Evening star., 1936-04-13

~ hooONAdkCu EIebo.
A House bloc seeking earmarking
for public works of S700,00000 of
the $500, 100000 relief money asked
by President Roosevelt decided today
to name a committee to circulate Pc
titions and present them to the Presi-
dent.
The action was taken at a meeting
called by Representative Better, Demo-
crat, of New York. Last week several
members appeared before the House
Appropriations Subcommittee consid-
ering the s1,500, 100000 request.
simultaneously, representatives Of
the Workers Alliance of America
we're heard by the subcommittee.
They presented their $4,000, 1000 900
program for direct and works relief
for the coming fiscal year.
Headed by David LASER, national
chairman of New York. the organiza-
tico Of w. P. A. workers and unem-
ployed demanded that the Works
Progress Administration be put under
a board instead of dictator at the
top-one Harry Hopkins"
Only a dozen members attended the
meeting to rally sentiment behind the
move TO allot $700,000, 900 to Secretary
Ickes' Public Works Administration,
Better said the Offices of many men,
bers had informed him they were
absent only because of being out Of
town over Easter.
w. p. A. Could Use All.
Better said the impression before
the Appropriations Committee that w.
P. A. provided a much larger per-
centage of work per dollar expended
was erroneous" he added.
THE Secretary of Interior has not
thus far been permitted to appear be-
fore the Appropriations Committee and
give his side"
Hopkins testified that W. P. A.
could use all the $1,500,000,000 and
still not have enough to carry the 81
100000 men on its rolls through the
fiscal year
Asked If Ickes would be called as
result of the movement in his behalf.
Chairman Buchanan, Democrat, Of
Texas, has said only that "the COM
mittee has no estimate (budget) for
him"
Daniel w. Bell, acting budget de
rector, testified today with reference
to the amounts spent and obligated
of previous relief allotments.
Hopkins Defends Program.
Concurrently the Administrations
national relief policy was defended
and attacked.
From the defense side came large,
illustrated report from the Offices of
Works Progress Administrator Hop
kins, describing the program as a
great forward step" and accounting
for each expenditure in providing
work" for 3,853,000 of the Nations
unemployed.
The attack was double -barreled,
with the vocal barrage coming from
the American Liberty League and the
action planned by Republican MEM
bers of the House Appropriations
Committee. The league assault was
scorching statement against boom
doggling" and political favoritisrn,"
and called for the abolition of work.
relief in favor of such direct relief az
is necessary.
Would Decentralize Administration.
The Republican committee strategy
embraced a plan to disnantle the
Works Progress Administration, return
the relief problem to the States and
cut down the $500, 100000 appropria.
ton asked by President Roosevelt.
Federal funds would be advanced to
the States, but the total Federal par
ticipation would be less and the ado
ministration would be decentralized.
In case the full committee declines
to accept the Republican proposal, az
is expected, it probably will be pre-
sented to the House in the form OF
q minority report.
Hopkins, In his report, summarized
actual expenditures Of S2,2l0,000, 600
up to February 90. or approximately
half the total amount allocated for
work relief, with the warning that
Government aid will be necessary as
long as prolonged mass unemployment
persists"
Covering 1T pages recounting the
operations of each of the A govern
mental agencies operating in whole
or in part under the emergency relief
appropriation act Of 1885, the report
was accompanied by a 20-page press
(see RELIEF. Page 81