Evening star., 1935-08-02
WORKER PLEASED
BY REGULAR lob
Commissioner Allen Inspects
56 Projects Now Under
Way Here.

"Let us start from scratch, boss, and
then watch us scratch! We likes job
OF work better than we likes a hand
out!"
The giant colored laborer was sweat
ing, but grinning from ear to ear,
happy to be one of the l 1,42O men who
got new jobs yesterday under the
Districts Works Progress program.
He leaned on his shovel near the
Harvard street entrance to the Zoo,
where 1856 laborers were grading, sub
soiling and planting an 80-foot bank
whose annual washouts have been a
thorn in the side of highway engineers
for 10 years.
"It's like this, boss" continued the
giant, mopping his brow with brawny
forearm. When I was workin' for
the relief, I swung a pick alongside a
man who was maxim SIT ever time I
drew 81.
Wants Equal Pay.
THAT man had more children than
I has, but he couldn't swing a pick
no faster. Let us start from scratch,
boss, I say. Pay us fair and equal
wages for a equal job of work."
Most of the others nodded approval,
but the giants opinicn was not en-
tirely unanimous. Under the F.. E.
r. A. budget system, the head of
big family, no matter how inefficient
workman, received as high as $50
a month, while a better man beside
him might be making only fraction
OF that.
The 1920 laborers went Gu regular,
year-round jobs yesterday in what
District officials believe was the coun-
try's first big work day under the new
system.
Perhaps the officials hacked through
. little red tape" undoubtedly they
made a few omissions In filling out
the 63 official forms relating to the
shift, but on the whole they were
elated at getting the jump on the rest
OF the country by throwing such a
large force into the field
Commissioner George E. Allen, in
charge Of the program, was particu-
larly optimistic as he made an inspec-
ton of the 56 highway jobs launched
under the Works Progress AdminiStra-
tion.
Approval of Plans.
I'VE could put 5000 more able
bodied men to work tomorrow on Use
full, permanent and necessary i'm
provements if we could get our plans
approved" Commissioner Allen said
Next to the soil erosion job at the
Zoo entrance, the biggest project
under the new program is the ex-
tenson of Forty-fourth street from
Fulton street half mile through un-
improved country to w street.
Commissioner Allen found time yes
terday during his inspection tour
with Capt. H. c. Whitehurst, chief of
the District Highway Department, to
climb to the seat of a lotion roller
and try out the machine on the sur
face being laid on Forty-fourth street.
1T works fine, boys" said the Com
missioner after a round trip at the
throttle; wish I had time to run
that thing all day!'
Contrary to popular supposition,
Commissioner Allen said, the men put
to work yesterday are not going from
the dole" to regular jobs, but every
man has been working for his money
under the F. E. r. A. Thus they went
to the new jobs with muscles hardened
and with previous experience at man
ual labor
Pay Assured for Year.
The basic pay is $45 month for
eor1oo fuov,fu T-hnlIr daus Dow douc
will come regularly twice a month for
the next year at least.
THE projects are not made work
in any sense" Commissioner Allen
continued Rather they are much
needed improvements which the Com
missioners would authorize from regu-
lar tax funds If they had the funds.
And the men are not on relief.
They are Federal employees with regu-
lar jobs, and they will be expected to
measure up to them If they do not,
the foremen have authority to fire the
misf1ts. I'm sure that this will work
a big improvement in morale and in
the amount of work turned out
District authorities have been work.
ing out detailed plans for the projects
since Congress appropriated funds for
the Nation wide program
Washington has been divided into
seven districts, each under an ex-
perienced supervisor About 10 work
crews are assigned to each district
under individual foremen who are
promoted from the ranks
The pay under the program ranges
from $45 to $79 a month, and de-
pends entirely on ability and skill.