Evening star., 1936-05-27
Authority Given P. W. A. to
Continue Heavy Construc.
tion as Deficiency Appro.
priation Is Approved.
RESETTLEMENT ACTIVITY
lis SHARPLY CURTAILED
Senator'S Disagree on How Much
Discretion Bill Puts in Presi-
dents Hands, Some Feeling,
However, That Expenditures
Are Clearly Directed.
BACKGROUND

Asking 81 ,425, 900, 900 In contrast
to the $4,SS0, 100000 sought last
year for all forms OF direct relief.
President Roosevelt indicated he
1oould prefer to haze Harry Hopkins
handle all such spending during
the merit IL months. P. w. A. bloc
made strenuous fight in House to
haue part OF sum edrnlarked for
that agency, but failed.
Hopkins told House that amount
requested mould not be sufficient
for tuH year unless private en-
ployment picks up.
BY the Associated Press.
The Senate Appropriations
Committee today approved a re-
lief appropriation of sl,425,O 5,O0O,-
900 to be turned over directly to
President Roosevelt, with au-
thority for P. w. A. to use an
additional $3OO,0O0,000 to carry
on heavy construction.
The committee approved the 81
364, 900. 900 deficiency appropriation
containing the relief fund. 1t added
some items to the measure as it
passed the House, but these were not
tabulated Immediately.
The action made it possible for the
Senate to begin debate on the bitterly
contested measure tomorrow.
Committee members disagreed over
how much discretion would be placed
in the Presidents hands n expending
the SLABS 100000, but some felt the
purposes for which the money could
be spent were clearly stated in the bill.
Tugwell's Wings Clipped.
Activities Of Rexford G. Tugwells
Resettlement Administration will be
sharply curtailed under the measure,
committee members said Out of the
81 .425 ,0oO, 900 voted for the President.
S85. .500.000 was earmarked for loans
and relief to farmers, but none for
land purchase.
President Roosevelt has said he
would allot the Resettlement Admin
istration enough of the fund to con-
tinue its activities on reduced scale
A Republican move to turn relief ad-
ministration back to the States, and
require them to put up 18 per cent OF
the cost. was voted down without a
record ballot.
Under the committees arrangement
for Secretary Ickes' Public Works Ad-
ministration, $300,000,000 would be
available from his present loan fund
for grants to local political subdivi-
sions, leaving $150,000, 900 in the re.
volving fund for loans.
More r. F. C. Loans Refused.
A move to permit the Reconstruc-
ton Corp. to make additional loans
was voted down.
An amendment was added to the
bill on motion of Senator Byrnes
Democrat, of South Carolina to pro-
hibit the barring of World War vet.
erans from relief because of possession
of bonus certificates or bonds ex'
changed for certificates.
A new attack on w. p. A. came
from Senator Holt Democrat. WeS,
Virginia). who yesterday reiterated
his charges against the agency ano
declared, wv. P. A. is the greatest
and best oiled political machine this
country has ever SEEN" He said
w. P. A. workers had been threatened
by ward heeling politicians" in the
recent primary in his State.
At the same time Administrator
Harry L. Hopkins denied charges oi
politics made by Arthur M. Curtis
Missouri Republican committeeman
declaring: They are in each anc
every instance untrue"
II note that your letter comes te
| me via the Republican National Com
mittee," Hopkins wrote, land mailed
from Washington. which fact lends
further color to the conviction this
document represents political mud
singing"