The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-11-18


port on State Planning submit
Chairman Harold L. Ickes and
The State Planning Boards,
reporting to the National Re-
sources Committee, covered
the problems of land use gen.
orally = agriculture, recrea-
ton, forestry, etc, of water
use, of electric power, Of special
and economic development, of state
relationships to political units with
in the states, to other states and
to the Federal government; of
transportation, and of mineral re-
sources conservation.
The National Resources Commit
tee, after surveying the work of the
as state boards, declares that the
state planning units represent a
new approach to the problem of
providing democracy with the best
technical TOOLS" and recommends
continued Federal support of state
planning activities which are de-
scribed as an indispensable factor
in any effective program for bet
ter utilization of the natural and
human resources Of the country"
Planning Is State Function
Emphasizing the belief that plan
ming is baSically state function,
the committee, in its finding and
recommendations which preface the
report made public today, says, Too
great Capitalization in Washington
is not desirable even if possible,
since planning is an attitude and
a practice which must command the
confidence and invite the co-opera-
ton Of wide groups of people; it
must come from the bottom up as
well as from the top down.
In return for continued Federal
assistance the As state planning
boards can be expected, according
to the committee, to play a major
role in the creation of a sound ma
tlonal program of conservation and
public works to be extended over
a period Of years. Pointing out that
no matter how small or large the
normal expenditure for the public
works may be, the committee says
it is of prime Importance that there
be such coordination among the
state and Federal governments that
maximum returns may be assured
to the people of the states.
The committee both in it's fore
ward to the report and in its find
ings emphasized the non-partisan
character of the state planning
movement and the Importance of
keeping the boards detached from
immediate political power. The
committee cites numerous indorSe-
mentS of state planning boards by
governors no matter what their po-
litical affiliation may be, and de-
Scribing the place Of the board in
the state government picture, says.
Board Is General Staff
THE State Planning Board may
be looked upon as general staff
for the executive of the state, gath
erlng and analyzing facts, observing
the INTERPOLATION of different state
policies, proposing from time to time
alternative lines of state procedure,
constantly preparing and present.
ing to the authorities its findings,
conclusions and recommendations in
the field of long time programming
1T can not be too strongly en-
phaSized that the function of these
boards is not that of making final
decisions upon broad questions of
policy-a responsibility which rests
firmly upon the elected representa-
tives of the people.
Such a board will be useful in
proportion as it is detached from
immediate political power, serving
as the technical tool of the democ-
racy. In this field the intelligence
and vision of board. the respect
and confidence it enjoys among
groups whose cooperation is in
diSpenSible, are far more important
than large statutory powers or
bristling governmental sanctions"
The National Resources Commit
tee is headed by Harold L. Ickes,
chairman and consists of Frederic
A. Delano, vice chairman; Secretary
of Commerce Daniel c. Roper, Sec
rotary of War George H. Dern, Sec
rotary Of Agriculture Henry A. Wal
lace, Secretary of Labor Frances
Perkins, Federal Emergency Relief
Administrator Harry L. Hopkins,
Charles E. Merriam and Wesley c.
Mitchell. Charles w. Elliot II is
executive officer of the committee.