The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-11-10

a large scale.
The Presidents aim is to pare
the rolls down to 100000 by
March /. That means a decrease
of more than 1,15O,000 from the
October ] peak.
The pruning will not be a
forced one like that in the spring
of 1897 when hundreds Of thou
sands were dropped in period OF
a few weeks. This time the de-
flation viii be gradual, accom-
plished by not filling the places OF
those who leave voluntarily or are
dismissed.
This exodus is a great deal larg-
er than is realized. 1t averages
over z per cent per month. In
September the turnover was 228,-
900, or rs per cent, of which 49,
600 quit to take private jobs and
the remainder were let out for
various reasons, mostly discipline
airy. Figures on the October turn
over are still incomplete, but It
will be well over 100000.
Under the recent plan, WPA es-
Inmates the relief load will be
2,75O,OOO on December l.; 2,5OO, 600
by January !; 2,25O,OOO by Feb
airy /; and 2,0OO, 900 by March.
On this basis, barring another
economic upset, q comparatively
moderate deficiency appr0pria-
ton Of around $50O,0O0,000 will
be required to carry WPA
through the remaining four
months Of the fiscal year. This
is in line with Roosevelt's policy
of gradually denObilizing WPA
from . major New Deal spend
ing agency to secondary and
chiefly auxiliary role.
His plan now is to concentrate
spending on national defense, thus
build up the nations military
forces and at the same time mini.
mize the need for the WPA, be-
cause large scale armament ex-
penditureS will create large scale
unemployment.
Bitter Protests
Popular as relief deflation may
be with business men, it is al
ready encountering vehement pro-
tests from politicos and from
harried local officials in heavily
populated industrial areas.
Peppery Mayor LaGuardia made
a loud squawk to the White House
when he learned he could not re-
fill 5000 WPA vacancies. And q
big-shot Midwestern Democratic
leader flew to Washington and
camped in Marvin McIntyre,s Of
flee, until the White House secre-
tary let him in to see Roosevelt
and demand that relief rolls In his
district be reopened.
Also, in the inner circle there
is much dissensiOn over the
policy. This is an old fight
between the left-wing spenders
and the right-wing budget bal
ancers.
Roosevelt leans to the latter.
Every time conditions pick up he
starts slashing relief outlays-
much to the despair of the SPEND
ers, who contend that without
heavy government expenditures
there can be no lasting improve
ment in business.
Wheat From Mars
Shortly after the famous radio
invasion from Mars, wise-cracK-
ing newSman asked Secretary
Wallace If he anticipated the
MartianS would dump surplus ag-
ricultural products in the q. 8. A.
IF the Martians start that"
replied Henry, "weTl have to set
up q tariff al. once"
Mrs. ROOSevelt'S Fees
Interesting note about Mrs.
Roosevelt's lecture engagements is
that her booking agent informs
local communities that all of the
First Lady's proceeds go to char
ity, while Mrs. Roosevelt herself
says this is not so.
Mrs. Roosevelt, always frank,
says that she uses some of her
lecture income for personal char
ity, the rest for personal needs.
In booking her engagements, how
ever, her agent claims that all
but Is per cent goes to charity.
OF this us per cent, 10 per
cent Is his commission, the other
5 per cent covers travel. Ten
per cent is an unusually small
commission to pay lecture
agents, the average being 50 per
cent.
Mrs. Roosevelt's agent, however,
makes 1t up by seeing to 1t that
certain lecture courses book all
their attractions from him, in re-
turn for which he condescends to
give them the First Lady-at
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