Evening star., 1938-06-22
OPTIMISM VOICED
BYTHEPRES|DENT
Business Not as Bad as Lot
of People Believe It to
Be, He Says.
Ay the Associated Press.

w. ''S O0Jos
By the Associated Press.
HYDE PARK, N. Y, June "a
President Roosevelt threw into gear
today q $3,750,000,O0O machine de-
signed to prime commerce and aid
the needy, asserting as he acted that
industry and agriculture already are
improved.
Business-and he included farming
In the TERMS not and has not been
as bad as lot Of people believed it
TO be, the President said.
He gave these views to the Nation
at press conference in the warm,
little study of his Hyde Park home
News correspondents, crowding close
to his desk yesterday afternoon, heard
him touch on many subjects, covering
a broad field of foreign and domestic
affairs, and scribbied furiously while
he read two-page statement on his
signing of the huge lending and
spending relief bill.
hunlor as he talked With his coat
of and shirt collar unbuttoned, he
answered questions freely.
Authorizes Direct Quotes.
At one point, by request he author
lied the newsmen to quote him direct
ly, something he seldom permits.
''As somebody remarked the other
day there have been a few raindrops
coming from the heavens" he said,
and possibly they will be followed
with a much-needed shower"
That was the Presidents answer tc
question whether he believed busi-
ness had scraped bottom in its down.
ward trend. He side-stepped an in
quiry about when the shower would
come.
Mr.. Roosevelt gave out new Com
merce Department estimate that the
national income-the total income of
all those earning money-would be
slightly more than 100000, 900 900 this
year, $4,000, 100000 higher than pre-
vious Government estimates.
Announces Fireside Chat.
He also announced he would give
one of his fireside chats from the
While House on Friday at $50 pm.
,(E. S. To.
The President said the Nation wide
radio broadcast would be general in
subject. It probably will cover busi-
ness conditions, relief and how we'll
Congress carried out his legislative
program.
He gave a hint of possible item
for the broadcast when he said that
talk of the recent Congress being a
s12,000,000,000 Congress was rot. That
figure, he declared. included meas
ures authorizing future Government
expense. but not carrying appropria-
tions at this time. Furthermore, he
added, large portion of the money
appropriated was for loans to be re-
paid
The Chief Executive disclosed that
he was a step ahead of Congress on
the $780, 100000 spending and lend
ing bill which he said creates a part.
nership between the Federal Govern
n1ent and localities.
For three weeks-two weeks and
more before Congress passed the legis-
latlon-he has been approving Public
Works Administration projects, subject
TO signing of the bill, he said.
Dirt Will Begin to Fly.
AS a result. dirt will begin to fly
within 60 days on projects using $780,
100000 Of P. w. AS 1886, 900 900 new
fund.
All but a little of that sum will be
allocated within the next two weeks
the President added, commenting that
P. W. AS money goes to work in the
shortest possible time.
The Works Progress Administration
which received FLAPS, ,OO0, 900 from the
bill. and other Government agencies
designated by the measure to fight
the business recession were-like p w
A.-Mr. Roosevelt asserted, ready to
do their jobs at once.
IN MS statement on the huge meas
ure. the President said he and his
AIDES had been metering the merits of
P. w. A. since it was started as an OK.
pertinent five years ago last Thursday
Their findings, he asserted, were :
That cities and other public bodies
stu need a very large volume of
public improvement.
That these localities are glad to
and are able to assess themselves for
more than half of the total cost of
these improvements by going into
partnership with the Federal Govern
ment.
That for every worker on a project
site, there are two and half workers
indirectly employed in mines, mills,
forests and transportation.
The President commented that the
international situation was not par
ticularly bright and that all we can
do is hope for the best.
That came as reply to a question
on whether the Chief Executive was
cheered by his talk yesterday with
Joseph P. Kennedy, home on leave
from his post as Ambassador to
London.
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