The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-07-29

submitted constructor programs OF
the sort for which they usually re-
ceive direct appropriations from
Congress.
Al that time there was available
an inventory of possible nOn-Federal
projects. tOtaling in estimated cost
more than 20 billion dollars. But
this information was discarded.
without explanation
The inventory has been prepared
a. the request of Harold L. Ickes,
Public Works Administrator. by
state planning boards and PWA en-
gineers. drawing funds from the
Federal Relief Administration. It
mad been supervised by the National
Resources Board, the super-plan-
ming body originated by the Presi-
dents uncle, Frederic A. Delano.
Devise New GantIet
All types of state, county and city
construction were included, with
estimates Of costs, potential employ
ment and the need and usefulness
of the projects.
Having discarded this informa-
ton. the works administration de-
vised a new gantlet for projects to
run.
The new routine was so red-taped
that Mr.. Hopkins and Secretary
IckeS had to coll in their STATE di-
rect for personally conducted
tours through the maze.
Here is an example of the way it
works:
II Sandusky, o. there are 300
families on relief with at least one
employable person each. Little pub
lie construction is needed in San
dusky, yet jobs must be found for
the 300.
Go Over Possibilities
County and city officials go over
the possibilities. They find that
the Courthouse should be enlarged
A new storm sewer would be a
boon to one section of town Side
walks are in bad repair, and sew
eral miles of streets need improve
ment. The municipal dock is in
adequate.
The officials figure out a few more
projects and the program is ready.
They take it to the state PWA and
WPA administrators in Columbus
who explore the engineering and
financial details.
There it is decided that, since the
hA,,Ir tn
house project should go through the
PWA on a loan-and-grant basis.
The rest of the work is strictly
city and the city is in poor finan-
cial shape. Hence the other projects
will go through the Works Progress
Administration, with the Federal
government supplying most of the
money. and the municipality con-
tributing such materials, services
and machinery as it can command
Bundled OFF to Capital
SanduSky'S program is bundled
of to Washington. 1t lands in
Frank c. Walkers Division of APP
plicationS and Information. Thence
the Courthouse project goes to Sec
rotary ICkeS' PWA offices and the
rest to Mr. Hopkins WPA.
Each project is Te-checked and in
q week or so. if approved. the pro-
gram turns up before the Advisory
Committee on AllotmentS. If
passed there. it goes on to the
Budget Bureau. where a curtailed
corps of examiners goes over each
item to make sure that no section
of the Federal law Will be violated.
This takes about two weeks.
Now the projects are ready for
the President, and he signs them
But the red tape is not over. They
must pass under the eagle eve of
Comptroller General John McCarl.
whose fine tooth comb checks pc
RODS, commas and estimates. An
other week probably has elapsed
Back they 20 TO the White House.
and warrants against the Federal
Reserve Bank in Cleveland can now
be issued to put SanduSky's 800 tc
work
Minimum of so Days
The entire process. at the present
tempo. takes a minimum Of 30 days
from the time the projects leave
their sponsors until they are ap-
proved in Washington.
All non-Federal projects must
travel this path. AS Federal prof.
ectS originate in Washington. they
escape the delay in the states. but
they pass through the same red
tape in Washington.
AT any point along the line an
assistant clerk can pick some tech
meal flaw in an application and
send it back to the sponsor for cor
rection and another long journey
Argue Against Red Tape
Much of the delay in the work
relief program. now weeks behind
schedule. is laid to this procedure
by these New Deal advisers who are
currently seeking to speed up oper-
atoms
They argue that individual atten-
ton in Washington for each project
is unnecessary. since it was COM
plClCAg CAlCChCO III TIC SNdtC u
origin They say lump appropria-
tons for state. city and county pro-
grams would hasten the day when
the Federal government could aban-
don direct relief.
President Roosevelt says the dead
line for abandoning the dole is No
vember His advisers tell him this
date is over-optimistic unless the
present system is revised.
Tomorrow WPA VS.. PWA -
With in the end will dominate