of the
Secretaries of War, Agriculture, In
terror and Labor.
Taking a broad view Of the sub
iect. the cabinet committee made
its report to cover the impounding
of water supply, the control of floods.
the transfer of idle units Of the
population to more productive areas,
the regulation of agricultural crops
and the ''replenishment OF soil
fertility" More specifically, in addi-
ton to the general control of floods
in river valleys, the President seeks
data as to new possibilities in navi-
CATION and irrigation and the de-
velopment of hydro-electric power.
X
Engineers and experts in Washing
ton are of the opinion that several
points should be covered in any COM
prehensive plan adopted. In the first
place. they feel, there should be an
adequate basis of facts. Then there
should be continuous study Of the
situation. Responsibility and the
cost of development and improve
ment should be divided among Fed
eral, State, municipal and private
agencies and an apportionment OF
charges made among the users Of any
of the projects developed. Finally,
there should be worked out some basis,
or series of tests, for the choice Of
projects and the order in which they
should be taken up.
The National Planning Commission,
with which the President conferred,
was appointed to help him carry out
his pledge to Congress to formulate
a long-range program OF conservation
and development. Mr.. Roosevelt likes
to refer to these as a conservation of
national resources, not only ''natu-
raj" ones, since the term national
takes In population as well as land
and water. He requested the COM
mission to approach the subject from
four standpoints: ~ The physical
(land and water); (2) the sociological
people and other movements); (0
governmental (the administrative and
legislative); a. the economic (pro-
duction and distribution).
Emphasizing the necessity for de
VClUpll18 tAAC A-uAAIuh AoC Va A0eAoh@A
resources, in his message to Congress
transmitting the technical report, the
President declared that the broader
definition" of the project brings to
our attention clearly kindred prob
lens such as soil erosion, stream pol
luton, fire prevention, reforestation,
afforestation, marginal lands. stranded
communities. distribution Of indus
tries, education, highway building,
home building and dozen others.
In the final report to be submitted
to the next session Of Congress. the
President will endeavor to make
specific recommendations to be laid
before individual State governments
for their approval. The Tennessee
Valley Authority he regards as a be-
ginning. This, however, deals with