The Lexington advertiser., 1935-10-03
Cong. Wilmington
Speaker at Rotary

interesting meeting last Friday as Con-
gressman Will NJ. Wilmington was the
main speaker of the occasion Prog
ram Chairman Max Scobey was unavod-
ably abseno and L. f. Barr introduced
the guest to the Club His subject was:
friends In Government" In addressing
the club Mr.. Wilmington said:
"Public attention has been focused on
Washington for the past four years as
never before The country has been
looking to Washington for the solution
of all problems-state and national. The
reason is widespread economic
distress accounts for it.
Il believe that progress has been
made toward substantial recovery. The
large appropriations were for emer-
gency purposes. A breathing spell in
emergency measures has been proclaim
ed, There must not only be breathing
spell but there should be a discontinue
ance of experimental legislation. In
creasing Federal deficits will undermine
Government credit.
'lt is now certain that no amount of
Government spending can make a final
contribution toward permanent solu-
tion of the problem of unemployment.
or the ultimate revival of business. Per-
sonally, | believe that it would have
been better to have relieved hunger than
to have made the enormus appropria-
tions of four billion dollars to provide
for unemployment. Private industry
must ultimately provide for unemploy-
ment Valuable public works and per-
manent internal improvements in normal
times contribute to the advancement of
the country. There is a place for pub
lie works to relieve unemployment; how
ever. these works should be worthy and
worthwhile.
Overhead expense and political super
vision that result from Government
works accounts for the failure to pro-
vide for the return to normal conditions
Whenever business is favored by Gov
ernment it is because business wants
some special privilege. Whenever the
Government goes into business it inter
teres with the ordinary processes that
the Government does not understand and
is not equipped to deal with. Political
theorists do not understand that the
Government and business cannot be
mixed without harm to both.
III the large appropriations made for
relief have failed to provide for unem-
ployment, they have failed in their pur-
pose. 1t is time to call halt in emer-
gency measures. 1t is time to proclaim
that the Government should retire from
business activities. If relief measures
are to be constantly repeated, and if
only governmental appropriations can
st 1ut Inns
will be retarded.
Il told the President personally some
weeks ago that the Public Works prog
ram and the Works Progress program
would be failures unless the rules and
regulations to require that all labor or
80 Per cent of the labor should be taken
from the relief rolls and unless the cost
per man per year of projects to be con-
structcd were modified and changed
Publlc works can be constructed and
Work projects can be built that will be
OF value; moreover, in Mississippi an
agricultural state, unemployment is
scasonal-cotton will soon be harvested.
| have opposed limiting employment to
those on the relief rolls. Worthwhile
citizens who are out of employment
Hiipulu w gwen opportunity TO WORK.
will continue to urge and to advocate a
modification of the program so as to
provide for highway construction, flood
control improvements, school additions
and repairs, municipal improvements and
other similar projects that will be of
permanent benefit. 1t is not altogether
matter of spending. 1t is fundamental
that we have something to show for the
money that has been spent. | am asking
that consideration and approval be given
to the worthwhile loan and grant pro-
Jects that have been forwarded by the
State Administration and that are now
under consideration in Washington
Moreover, | am thoroughly convinced
that fiscal policy will be adopted for
the future that will result in expendi-
lures not exceeding revenues.
"Farming is the most impo rtant bu-
| siness in the United States Other Ad-
ministrations have promised relief to
| agriculture. The Administration at
Washington has converted promises into
performance. The Agricultural ADJUST
ment Act is the most beneficial legisla-
ton in behalf of the South, and partic-
ularly of the cotton growers of the
South, passed during the present admin
lstrat.on.
MY efforts in behalf of flood control
along the Observation-Disclosures c oldwater
River System have materialized. A ten
tative allotment of a million dollars has
been made and this involves project
that will cost ten million dollars. | am
asking Governor Conner to include con
sideration of legislation that will pro-
vide for flood control so that the local
interests will be in position to maintain
flood control works that may be con-
Stlucted by the Federal Government, as
well as to assist in their construction.
The so-called Sardis reservoir will de-
tam approximately one-thrd of the
flood waters that come into the Delta.
1t should be of benefit to all sections.
Another project is pending that pro-
"ldes for clearing, cleaning, straighten-
ing and charging the entire channel of
the 1azoo river system including Tchula
Lake and below Yazoo City. | know of