Evening star., 1936-05-18
BY JOHN C. HENRY.

Conflicting views as to the worth OF
the Federal resettlement experiment
here, where a community designed to
be self-sustaining is nearing compile
ton, are expressed by nearby neigh
bors.
In Reedsville proper, about a mile
away, a cashier in the country bank
SAYS: We're for it. 1t might be
costing lot of money, but the idea
seems headed toward something. There
are some kinds of relief we can't see
any return on. They seem to have
had plenty of trouble over there but
think the worst of that is over"
Across the street garage mechanic
shrugs: II don't know exactly what
they're trying to do but I know some
of them miners would starve to death
in a pie factory if there WASN'T some
body around to cut the pie for them.
1 hear they are giving theh land for
farming; why, some of those fellows
couldn't even grow weeds"
Summing himself on a bench In
front of the garage, an old-timer
chuckles: They don't know nothin'
about farming The bosses tell 'em
what to do. Don't know as they know
either. It's poor mems money they're
spendin' over there, but them as live
there seem to like it. worked over
there in '33 and been tryin' to get
back ever since"
Located in Preston County, an old
Republican stronghold, the project
takes its most consistent beating from
one H. S. Whetsell, Republican editor
of the Preston County Journal. a
weekly newspaper. Week after week,
he attacks the bungling which has
cropped up or the principle which lies
behind the entire experiment.
"Arthurdale will prove that just
about any family can get along if it
has a Government subsidy" he chal-
lenges, so could any established
farmer or business man"
50 HalterS But no Cows.
Editor Whetsell has declared war
on such incidents as the purchase of
so halters by the Government but not
one single COW, the desecration of
native sandstone by painting 1t white
after completing construction. the
freezing up of drain pipes on the new
school buildings because the roofs
didn't slant sufficiently to carry of
the water.
His greatest enthusiasm. however,
has been directed at the factory build
ing, which he claims they were
planning to turn into chicken house
until he "got after them" Dubbing
it the Jennings-Eleanor factory after
Representative Jennings Randolph,
Democrat of that district. and Mrs.
Roosevelt, the militant Republican
posed a page-one question at officials
of the project as to how much the
cost per pound of frying chickens
would be if they we're raised In the
$4,000 plant.
In Morgantown the newspapers take
admit all the published faults against
the project and disclose others, but
their deeper feelings are summed up
by the little mountain city's out
standing editor:
I'D like to see the project amount
to something because realize more
than you do the seriousness of the
problem under treatment. These min
ing communities up here have been
in a bad way since the early 1920's
when the rest OF the country seemed
to feel that prosperity was just
habit II the Government can set
them an example on how to straighten
themselves out, then we can't be op-
posed to it."
The Morgantown newsmen report
disapproval in Preston and Monon-
gala Counties of the school set-up,
whereby teachers are brought in for
the Arthurdale system at salaries
ranging up from $3.50 per month.
County teachers, they point out, re-
ceive salaries ranging up from $110
per month, with 10 per cent as the
minimum. Under the State system. a
college degree is required for a posi-
ton in any of the rural schools.
Furthermore, although the school
system is supported primarily by pri-
vately donated funds, Preston County
contributes six of the II faculty mem
bers, with most of their compensation
coming from w. P. A. funds.
Mrs. Roosevelt Aids School.
Miss Clapp receives only 81 per
year from the Government, but her
real salary is variously reported be-
tween $4,000 and $4,000. At the Re-
settlement Administration the guess
was made that the school official re-
ceives about $4,000 per year, in addi-
tion to rent-free home. Among the
private contributors to the schools
support is Mrs. Roosevelt, who was
chiefly responsible for bringing Miss
Clapp to Reedsville from Louisville,
KY.
In a report of school activities, Miss
Clapp names the following as mem
bers of a National Educational Spon-
soring Committee of the Arthurdale
School: Mrs. Roosevelt. Dr. John
Dewey, Fred J. Kelley of the Bureau
of Education, Mrs. Lucy Sprague
Mitchell, Clarence E. Pickett, execu-
tive secretary of the American
Friends Service Committee; DR.. e. e.
Agger of the Resettlement Admins
tration and Miss Clapp.
In Arthurdale itself, of course. are
the most important reactions-those
of the guinea pigs" Here they work
up to 1870 hours per month for wages
and as much more as they wish for
themselves. Their wages range from
As to SIS and so cents per hour, de-
pending upon their classification as
unskilled, semi-skilled or skilled la