Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1937-07-08

Anything can happen before the
present session of Congress ad-
%journs, sometime before Labor Day,
but it would take the seventh son
of a seventh son to predict what
particular Congressional wishes will
come true. For there are many
things which Congress. speaking
broadly, would like to do, which it
may find impossible because of po-
sitical considerations mad Admins
~tration pressure - which means
about the same thing.
Congress has really become
economy-minded. There is no doubt
that. left to follow it's inclinations,
it would make material reductions
in Government expenditures. not
only for the regular departments
mad bureaus but for emergency
commissions and administrations"
A case in point is the. matter of re-
lief appropriations.
The Proclamation sentiment on
Capitol Hill is that Uncle Sam has
gone far enough in supporting his
nephews and nieces, and that the
time has come for the states to take
over the job of finding out who is
in need of relief, mad paying a rea-
sonable share of the cost.
Control OF Relief Distribution
But against this idea pressure Is
put upon Congress from three di-
rections, to continue the W.P.A.
system. 1t comes from the Admin
Sstration itself, which wants to con-
tinue the handling Of relief funds
without restriction as to where they
shall be spent. That Is a natural
result of the desire to influence Con-
gressional votes.
The congressman who cannot con-
tinue to get WPA projects allotted
to his district is likely to lose a lot
of votes when he comes up for re-
election, and every one Of them
knows it.. Therefore, much as they
feel-and most OF them sincerely do
that relief expenditures should be
cut, a great many fear for their own
political futures II they take too pos
tive a stand for what they believe.
Then there Is the pressure from
the Governors of their home states
and the mayors Of their home cities,
who form among them IN Of the
most influential Hobbies IN Washing.
ton. Local governments do not want
to take over the load and the re-
sponsibility, and they make no bones
about telling their Congressman so.
The threat of local political opposi.
ton If they don't play ball is more
potent, with many Representatives,
than even the fear of reprisals from
the Executive.
WPA and Union Wages
The third pressure group active
in opposition to reduction in relief
expenditures is the WPA workers
themselves. They have become so
well organized, especially in the
larger centers of population, that
they have almost the status of a
labor union.
They look upon their relief jobs
under WPA as permanent positions
in which they have a vested right.
This has come about from the fact
that Congress, in placing relief
funds in the hands of the President
In huge lump sums, to- be used at his
discretion, set no limit upon the
amount which might be paid as re-
lief wages to any individual.
The result Is that the Relief Ad-
m~inistration has ruled that men on
relief work must receive union
wages In cities and district in which
the labor unions set the standards.
Consequently, where the union scale
for carpenters is SO a day, that is
the pay of relief" workers en-
ployed as carpenters is SO q day,
that Is the pay Of "~relief" workers