The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-02-06

V subcommittees for questioning. And when the smoke had cleared away, there was the colonel stand- ing just about where Harry Hop- kins had been standing before him, PUTS oKAY
 ON WPA
 Colonel Harrington believes that a work relief program Is going to be Q permanent part of the federal governments job. He can't see how the WPA rolls can be reduced before April; indeed, he thinks that they might we'll 90 up little, And he doesn't think there has been nearly as much political misuse of WpA as some people have alleged.
 The colonel may not make his Ideas stick. Those three letters WPA-dont exactly produce loud cheers In Congress these days. In both houses there have been fiery denEnciatiOns of WPA's record, to say nothing of scofiing at Colonel Ilarrington's assertion that the SS75.00O.0O0 supplemental appro. pFlatlon suggested by President Roosevelt was the least on which WPA eould bet through the win- ter. But the colonel Is unmoved.
 Do you feel" l asked him, "that it should be the aim of the country to wind up WPA as soon as possible and care for those who need care by means of direct relief, or does the WPA Idea appeal to you as preferablep"
 "Direct relief. In the long run, is unsatisfactory Co the majority of Americans" he replied. "I am confident that we will never go back to the dole. | cannot sec at thls time how WPA or some form of federal work relief pro. gram can be discontinued. It should, as In the past, ajust lt- self as closely as possible to the trend of relief needs among the unemployed. With q net increase of approximately 500,000 employ able persons each year, ! believe such program has definite part In our national economy" THINKS SPENDING
 JUSTIFIED
 How about the money WPA spends?I Is 1t going right to those who need it, or Is too much Of It eaten up in overhead" or otherwise diverted9 The colonel had his an- swer ready;
 "of all WPA project workers, between 07 and 9a per cent are certified from relief rolls as ac. tually in need. The others are persons necessary to the operation of projects which can usefully employ certified relief workers. Our administrative expense k less than $ per cent, which l think Is . good record"
 The colonel feels incidentally, that the kind of value which a com munity gets out of It's WPA work Is pretty much up to the community itself. Practically all WPA projects, he says, are initiated and spon- sored by the localities; naturally, a town which carefully plans pros gram Is going to get the best return for the money allotted to 1t.
 Also, the colonel doesn't think much of the suggestion that the localities take over control of WPA. That way. he believes, there would be more political interference than at present, and less efficiency. He thinks that the country has got pretty good value to date out of It's WPA expenditures, even If only the public Improvements actually creat- cd are considered and no value at all be placed on the maintenance of the workers morale.
 Oh yes; it was rumored here when Colonel Harrington took over that . hard-boiled army off. cer had been put in charge to cut down on WPA and prepare 1t for extinction. Was this true?
 "That assumption" said Colonel Harrington, "is totally unjustified."
 To which the United States Sen- ate, having wrestled with the gen. tleman for a fortnight, undoubted- ly would agree.
 Copyright, 1889, NEA Service, Incl
 --------------
 An "electric eve" will detect im-