Evening star., 1935-04-14
PERMANENT UNIT
FOR WORKS|SSEEN
Democratic Group Seeks
Voice for Congress in
Shaping Program.
By the Associated Press.

By the AsSoeiated Press.
The creation of permanent
national planning agency to chart the
course for a continuing public works
program was reported authoritatively
yesterday. 10 be envisaged by Presi-
dent Roosevelt in shaping his four
billion dollar relief work plan.
This disclosure came while the un-
official House Democratic Steering
Committee was seeking conference
with the President to ask that mem
bers OF Congress be allowed some say
about the projects to be undertaken
in their districts. They hope to see
Mr.. Roosevelt tomorrow
Other developments of the day in
cluded:
ALLEGATION by Harry L. Hopkins, the
relief administrator OF Sll3,66l ,384
for April relief Georgia was given
no funds and Pennsylvania only half
a months supply, they being among
the States which Hopkins has said
had not made arrangements to fur
nish their share Of the cost.
oTduc NFOssiHk ETUkthm.
Bureau Of Public Roads official
said States were ready TO 90 ahead
with a grade crossing elimination
program costing between Sl00.000000
and 100000 900
Robert Fechner director Of the
Civilian Conservation Corps, said
20 900 members of the corps would
be sent to Kansas, Oklahoma TeXss,
New Mexico and Colorado TO broader
the soil-erosion- prevention program.
Secretary Ickes reported tina.
1900 of 10000 public works project
under the old fund had been com
pleted or were under construction anG
that employment at different time
had been provided 100000 person
He said So sos, ,050 900 had gone into
construction and 81 200, 900 900 to the
financing OF other Governmen
agencies.
Permanent r. w. A. Planned.
In discussing the permanent plan
ming agency. informed quarters said
many Of the chief advisers of the
President were agreed that it would
be necessary for the Government 10
continue public works as a permanent
part of the national life.
With this in mind, they said, l.
would be necessary TO have a plan
ming agency To direct these works
along lines OF Well-grounded policy.
The Planning Board would pass upon
projects with a view to keeping them
in step with a long range improve
ment plan. 1t would cooperate with
the more than 40 State planning
agencies that have been set up.
The President already has indicated
that the major part of the spending
of the $4.000,0O00OO would be done
by existing governmental agencies
the heads Of which would comprise
board over which he would preside
Would Coordinate Works.
The function of the board, as out
lined in the proposal that has been
put before the Chief Executive, would
be to serve as a clearing house for
significant plans developed by Federal.
State or local agencies. In its work
the board would, under this sugges-
ton, help to coordinate the different
Federal, State and local plans where
close cooperation appeared needed.
/ The proposal calls for a board OF
not more than f1ve members with
rotating panel of consultants to be
! chosen by the board. 1t calls for fire.
quent consultations with representa-
tives of labor, agriculture and in
/ dustry.
In general, the test which informed
officials expect TO see applied 10 pro-
posed projects under the work pro-
! gram is whether they fit into long
time effort to promote better use and
conservation of land, water mineral
and human resources.
Member Voices Plant.
One member who attended the
Steering Committee meeting said:
Frequently members of Congress
have told constituents that they were
unable TO find out anything about a
particular project in their districts
and even that the project was not TO
be undertaken.
| Then, TO their surprise, public an
nouncement had been made that the
project would be undertaken and the
money allocated
They not only had no chance TO
try to discuss projects with p. w. A.
ofhcials, but the way things happened
made them look silly"
a