The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-04-16
S1,5OO,OOO,OOO
RELIEF PLEA is
UNDER ATTACK
Proposed Fund Too Small,
Congress Liberals Say;
Fight Planned.
BY RUTH FINNEY
TIMES Special Writer.


dent Roosevelt's decision to send
congress a message on public works
before adjournment failed to elate
liberal members of congress today.
The President will not recon-
mend expenditure of more than
81 ,500,000,000 for this purpose, &C
cording to every present indication.
Liberals believe this figure is totally
inadequate. Senator Robert M. La
Toilette Jr. thinks that S10,0O0,000,-
600 is the least that effectively
could revive the capital goods in
duStries and relieve unemployment
there.
Liberals feel that expenditures of
smaller amounts is so much lost
motion and has tendency to bring
into disrepute government spending
for public works as a major means
of curing and avoiding depressions.
Before the depression, public and
private building together amounted
to about $11 ,000,0O0,0O0 annually.
BY 1888, building was down to about
one-fourth this amount. Approx
mately one-tenth of the population
OF the United States makes a liv-
ing directly or indirectly through
construction in normal times.
Used Funds for Building
Liberals point to these facts in
arguing that no further progress
can be made toward recovery until
construction starts again on a
broad scale, until those who depend
on this industry for a living are able
to earn and spend again. They
argue. that if the administration
waits until the people now at work
are able to buy new homes, until
the businesses now beginning to get
out of the red are able to build new
plants or Offices, recovery for a great
segment of the population will be
delayed indefinitely.
The $3,300,000,000 voted last June
for public works has done little so
far to revive capital goods indus
tries. More than a million dollars
OF it was spent for special projects
like civil works, CCC camps, and
the farm credit administration. An
other third was allotted to state and
cities which have been slow in
spending the money. A considerable
sum was allotted to large projects
on which expenditures must be
spread over long period of years.
SeHnatorS LaFollette and Edward
P. CoStigan will put up stiff fight
to increase the public works appro-
priation if the Presidents recon-
mendation is below their figure.
This is one of the things they have
had in mind in trying to boost rev.
enueS under the new tax bill.
Amendment % to the Constitution
will engage the attention Of house
rules committee members this week.
With an eye to the meeting next
winter Of nearly all state legisla-
lures, the committee may decide to
add the amendment TO the crowded
calendar of business for the rest of
this session.
Long Probe Pushed
The amendment proposes to aboI-
ish the electoral college and the unit
rule in counting electoral votes. It
would permit popular sentiment to
play a more direct part in the cleo
ton of Presidents. The measure,
advocated for years by Representa-
tive Clarence F. Lea, Democratic
dean of the California delegation,
and by Senator George w. Norris,
is receiving serious attention for
the first time as it's political posi-
bilities are becming evident.
Democrats see in the amendment
the best possible answer to charges
that the Roosevelt administration
aspires to dictatorship By making
the popular vote count as it never
has before in the final tally of cleo
everything, so far as the coming
election is concerned, on Roosevelt's
continued popularity with the
country.
Republicans, mildly friendly to
the measure in the past, are bitterly
opposing it now.
Ten days ago, Huey Long, who
can talk in allegories as well as the
President, suggested casually that it
is wise to avoid touching a porcu-
pine unless you are prepared to take
the consequences.
The senate, which seems able to
interpret allilicyies, has made no
move to investigate charges against
Senator Long and his colleague,
John w. Overton, filed by the
Women's Committee Of Louisiana.
Today, the women's committee de-
manded the reason from Senator
Walter F. George, chairman of the
privileges and elections committee.
Kern-for- Mayor Club to Meet
The Nineteenth ward Kern-for-
n