The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1936-08-26
GIGANTIC PWA
SPEN DING
NEAR END
BY EARLE GOODWIN

Apparently the vast Public
Works program is nearing an end,
and the only new PWA money to be
spent is where there seems to be
a moral obligation on the part of
the Federal Government to grant
certain cities money for projects
for which the voters or councilmen
have authorized bonds or cash.
This is the concenSus of opinion
Of observers who listened closely
to President Roosevelt's eXplana-
ton of the new PWA program dis
cussed by him with PWA Admins
traitor Ickes and Col. Horatio
Hackett. PWA housing head and
aid to Mr.. Ickes.
Program Stalemated
The entire matter, clouded with
secrecy and confusion, seems to
be just where it has stood for some
months past with respect to the in
ternal struggles between Secretary
Ickes and WPA Administrator
Harry Hopkins.
Apparently President Roosevelt
wants to spend the vast fund of
relief money rapidly and still
considers that the WPA under
Administrator Hopkins is a much
more rapid channel of distribu-
ton than the rather "slow but
sure" Public Work Administra-
ton, which has specialized in
heavy construction work, roads,
bridges, buildings, schools, etc.
Out of the billion and half re-
lief fund this year, all that PWA
got was $300,O00,000 and that
was so badly tied up by regula-
tions and limitations as to how
it must be spent that Secretary
IckeS has practically given up
any new building program. At
the same time practically every
county in the United States has
been crying for Public Works as
siStance for all sorts of municipal
and county projects, ranging
from sewers and sidewalks to
high schools and hospitals.
Congress in Favor
Congress has made it plain
that it wants more public works
rather than less. for the Ickes
program has put hundreds OF
counties on their feet financially
by aiding much needed improve
mentS and increases to existing
plants. Scores of counties and
towns are looking forward to
PWA aid for publicly owned cleo
trio plants.
However, President Roosevelt
seems determined to spend Fed
eral relief money almost entirely
in wages. That means that
where a project costs so per cent
for material and so per cent for
labor, the PWA grant of As per
cent of the cost must go entirely
for labor and wages. The PreSl-
dent does not care how much a
city pays out of its own money
for material; the Federal grant
must be for wages, and the un-
derstanding is that labor must
come from the relief rolls.
Limited Distribution
And this is limited now to those
cities where elections authorizing
bond issues or cash spending have
been held. These places, the
President believes, have acted in
good faith and expect to have Fed
eral aid-and the President states
that he considers there is moral
obligation there, which makes it
necessary that the PWA act. How
ever, it is understood that there
is only about 100 million dollars
in projects represented in these
cities in the good faith class" -.
What will become of the rest Of
the 200-million-dollar PWA fund
is question.
The Presidents announcement
that there would be rechecking
of everybody on WPA jobs means
that a fine tooth comb effort is
being made to distribute these re-
lief jobs on a better basis.
It will show up the class of
workers, their skill and experience,
it is hoped, and will act as a guide
toward the selection of workers
for the comparatively few public
works jobs that can be carried out
under the Presidents new direc.
tionS.
VOTE AMERICAN