Evening star., 1934-12-17
PROGRAM DRAWN
FOR RESOURCES
Praise and Doubt Greet Gi-
gantic Proposal of HUI
man Welfare.
CONTINUED From First Page.)


In general "looks good" but he be-
Geved there was no need for further
surveys of half a dozen of the II
watershed studies proposed, because
they "have already been studied in
detail at least once"
1.-TWO have been covered twice and
are being considered again by the
lower Mississippi Survey Board" he
said.
Representative Taylor, Democrat,
of Colorado, author of the Taylor
grazing act, approved of the recon-
mendation for extending the act to
all public lands suitable for grazing,
and said he would propose bill to
that end.
In a foreword to its report, the
board said the natural resources were
the heritage of the whole Nation,
apd should be conserved and utilized
for the benefit of all of our people" 4"
There have been tragic waste and
loss of resources and human labor,
and widespread spoliation and misuse
Of the natural wealth of the many by
the few" 1t said.
Obstacles Realized.
The board said formidable" OBJ
stacles stood in the way of planning
ahead for public works. Nevertheless,
1t urged the use of public construc-
tion as an economic balance wheel"
Extension of public works into new
fields and expansion of all public
works, old and new, into the field of
reasonable possibility from point of
view of needful public service" the
board said, brings the estimate of
magnitude of all public works over a
period of perhaps 20 to 80 years to
about sos 1000, 100000, or about $3,-
5O000O,000 to $4,000, 100000 a year.
Such an expanded program of pub
lie works would amazingly improve
the public services and living stand
ards of this country; but, viewed in
the light of traditional expenditures
for public works, the cost seems a
heavy charge upon the national in
come.
Various Factors Cited.
whether $4,000, 100000 a year Is
more than we should spend is prob
lem which we shall have to solve in
the light of future developments touch
ing the aggregate national income
public finance, modes of combating
unemployment, popular demands fol
pleasures and projections afforded by
public works, etc.
On the basis of adjusted past rates
of capital outlay for individual classes
of public works-national, State and
municipal-the board estimated the
total for the 10 years ending in 1914
would come to about $26,000,000. It
said this estimate made mo allowance
for growth"
Touching on types of public works
being mentioned prominently in dis
cussions of possible immediate expan-
sion of such activities by the admins
tration, the board reported that much
more highway and street work is not
only probable but in many cases de-
sirable." 1t spoke also of the posi-
bilities of river development, housing
grade crossing elimination and rural
electrification.
Further hard surfacing of rural
roads, the board said, might use as
much as $3,5O0,O00,O0O Estimates
for wiping out grade crossings were
found to run as high as $500, 900, 600
for 5000 selected crossings and $12,-
900, 100000 for additional elimination
that would be justified"
Eight Billions for Rivers.
Estimates for river projects baSec
on studies by the corps Of Army engi,
neers touched the So 900 600, 900 mark
Turning to rural electrification, the
board cited a forthcoming report o.
the Mississippi Valley Commission
which said one to three million o.
the more than five million farms with
out electricity "can now economical!
be given service"
Echoes of the tiff between Ickes ant
James A. Moffett, Federal housing ad
ministrator. over public versus private
financing of housing, sounded in
paragraph which said:
"Slum reconstruction and the pro
vision of low-cost housing occupy
very definite part of the recover!
program. The movement originated
in private groups long interested anC
active in improvement of housing ant
on the continued interest and sup
port of these private groups the max
imum development of the movemen
depends"
OF conservation of mineral wealth
the board said consumer interest!
must be protected. 1t ICED that sta
bilization of the mineral industrie!
through public control might be neces
sary 'in ways which have tradition
ally been thought forbidden by in,
antitrust laws.
Coal and Oil Included.
"Such control of competitive prac
tices seems clearly necessary in tn
bituminous coal, oil and natural ga
industries. Some measure of contro
may also be found advisable in Ger
tain of the metals, such as copper
lead and zinc.
"In the case of Oil, special legisla
ton authorizing the fixing of Stat
production quotas appears to be nee
essary."
In most of these industries, tn
board said, majority opinion appar
emily favors a continuation Of som
form of control.
Therefore, it recommended f1atl
that permanent provision be made t
authorize control of competition afte
expiration of the national induStria
recovery act next June. The mem
bers would have this authorization
subject to safeguards to protect tn
interest of workers and consumers.
While generally iavoring privat
operation of mineral industries unde