Evening star., 1934-06-17
Continued From First Page.)

that fights the battle for recovery on
many fronts. It has won in many
sectors, and lost in others. 1t has
made errors, corrected its mistakes,
and doubtless will make more errors
to be corrected in their turn. But 1t
is proving effective in bringing some
fundamental changes in our economic
condition which will be slower to be
recognized than the more obvious
physical public works improvements.
All the way across the map of the
country. the public works program is
at work with dirt flying, from Alaska
to the Panama Canal, from the Vir-
gin Islands to Hawaii, as well as in
every State and almost every county
of the United States. This power Of
P. w. A. long since loosed at the
top, is showing its effects at the bot
tom in the form of employment on
financially, economically and socially
justified construction projects.
Daily, the partially informed and
the misinformed are passing judg-
ment on the P. w. A. program. Its
friends over-praise it and its critics
over-condemn it. The record speaks
for itself. 1t shows P. W. A. as a
wheel-horse In the recovery team
President Roosevelt has hitched to-
gether. 1t is pulling its weight.
Satisfied on Money Use.
I am satisfied the money the Ma
ton has given for this phase of the
recovery program is being used to
bring the greatest possible return.
Those of the Public Works Ad-
ministration qualified by an intimate
knowledge of the vast program to
know whereof they might speak have
refrained and will refrain from max
ing forecasts that may prove errone-
Gus. We are pioneering new from
tier for which precedents are lacking.
Sincere. but injudiciously lyric, be-
levers in the public works as a recov-
cry measure, regarding this program
as cure-all for most of the evils
that beset the country. have prophe-
sled that it would end unemployment.
1t alone could not do this.
No such program, although f.
nanced by the impressive sum of
o,ooo 900. could wipe out unem-
ployment even in the construction
industry, in which only few years
ago $1,000, 100000 was spent in one
year in this Nation.
Equally off-balance are pronounce
mentS that no widespread recovery
can thus be accomplished. In this
category belongs the statement of for
mer President Hoover, who, on May
%, 1882, wrote 80 it will be found
that less than 100000 900 land this
is doubtfuD, could be expended during
the next fiscal year beyond the pro-
gram of the budget This means the
employment of say less than 100000
men
During it's first year, P. w. A has
far outrun this forecast Many times
such a result has actually been &C
complished to date on a broader, safer
public works program than had been
conceived prior to President Roose-
velt's Inauguration.
$4,000, 200 Approved in Year.
The past offers only one opportu-
nifty by which to Judge the energy
and effectiveness which P. w. A. put
into its gigantic task. In a years
time the Reconstruction Finance
Corporation authorized loans of
1920, 900 900 on lit self-liquidating
public works projects, while P. w. A.
in less than a year allotted its entire
So, 800. .000,0 900 fund to 1926 Federal
projects and 2,407 non-Federal prof.
ects. 1t is only fair to say. however,
that the two agencies have operated
under different legislation and regu-
lations with P. w. A. being allowed
greater liberty of action.
We have learned from bitter ex-
perience that this country had plan
ned little of its public works in ad-
vance. 1t was on the high road to
being a jerry-built nation which, like
Topsy, had "just growed." We have
learned that we must plan our pub
lie works in advance if we would
achieve a sensible economy, and that
local planning must go hand in hand
with State planning and a carefully
considered long-range national plan.
P. w. A. is only scratching the sur
face.
We have learned also that the
road to salvation for the taxpayers
is to take public works out of the
political pork barrell' and establish
it on a proper basis so that every
project into which public money and
credit is poured will stand on its
own merits without the benefit of
logrolling.
We have learned that great pub
lie works program to be kept free
of waste and graft. must be based
upon careful supervision with full
exercise of all safeguards. Without
exercising precaution and moving de-
liberately, more damage than benefit
may result.
Timing Important Factor.
We have learned that timing is
one Of the most important factors in
volved in a public works program.
Public works should be spaced under
a carefully considered program that
can be developed according to the
real need of the hour. Instead of
carrying out a scientifically deter
mined program, p w. A. was created
over night several years after the
urgent need for such an agency was
manifest. It began to function in
response to such an insistent demand
that 1t was really required to start
off at top speed 1t did start at
top speed, and by the sheer courage
and endurance of o loyal staff, which
worked day and night through the
Summer and Winter. it succeeded in
overcoming much Of the handicap
under which 1t began to work.
In the fury of the past IL months
p. w. A. has adopted and clung to
certain uolicieS that can never be