Evening star., 1936-10-13
SEPARATE BUREAU
0NWORKSSOU
Engineers Ask New Depart.
ment or Change in Interior
Units Name.

A resolution asking Congress to
change the name of the Interior De-
partment to the Department of Public
Works or create new department
under the latter name was adopted
today by the National Society Of Pro-
fessional Engineers. The resolution
urged that in either case a registered
engineer be named as secretary.
Coordination of all public works
operations of the Federal Government
also was asked in the resolution, which
stressed the society's desire for a pro-
fessional engineer to be in the cabinet.
Three other resolutions were adopt
ed at this mornings session Of the
annual convention at the Mayf1ower
Hotel prior to a special visit of So
ciety members to the Federal Bureau
of Investigation.
These resolutions asked for:
Enactment or amendment of State
laws to provide reciprocity for foreign
engineers practicing in this country,
in order that, foreigners shall be
placed under the same restrictions to
which their own nations subject
American engineers. The society de-
clared many foreign countries have
imposed heavy occupational taxes on
American engineers.
Employment by the Federal Gov
ernment Of only registered engineers
to be In charge of engineering or pub
lie works in States having registration
laws, and in States without laws the
employment Of only those qualified.
This resolution also asked that Fed
eral employees, other than Army and
Navy engineers, who are in charge OF
any phase of engineering, be required
to secure professional registration as
a condition to continued employment.
Cooperation of all governmental
and private agencies to avoid use OF
the title of engineer in referring to
any person not legally qualified by
registration as a member OF the pro-
fession.
Several engineers representing State
societies criticized P. w. A. and w. p.
A. and their treatment Of professional
engineers in q symposium late yester-
day on the Federal relief programs.
This criticism followed the speeches
of six representatives of Federal agen-
cies-P. w. A., w. P. A., Army En-
gineers, F. H. A., H. o. L. c. and
c. c. c.
Claire E. Tilden of Phillipsburg,
N. j., speaking for his State society,
charged w. P. A. is paying the pro-
fessional engineer and architect ION
a pay basis of absolute relief in con-
trast with the sustaining Of the high
est rates claimed for labor"
Charges Pay Rate Unfair.
"It is not only unfair" he said, 'It
Is not decent, to have the qualified
professional men on whom all the
worthwhile projects depend for plan
and direction, working for lesser
rate than skilled labor, mechanics or
artisans.
"The P. w. A. has much to be said
for it. The projects are unusually well
worth while. The work provides relief
not only for the people employed, but
professional engineers, architects, or
ganizations and material and equip
ment concerns who must be saved SC
as to progress properly when relief L
over"
Tilden objected to politics" when
Edgar A. Werner, Lebanon, Pa. ros<
to thank w. p. A. Administrator Harry
Hopkins for projects iI1 Lebanon
Werner retaliated by saying Tilder
was q frank Republican"
II am q Republican, but not q rank
one," Tflden countered. IF we're
going to have politics, let's throw II
open to everybody"
Rural Electrification Administrator
Morris L. Cooke was to be the mair
speaker at this afternoons session.