Evening star., 1935-04-21
ROOSEVELT RISKS
BLAME OR PRAISE
IN HUGE SPENDING
Aides See Desire to Take
Front Trench Action on
Relief Program.
TIME OF DISTRIBUTION
FOCAL POINT IN PLANS
Brakes Seen Necessary If Cash Is
to Last Beyond 1886 Cam
paign Season.
BY EARNEST X. LINDLEY.

tCOpyrlgnt. lS'tnJ
President Roosevelt has informed
his closest associates In the Gov
ernment that he intends to take the
actual, as we'll as the implied, resprn-
sibility for the execution of the s4,-
900. .o0o.000 works program. He has
made 1t plain to them that his pre-
viously announced intention to sit
as chairman of the Allotment Com
mittee for the Works Committee was
not merely a device to smooth over
rivalries in his administration or to
appease Representatives and Senators
who did not want to place the money
In the hands of Harold L. IckeS, pub
lie works administrator.
The primary significance of the
Presidents decision is political, in the
view of his chief aides. Its effect
will be to put him out where he will
be the main target if the program
fails to function properly. In broad
sense, of course, the President must
accept responsibility for everything
that his administration does. But. as
a matter of fact, the general public
IedIlLcS Ulldb IlO Sdli w ANAiy
aware of everything that goes on in
his administration. that he must dele
gate responsibility.
Popularity Slaves OFF Attacks.
The personal popularity of Mr..
Roosevelt has served to shield him
from direct attack from the political
opposition to a greater extent than
was the fortune of some of his prede-
cessors. Thus. Gen. Hugh S. john
son took the main punishment for
the N. r. A.: Henry A. Wallace. Sec
retary of Agriculture. is taking the
brunt of the attacks on the A. A. A;
James A. Farley has taken the blame
for various political decisions. and
other members of the administration
have been the main targets Of the
opposition to various other New Deal
policies.
But now, as his associates see it,
the President Is getting ready to put
himself out in front in the handling
Of the huge work-relief appropriation.
While the actual administration of
the program will be in several hands,
the President will pass on every allot-
ment, according to his announced
plans. The protective line of whip
ping boys between him and the public
will be cleared away. In the words of
one Of his lieutenants, Mr.. Roosevelt
Is prepared to stand or fall' on the
successful administration Of this fund,
out of which he has promised to create
direct employment for $500, 900 able
bodied unemployed on the relief rolls.
The Presidents decision was made
over the protests of most of his advis-
ers. They have urged him against
taking an unnecessary risk, holding
that if all goes we'll, he will get the
credit anyway. while If anything goes
wrong it will be convenient to let as
much of the criticism as possible be
absorbed by his lieutenants. They
have argued. also. that he should not
add any more burdens to his daily
work.
Plans Not Revealed.
The President has not yet COM
pletely revealed his plans for handling
the money to his close associates, ac-
cording to people who should know.
There is still considerable amount
Of hauling and pulling for position
among the men who expect to have
some of the administrative RESPONSE
biity. When the President has his
plan completely worked out, he ex-
poets to announce it himself, possibly
at a special press conference compar-
able to his annual reviews of the
budget for the Washington corre-
spondents.
Under direction from the White
House, Harry L. Hopkins, Federal
emergency relief administrator, Ickes
and other officials are clearing the |
way for the new program.
Mr.. Hopkins intends to have the
aged and miscellaneous unemploy-
ables back on the hands of State and !
local governments by Midsummer |
This in accordance with the plan |
outlined by the President in his an
nual message to Congress. Apart |
from farmers in the drought areas !
and farmers who are being rehabili-
tated with the aid of small loans in |
non-drought areas, there are only
about 3.500,000 physically and men,
tally capable heads of families on the
(rnrfio,rol m pora Co1,,,,on