Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1939-07-02
Two Relief Agencies
Continue Programs
Under New Setup
Administrators Ordered
To Proceed With Work
Except Theoter Projects
By the Associated Press.


Except Theoter Projects
BY the Associated Press.
w. P. A. and P. w. A., the admin
istrations alphabetical agencies to
distribute relief and create employ
ment, entered a new phase of their
lives yesterday, consolidated for the
first time un\er one head.
But aside from changes in w. P. A.
ordered by Congress, the two
agencies will continue for the time
being with. their same programs.
The main change will be in the
name: w. P. A. now means Works
Projects Administration, instead Of
Works Progress Administration.
John M. Carmody, administrator
of the Federal Works Agency which
yesterday took over functions Of
the old w. P. A. and P. w. A. under
the Government reorganization,
told newsmen he had confidence in
the present setup of each, and for
the present would continue with
old officers, personnel and programs.
except where specifically changed
by law.
Will Proceed With Work.
Col. F.. c. Harrington, the COM
missioner of works projects, tele-
graphed all State administrators to
transfer to the new w. P. A., with
out change in salary, all old Works
Progress Administration employees
and to proceed with work orders.
The only exceptions he said, would
be the Federal theater projects,
which were specifically banned
under the new Relief Act.
Col. E. w. Clarke, acting commits
sioner of public works, ordered P. w.
A. to continue the 1898 program as
1t was turned over to Mr.. Carmody
by former Administrator Ickes.
Restrictions Congress wrote into
the relief bill will require w. P. A.
to make some changes in admin
istrative procedure.
Objections by President.
President Roosevelt, when signing
the bill Friday night, said in public
statement that its restrictive fea-
lures would work hardships on ap-
proximately 100000 persons, who
through no faults of their own are
in dire need"
He objected specifically to the
change under which relief workers,
instead of getting the prevailing
labor wage scale, will receive pay
based on what at various times may
be computed to be local living costs
The President also criticized
provision that P. w. A. employees,
except war veterans. who have had
18 consecutive months on the pay
roll, automatically shall be dropped
for 80 days. The measure, he said,
should have allowed those in dire
need to remain on the rolls.
Abolition of the Federal theater
projects, he said, was "discrimina-
ton of the worst type" against a
group of professional people who
would be denied work III their own
profession.
Seeks to Ease Blow.
Col. Harrington sought to ease the
blow by directing w. P. A. State
administrators to keep all theater
project employees on the pay roll at
current salaries for the time being,
step Congress authorized.
He also ordered work projects au-
thorized prior to June 80, 1899, to
proceed in ell instances where funds
had been set aside for them The
one exception, he said, would be
building construction. No project
would be undertaken hereafter, he
said, which called for an outlay of
more than $4,000 of Government
money on Federal building or more
than $4,000 on a locally sponsored
non-Federal structure.
Col. Clarke ordered a survey of ap-
plications for more than 5000 pend
ing public works projects to deter
mine which of them could qualify
as self-liquidating projects.
Heretofore, P. w. A. has made
grants for As per cent of projects and
loans for SIS per cent. The pro-
posed new 1860 100000 lending pro-
gram contemplates an expanded P.
w. A. which will make loans for the
full amount of the cost of projects,
but no grants.
Lewis Criticizes Legislation.
The Relief Act also was criticized
last night by John L. Lewis, presi-
dent of the c. I. O., and Herbert
Benjamin, secretary-treasurer of
the Workers Alliance, union of w.
P. A. workers and the unemployed.
In a statement, Mr.. Lewis de-
scribed the act as a terrible blow"
to the unemployed and a repudia-
ton Of the Democratic party's 1896
platform, which promised work for
the unemployed.
Mr.. Benjamin attacked particu-
larly the wage provision which he
said would mean reduction in the
wage and living standards of work.
ers in all parts of the country Ito
the starvation levels which the
Southern workers have been COM
PEELED to suffer-
He referred to the wage restric-
ton as one brought about by "the
dominant Garner-Republican bloc
in Congress-"
In turning P. w. A. over to Mr..
Carmody, Secretary Ickes gave him
report of its accomplishments
which, he said, showed it to have
been a most effective agency for
business recovery"
Since 1888, he said, the P. w. A.
had provided more than 10000, $780,
GOO man-hours of direct and indi-
rect labor on 27,929 projects, cost
ing 81 ZOO 40 Qo5