Evening star., 1935-04-07
Rural Rehabilitation Scheme
Especially Jeopardized
Some Leaders Fear.
COMMUNITY BUILDING
AND LAND BUYING HIT
Measure in Final Form Sent
President, Now Starting
Back to Capital.
BY ERNEST X. LINDLEY.
lNnnuriah. Inn-

'NOUyiisHl. 1900
The S4,880 100000 work-relief bill
was on its way South last night to
to receive the signature of the Presi-
dent. presumably as soon as he lands
from his fishing excursion Monday.
Swift action to set up the admins
trative machinery for the expenditure
of the money is expected as soon as
the President returns
Widespread relief over the fact that
the bill at last emerged. after rs
days, from the grinding congress
sional mills was tempered in certain
quarters of the administration by
grave doubts that the bill in its final
form will permit the use of funds
for some Of the most important parts
of the Presidents program.
The building Of rural industrial
communities and the acquisition of
submarginal land are the ele-
ments in the program which ap-
pear to have been jeopardized by the
bill. In fact, one administration Of
fetal who had examined the bill eX-
pressed doubt that any long-range
work in rural rehabilitation could be
done except on a purely individual
basis or through the States. Other
officials, including two lawyers, took
a more hopeful view but admitted
that the bill, as drafted, might inter-
pose some difficulties in the way of
the whole land utilization and rural
rehabilitation program.
McCarI In Kav poSitiou
The ultimate determination will rest
with Controller General j. R. Nc
Carl. And the presumption there is
unfavorable to the administration be-
cause his office recently advised
the Senate Committee on Appropria-
tions that the classes of projects
listed in the bill could not be in
terpreted to cover rural industrial
communities and submarginal land
acquisition. The controller general
would not discuss the matter today,
except to say that he would have to
pass on each specific problem as it was
raised.
Some work on rural industrial CEN
terS has already been begun under
subsistence homesteads division of
the Interior Department and by the
Federal Emergency Relief Admins
tration through State rural rehabili-
tation corporate The land-pur-
chase program is already going at full
blast under special appropriations
which will be exhausted within the
next few months.
1t was admitted that unless more
funds are made available the land
program will be in rather bad Sit
uation, as in many areas the pur-
chases are in the form of separated
plots which have not yet been con-
solldated Land is being purchased
Tor the life refugees, the use of the
Indians. for the rehabilitation of
sharecroppers and evicted tenants,
rec: eational purposes, grazing, re-
foreStation and allied purposes.
Plains Area Eroded.
The administration was preparing
to move into the wind-eroded areas
cf the Western plains and buy aban-
doEed land on large scale for re-
planting grass. Its broad rural re-
habilitation program in the South
will involve the purchase of worm
out lands and the moving Of families
70 plots of better land. Some 10000
families are living on submarginal
lanc which already has been bought
or optioned and are awaiting removal
TO better land-much of which has not
yes been bought.
Likewise the development o. rural
industrial communities and of satellite
cities was considered one of the chief
long range phases of the works pro-
gram-and a phase, moreover. in
which Mr.. Roosevelt had exceptional
personal interest. Both the land pro-
gram and the building or rural in
dustrial centerS were expected to be
in the hands of DR.. Rexford G. Tug
well. Undersecretary of Agriculture.
Whether the President will seek fur
ther legislation to remedy the defects
in the bill or whether the administra-
ton lawyers will be able to work out
some kind of arrangement with the
controller general were questions
awaiting the return of Mr.. Roosevelt.
Elliott Wrote Opinion.
When the classification of projects
was first added to the bill about six
weeks ago, lists of the things that
could be done under each heading
we're submitted by F. E. r. A.. These
lists were referred to the controller
general by Senator James j. Byrnes.
The reply, signed by r. N. Elliott as
acting controller general in the alb
sence of Mr. McCarl. took exception
CONTINUED on Page 4, Column -
H--o I--o.nf