Evening star., 1939-04-27

WI ASN SAA 40 AAAo6AAAA4Vu w QUILL Oil
extent as to obscure the great good
that Is being achieved on the whole,
all sense of proportion and relative
value is lost.
In my message to the Congress of
January S, 1899, I suggested that a
study be made of the methods by
which funds appropriated to the
Works Progress Administration
should be distributed. Any formula
that may be devised for this purpose
and written into legislation should
take in account not only the factor
OF population, but also the CONSTANT
ly changing economic and unem-
ployment conditions in various Sec
tions of the country. Allocations
should be made on the basis OF jobs
to be provided and not on the local
basis OF funds to be distributed.
Furthermore, the formula should not
be too rigid and should permit sub
Stantial amount of administrative
discretion in order to provide sufIi-
cient f1exibility to meet special Sit
uations and relief crises.
Continual tiOn Urged.
The matter of the contributions
of sponsors to Works Progress Ad-
ministration projects has been sat-
lsfactorily covered by the provisions
OF the Emergency Relief Appropria-
ton Act Of 1898, which placed a
limit upon the amount of Federal
funds that can be used for purposes
other than the payment of wages. I
suggest continuance of this prac-
tice rather than the imposition of
percentage basis on which spon-
sors would be required to partici-
pate. With an appropriation made
available for an entire fiscal wear,
negotiations with sponsors can be
conducted upon much more salts
factory basis, and it can be conf
IDENTIFY expected that the proportion
OF sponsors contributions will be
appreciably increased. The compli-
cations which have arisen during
the current fiscal year from the
TACT that three separate appropria-
tions have been made to finance the
operations of the Works Progress
Administration have initiated
against efficiency of operation and
made it difficult to secure the full
est financial participation of spon-
Sors on projects.
The Congress has recently made
provisions against improper polit-
lcal activity on the part of persons
connected with the work relief pro-
gram-provisions affecting not only
Federal employees, but all persons
who may be in a position to bring
improper pressure to bear. Such
legislation was recommended in nv
message OF January 5, 1889, and has
my hearty Endorsement However,
insofar as the administrative en-
ployes OF the Works Progress Ad-
ministration and of the other agen-
cles connected with the work relief
program are concerned, 1 believe
that the political provisions lust
mentioned would be more construct
i've, and their enforcement would
be simpler. If the Congress would
place such employees within the
classified civil service.
The greatest single resource of this
country is its youth, and no pro-
gressivc government can afford to
ignore the needs of its future citizens
for adequate schooling and for that
useful work which establishes them
as part of its economy. To ignore
this need is to undermine the very
basis OF democracy which requires
the constant renewal of its vitality
through the absorption of its young
people.
N. Y. A. Held Effective.
The National Youth Administra-
ton, as an entity now within the
Works Progress Administration, has
during the past four years developed
program which has proved its ef-
fectiveness in meeting this need. Its
program is primarily one of work;
work to enable needy students to Sc
cure an education. and work to en-
able unemployed needy young people
who are out of school to make use
OF their capacities for public benefit
and SO in turn to earn a wage and
acquire that work experience so es-
sentlal to future effective employ
ment. The National Youth Admin
istration has supplemented its work
program with other services directed
toward increasing the effectiveness
OF young people as workers and Sc
curing their placement in regular
employment.
1t is my belief that we should now
give official recognition to the fact
that the needs of youth are different
from those of unemployed older
workers. I further believe that.
based on the demonstrated ability of
It's program to meet these needs at
low cost, and our knowledge of the
wide and still unmet need among
young people for its services, Con-
gress should provide for an expan-
sion of its activities.
For the National Youth Adminis-
tration am requesting an appropri-
alton of $l23 100000 for the fiscal
year 1910. together with the un-
obligated balances on June 30. 1899.
OF the appropriation to that admin
istration for the current fiscal year.
I am requesting further that the
National Youth Administration be
established as separate agency to
continue and expand its program for
assisting needy young people. This
Will not increase existing overhead.
Not All Needs Met.
While the amount which I am
recommending will not meet all the
needs Of all our young people, it will
mean that education, training, work
experience and help toward private