Evening star., 1934-06-24
BY OWEN L. SCOTT.

The Governments leading result
getter is expected to hold the center
of the Washington stage this Summer.
He is to take the place filled with
such dazzling effect a year ago by
Gen. Hugh S. johnson.
But 1t Is a different sort Of a show
that will be put on by Harry Hopkins.
head of the Federal Emergency Relief
Administration. He is less given to
dramatics than is the general, and not
at all sold on the value Of words. To
him, quick, quiet action counts most.
That may be why Administrator
Hopkins today has hold of the coun-
try's biggest problem-care Of the un-
employed-and why he will play a
major part in its newest recovery
drive-a campaign of home building
and repair. 1t is a reason why he
runs the country's mystery organiza-
ton, the F. S. r. c., and why he was
called on to meet the country's most
acute disaster-the drought.
Mr.. Hopkins has record of spend
ing money in hurry. In fact, he has
become the champion spender of the
new deal, as contrasted with Jesse
Jones of the r. F. c., who Is the
champion lender. That championship
was established when Mr.. Hopkins,
starting from scratch, spent a billion
dollars in five months through c. w.
A. In two of those flve months he
was trying to stop what he had start
ed, circumstance that adds to the
magnitude of the accomplishment.
Besides this billion, another half
billion went through his hands for
regular relief and $80,000,000 more
flowed out through F. S. r. c., the
Federal Surplus Relief Corporation,
with powers to do everything from
buying pigs to running a grocery
store.
Now Congress has provided Mr..
Hopkins with half billion more dol
lars to meet the drought problem and
has opened the way for him to get
about a billion besides for the next
fiscal years relief load. A few words
from the F. e. r. A. head and great
blocks of cash come from Congress
almost without question.
Who is going to pay the bill?
Mr.. Hopkins was asked that ques-
ton during the past week. Said he:
THE people of this country do not
know what it is to be taxed"
That was a hint concerning the
future.
Some one has said that it should
not be such a difficult task to give
money away. But it isn't so simple
as that. For the administrator OF
F. E. r. A. has about 100000 des-
titute people under his wing. The
problems of those 10000, 900, including
cross section of the whole popula-
ton, should be enough to keep one
many busy.
Mr.. Hopkins, however, seems to ap-
peal to President Roosevelt as an ad-
ministrator who can get results in a
hurry. When housing program ap-
peared on the legislative horizon. it
was logical that Harold Ickes, ad-
ministrator Of public works and Sec
retary Of the Interior, should handle
1t. Mr.. Ickes already has $500, ,000,-
600 in public works projects on the
fire. But P. w. A. has proved some
thing Of disappointment as q job
creator. 1t has not put to work the
million or two men expected Of it.
Besides, Secretary Ickes has believed
in centralizing authority and in
placing so many checks and balances
in the way of expenditure, to block
any graft, that the flow Of funds has
been slowed down.
Later, when 1t seemed that housing
was not to be a public works project,
Gen. johnson entered the picture. He
was sounded out and appeared ready
to take hold Of the job. He was pre-
pared to launch another vast sales
campaign this Summer that would
rival the Blue Eagle drive of 1888.
The general always has felt that
there would be different depression
story if only he had been given origi-
nal authority over the $4,000, ,000, 900
public works fund. He believes that
he could have done a highly effective
spending job that would have tied In
with the N. r. A. effort to reduce
hours and raise wages.
y X n n
But Gen. Johnson's organization Is
in the midst of a public reaction. The
generals peculiar ability to produce
picturesque language appeared scarcely
to meet the new requirements. Harry
Hopkins had been getting results and
saying very little. He showed he could
turn on and of. with a simple twist
OF the wrist, about 1000 900 jobs under
G. w. A. The President had learned
that a brief command from him was
all that was needed to have Admins
traitor Hopkins take over all RESPONSE
bility, with few calls back for White
House guidance.
The head of F. z. r. A. believes in
decentralizing and in delegating au-
thority. His aides are great at hair
trigger decisions. One Of them last
Fall, when the pig-buying campaign
was on through the r. s. r. O., pro-
vided meat packers with a neat profit
OF several millions that enabled some
companies to resume dividend pay
ments. But the Hopkins idea is to get
things done. II mistakes develop. cor
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