, 1935-06-09
WASHINGTON
BY Ray Tucker

~ &@
Percent - The character Of prin-
cipal projects financed by New Deal
money has changed since Mayor La
GuardIa Of New York won better
terms for borrowers, Instead Of
raking leaves. patching shoulders OF
roads and fixing up Fairgrounds,
cities are now undertaking construc-
tive projects. They arc building
bridges, sewage plants. schools. hos
pitfalls. etc.
There was a bitter backstage bat
tie over the new terms. Secretary
Ickes' representatives thought the
old arrangement was sufficiently
generous 80 a 80 per cent advance
by the federal government at ! per
cent interest. But Secretary Nor
Renthau backed the Mayors de-
mands for more liberal advances and
interest. Frank Walker stepped in
10 stop the practice whereby NUM-
cipalities got money for nothing
from Harry Hopkins.
Now the cities get a - per cent
gift from the government and pay
only 3 per cent interest on the bal
ance 80 slightly more than ] per cent
on the total advance. Mr.. RooSe-
welt sides with the cities against his
W bureaucrats.
Dim Professor Tugwell has SUI
fered one setback after another al
meetings of the s $4,000. 900 900 allot-
ment board in the White House each
Monday and Thursday. He has
stood almost alone against the rep
resentativeS Of business. labor, the
cities and the farm interest.
The chief complaint against FRO
fessor Tugwell Is that he wants hun
dreds Of millions for longtime agri-
cultural work. Only a comparatively
small number OF people would be put
to work now If his program were ac-
cepted. Although the President sym
pathizes with his large ideas for ag-
r%icultural rehabilitation. Mr.. RooSe-
velt's chief aim Is to put people 70
work. The Tugwellian program Tor
"remaking the world Is being whit
tied down to political realities.
Slowness In getting the $4,000
OO0.0 900 program under way worries
the White House. Mr.. Roosevelts
aim vas to reach the peak OF pro-
duction and employment by Novem-
Der. That has become a faint hope
because Of delays within the allot-
ment board and objecttns raised
by Controller General McCarl.
F1are-up - The $4,000. 900, 900 Al
lotment Board has refused TO act
as a rubber stamp body. Although
the president presides. the members
town hall meeting. They have icrc-
town hall meteing. They have fore
ed administration spokesman 70
back down and TO table some OF thei
pet projects.
A definitely critical group has
gravitated together TO oppose pro-
iects which do not meet the con-
ditions laid down by the President
II consists of Mayor LaGuaSdia rep
resenting the Conference OF Mayors;
Ed O-Neal speaking for agricultural
bodies. George Berry acting as
sp- -sman Of labor; and Sears-Roe-
buck Wood serving as the repre-
sentative OF business.
These four insist upon adoption OF
proje Is which will provide employ
ment. tril relief rolls and restore
purchasing power. The government
representatives want TO get things
done TO make the dirt fly. II n
probable that there will be a flare
I'D one OF these days over those Wt
detectives.
Revival 49, Washington hears that
AL Smith is hearkening 10 the siren
song OF the republicans. Until re-
GER - nobody believed that he would
change political affiliations any
more than he would his religion.
But now Mr.. Roosevelt's friends are
lot so cocky about that.
AL misses the limelight. He Is
blindly opposed TO all New Deal ven
lures. He carries in his pocket a
frayed cartoon from a famous re-
publican newspaper. 1t depicts him
as a stronger candidate for the COP
presidential nomination than his
fellow-insurance director Herbert
Hoover. As AL shows II. he says 70
his friends: "Ain't that the finest
cartoon you ever SAW"
Mr.. Smith agrees completely With
the supreme court. according to all
reports az the capital. AS a COVER
nor who forced social and economic
legislation through a hostile legis-
lature he believes that these prob
lens should be left 10 the states
PreferabIe-All this hullaballoc
about the threat Of expansion OF
cotton acreage In foreign countries
Is a false alarm. President Roose-
velt's special investigators report
that the cry was raised by export
ers for their own selfish interests. II
has been spiked by cabineteers as
signed to discover whether N do
meStic policies and high prices were