The Washington times., 1938-05-11

nd-spend program and confin
10 State-administered relief pro
! gram.
In a formal minority report
which was released by the Repub
lican National Committee, tn,
COP members warned that tn
Administration S recovery program
carries with it the most serious
threat to national solvency." The!
severely criticised the "fluctua
tions" in relief expenditures il
election years, and proposed a con
gressional investigation Of tn
WPA and political use of relic.
! funds.
PWA PLAN SCORED
Meantime, the Administration
plan to circumvent State and cit,
constitutional debt ! limita i on.
under the new PWA program wa!
branded as immoral. Representa-
tives Umstead CD of South Caro-
lima and Bacon (R.) of New Yorl
leveled bipartisan attack on thu
opposed PWA authority tt
lease" projects to communitie.
inhibited by law from further in
creasing their debt.
PROPOSE OWN PROGRAM
The minority proposed a 12-point
recovery program of its own entail
ing outright repeal Of the undis
ttributed profits tax, a revision o1
the tax system, reduction in socia
security taxes, revision of the Wag
ne, Labor Act, repeal of the
Thomas "greenback law" State
administered relief, with the States
contributing IS per cent of the
cost, and a balanced budget las
soon as practicable.
The minority members pointed
out that State contributions tt
the $3.50, 100000 relief func
would swell it to $1,526, SOC, 900, eff
feet saving in administrative
costs, result in tax reduction, anc
go long way toward removing
politics from relief"
Those signing the report were
Representatives Taber of New
YorE, Bacon Of New York, ano
Wigglesworth Of Massachusetts,
DECREASE IN OFF YEARS
Under the prevailing ad-
ministrative announcement, the
political exploitation of relief
workers is a demoralizing ma
tional scandal" their report
said. THE minority do not
understand how any agency en-
gagged honestly in relief activi-
ties can anticipate increased de-
mands in any given year solely
on the ground that the approach
ing general elections will IN
crease the demand for emerR-
ency services from the Federal
Government.
In 1884 there were 2,283, 900
more people aided by Federal re-
lief funds in November than in
June. In 1886, the increase be-
tween July and November was
1,213,000 persons. In sharp con-
trast with these summer in
creaSes in relief and assistance
rolls in two election years, we
find decreases between June
and November in nonelection
years, as follows: 1888, a de-
crease of 3,243, 900 persons; 1885,
a decrease of 3,165,0 900 persons;
and in 1887, a decrease Of 2,64S,-
900 persons.
LAW EVASION CHARGED
In assailing the PWA plan,
Umstead termed it an attempt
by the Federal Government to in.
duce States, cities and counties
to evade their own laws" Bacon
flayed it as "unwarranted Federal
Intervention through the use OF
an immoral legislative device"
The plan would enable the PWA
to finance projects 100 per cent
for debt-burdened communities
they in turn to acquire title after
they had an4ortized the cost over
a 25-year period by technically
paying annual rental"
1t was written into the recovery
measure as the outcome of pre-
posals by President Roosevelt and
Secretary Ickes that such com.
munities receive the benefit Of 100
per cent interest-free loans" in
stead of participating in the PWA
program under a 55-per cent local
contribution and a 45-per cent
Federal grant.