Evening star., 1938-06-30
By NELSON M. SHEPARD.

DS NELSoN M. SHETAhD.
Administrator Harold L. Ickes made
the surprising disclosure today that he
has virtually thrown out the major
portion of the $18,l50,000 application
of the District Commissioners for loans
and grants to carry out urgently need
ed p w. A. construction. for their
failure to comply with rules and regu-
lations.
I'VE have no application from the
District Commissioners except for
three projects submitted in connection
with the 1884 program" Mr.. Ickes
said in taking the Commissioners Sc
verely to task for failure to cooperate
properly with the P. W. A."
Resubmission of an application and
the subsequent delay in drawing up
the necessary plans for individual
projects, he said, might serve to jeopar-
die the entire local program, Blame
for this failure, Mr.. Ickes reminded
curtly, would rest on the Commission
ers and not on the Public Works Ad-
d. ministration
Officials explained that the rejection
of the program was not a denial of
future funds, but necessary measure
to compel compliance with what all
other cities are expected to do.
Scores Commissioners.
Mr.. Ickes severely scored the Com
missioners for seeking to do business
with the p w. A. primarily by means
of press publicity" and charged they
have had four years experience in
which to acquaint themselves fully
with the requirements of the p W. A.
in the submission. of projects. He
does not consider the request of the
Commissioners for s18,150,000 in
loans and grants, which they made
last week, as proper application
which can receive official considera-
ton.
MIR. Ickes threw another bombshell
In the District camp by adding that
he does not consider the three projects
formerly submitted as justifying i'm
mediate consideration or approval at
this time.
These projects call for s1,500,00o for
new Municipal Court Building,
$500,000 for the Juvenile Court Build
ing, both of which were planned for
erection on Judiciary Square, and
$750,000 for a very urgently needed
medical unit at Gallinger Municipal
Hospital.
Assumed Projects Were Approved.
The Commissioners have gone on
the assumption that since these prof.
fcts were approved in the former P.
w. A. program by Mr.. Ickes' Examin-
ing Board, nothing stood in the way
of their immediate approval. The sit
uation as disclosed by the P. w. A.
administrator in this connection pre-
sents complications.
He said the request made for these
projects was submitted at time when
the District received 80 per cent in
Federal grants and 10 per cent in
loans. The Districts P. w. A. law
was revised recently so as to put this
city on a parity with others in bor-
rowing SIS per cent of construction
costs and obtaining As per cent in
loans.
In view of this change in the law
since the projects were submitted
previously, Mr.. Ickes suggested, it may
be necessary to reconsider these three
items in connection with the entire
program for the District
This may lead to weeks of delay,
since an exhaustive amount of paper
work is necessary in drawing up pre-
liminary plans and estimates of ma
terials and employment.
Criticism Not Surprise.
Secretary Ickes' criticism did not
come as great surprise to District
officials. who had encountered evi-
dences of dissatisfaction at the
P. W. A. after they submitted what
was believed to have been a formal
request for funds last week.
Engineer Commissioner Dan l. Sultan
listened in silence as the word was
carried to him of Mr.. Ickes' comment.
Then he said:
II have no comment to make"
The other two Commissioners were
(See P. W. A., Page A-12)