Evening star., 1939-05-08
W. P. A.
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lief rolls are further reduced now.
The 100000 unemployed in New
York City today are only slightly
fewer than the number at the un-
employment peak in 1888. Mayor
La Guardia said He said the cities
could not afford to do more than
they spend now in alleviating the
relief and workless problem.
do you visualize time when the
w. P. A. won't be necessary" Rep
resentative Ludlow, Democrat, of
Indiana, asked him.
IF I could do that" the Mayor
returned, you fellows wouldn't be
looking around for a presidential
candidate"
Sees Nine Years of Worry.
Quickly. however, he became
serious and forecast another nine
years of national tribulation over
unemployment. Then, he said, So
cial security, unemployment insur-
ance, the wages and hours law and
the trend toward new agricultural
developments would have taken
care of most Of those now relying
for their living on the w. P. A.
and home relief.
"At no time" Mayor La Guardia
said, has the Federal Government
cared for all employables. That
fact means that some cities care for
employables at a tremendous cost
and in other localities those not
cared for by the Federal Govern
ment are not being cared for at all. -
The Mayor pleaded for the expan-
sion of w. P. A. until the New Deal
security program was going at its
full gait. He proposed state relief
taxes" to help finance the govern
mental load, but opposed State con-
troll of the general relief question.
Representative Tabor, Republican,
of New York asked the Mayor to
what extent he found chiseling on
the relief rolls. Mr.. La Guardia re-
joined:
I'm my territory, I find no more
people taking unfair advantage OF
relief than I find getting technical
about their income tax returns"
The New York and Chicago
Mayors headed a parade of munic-
ipal chieftains waiting to testify
before the committee-Tobin of
Boston, Burton of Cleveland, Har-
rell of Schenectady. Rogers of ANA
rillo. Tex, and Reading of Detroit
TT is gratifying now to report
- tho nN11co TNv,,r,,iftno
priations that this present survey
indicates practical unanimity of
opinion on the part of the cities
that useful work is being done to-
day. the report of the 80 Mayors
stated.
Would Relax Rules.
The New York Mayor urged q
relaxation in the rules governing
the allotment of w. P. A. money
so that the cities could exercise
greater discretion in the choice OF
projects. He said that, in his city
he would hesitate to put works
progress labor to work on a court
house or high school construction
project, because he wouldn't get a
large enough return on the money
spent. Not enough persons would
get work out of 1t, he said.
Mr.. La Guardia suggested thar
cities be permitted to use w. P. A
labor to supplement normal mum.
eipal operations.
He said. for instance, that he
would like to use unskilled relief
workers to augment his street-clean-
ing force-which normally costs
New York City $30,OOO,O00 a year
after week ends.
Such relaxation of the rules, Mr.
La Guardia said. would make i
easier for the cities to go aheae
with the program since the oppor.
tunity for the ordinary type o1
project is diminishing.
The cities "are in financia
straightjacket," Mayor La Guards
said. He added:
There isn't city in the United
States that can add penny to whaI
1t is now spending"
He said there are 100000 unem.
ployed in New York. 100000 of whom
are being publicly cared for-170,0 ,00t
on home relief and 10000 on tn.
p. w. A. Unemployment has beer
increasing in New York since Janu'
ary /, rejecting national trend
Mayor La Guardia said. He revealed
this fact in stressing the need fol
continued Federal aid.
At this moment, Representative
O'Neal, Democrat, Of Kentucky
suggested that the States have beer
making small contributions toware