The Waterbury Democrat., 1935-06-28

Washington, Jan 2S.-The slowest moving unit of the Presl- dents Work Relief machine con. tinues to be Rexford c. Tugwell's Resettloment Administration. It's contribution to reduction of un- employment before the election deadline In 1886 will be next tok nil.
 This slowncss Is duo partly 10 confusion In the new agency, party to the nature of the pro. jects to be undertaken. These projects will aim to settle people permanently, not merely give them leaf.raking employment for year or two.
 Tugwell is proceeding with caution. He know he cannot uproot a community from It's lands = no matter how profit ably = without careful planning and tactful management. . His caution Is eccentuated by three uncertainties in the Wash ington scene:
 i. He does not have $l00,- 000,000 to spend, us Is general. ly supposed. Projects are sub. mitetd to the Allotment Board, and he gets only as much money as needed for those projects that pass the board.
 2. He Is obliged to absorb two older agencies--Subsistcnce Homesteads and Rural Rehabi. litation--and to effect a house. cleaning before ho does so.
 2. The establishment of the Bankhead Farm Homo Corpora ton would make full billion dollars available for resettle. ment work, not under Tugwclrs control. He cannot lay out a full program until he knows the program of that agency.
 Desk. Warmers
 This caution has produced a state of restlessness in his organ ization. Officials have desks and secretaries but no clear-cut job to do. Both their duties and their titles are kept a dark secret.
 TugwelI himself, when asked by Senator IaEollcttc what the plans of his administration were, answered only in general terms. After reading the letter, LaFol. lettc knew no more than hc did before. Under the salutation, Dear Rob-" Tugwcil said:
 "rechnical aides of the admin istrator are now engaged in an exploratory study of the land use problem in. order that Resettle- ment, in cooperation and coordin- ation with other agencies of the government, can give the great est amount of service"
 Rural Art
 Outstanding example of Tug wellian vagueness was his en- gagement of the artist Adrian Dornbush.
 Dornbush had managed an art project in Key West, and Tugweli invited him to join Rcscttlenent Administration. Tugwell thought hc would he a good man to tn. troucc culture into stranded com. inunitcis.
 Dornbush came and asked what his duties were to be. Tug we'll answered by sending him out in the field to examine exist ing Subsistence Homestead pro- jects. ~
 Returning, Dornbush asked again what he should do. Was he expected to make the farmers paint, or organize barn dances, or start classes in pottery-mak- ing. or what?
 Faced with the question, Tug well paused. Then he smiled and said, "Ycs".
 Dornbush is still sitting at c desk in Washington, in the midst of other unsettled Resettlement ment officials, waiting for the program to get under way.
 NOTE: Tugweii has just hired, as administrative assistant, ken- meth Clark. one of the ablesf of tho newspaper corps. He Is badly needed.
 Rest Loss
 How intense is the. drive Of big utilities against the Holding Cor- porafion Till lE indicated hy what happened recently in New York city.