Evening star., 1939-09-03
100000 P. ". A.
|mpounding Augers
More DismissaIs
Stoff Cuts Expected
To Be Greater Than
At First Foreseen
BY NELSON NJ. SHEPARD.

Dy 4NIAooAN hNDs
With rehabilitation of one-half
the Public Works Administration S
staff of 1O.40O employees already be-
gun, it was learned yesterday that
5000 900 has been temporarily i'm
pounded from its greatly diminished
appropriation for administrative ex-
penses. creating the possibility of
severer cuts to come.
The wholesale notices of dismis-
sails. due 10 drastic reduction in
available funds" as announced by
Col. E. w. Clark. acting commits
sioner. began yesterday when an
initial number of ATS employees
were affected. OF these 416 are in
the Washington central Office. The
remainder, slated for dismissal by
September Is, are in the seven field
regions.
1t was expected when the first
announcement was made on August
16 that by January /, or thereabouts,
approximately 5000 in the Washing
ton and regional Offices would be
'furloughed." But, unless the So
600, 900 that has been impounded is
put back in circulation by that time.
1t was predicted in official circles
that the force will have to be slashed
to a much greater extent. These ad-
ditional reductions, it was feared.
would 60 beyond the number neces-
sary in the routine tapering off of
the P. w. A. which has now, passed
the peak of its construction program.
Response to Roosevelt Order.
No public announcement has been
made of the impounding of so con-
siderable a sum, but it was with
drawn from circulation by John M.
Carmody. Federal works admins
traitor, in response to President
Roosevelt's recent direction to Gov
ernment departments to effect
savings for the fiscal year.
Nor was on explanation forth
coming. President Roosevelts letter,
conveyed to department heads
August 9 from the director of the
Budget, did not specify any per-
centage of savings. That was left,
presumably, to their own determina-
ton after taking all things into
consideration.
To. what extent Federal depart
ments and emergency agencies have
saved from current administrative
appropriations could not be ascer-
tanned from the Budget Bureau. De-
partment heads were ordered to re-
port savings effected for this fiscal
year land for succeeding fiscal
years" and it was understood such
reports for the coming fiscal year
would be submitted not later than
September Is
The Situation in the P. w. A. is
difficult to determine because of the
reluctance of officials to discuss the
already bad state of affairs In avail
able administrative funds. It goes
back to the start of the fiscal year
on July l. The sum of $4,0O0,O 900
was taken from the $4,000, 900 ap-
propriated for the year ending June
80, 1910. The P. w. A. had under
taken a new construction program
before July l, had added a huge
staff and was obligated for salary
payments. The $4,000,000 was
taken from current funds to pay
those obligations incurred before
the start of the fiscal year.
Program Advanced Speedily.
With only $16,OO0,000 left, the
P. w. A., under the spur of the
then administrator, Secretary Ickes,
plunged ahead at accelerated speed.
The program advanced more speed
lily than any other. There was ap-
1Sae p ~ ~ Paae A,3l