Evening star., 1939-03-28
The Political Mill
Naming Of W. P. A. Investigating Committee
To Be Watched With Great Interest

istration now in an effort to side
track or prevent an inquiry into
the w. p. AS use Of funds, par.
ticularly since the President has re.
newed his request for the additional
$50 900 900.
Die-Hards Oppose Passage.
The administration leaders have
done the obvious thing under the
circumstances. They have declared
themselves perfectly willing to have
the Appropriations Committee make
such an investigation Of the w, p.
A., holding that the inquiry would
show no wrongdoing whatever and
no waste. So when the House
voted yesterday 1t was only a small
group Of die-hard, 100 per cent New
Dealers who voted against the Cox
resolution, q in all, while 352 mem
bers of the House voted for the
adoption Of the resolution. Rep
resentative Rayburn Of Texas, ma
jority leader of the House, went so
far as to make speech in support
of the resolution.
The Appropriations Committee of
the House already has been inquir-
ing into the need Of the w. p. A.
for the $l50,00O,0O0 asked by the
President. Under the pending reso-
luton, however, 1t Is expected the
committee or q subcommittee there
of will go into much more exhaustive
inquiry than the usual committee
investigations of estimated expendi-
lures for the executive departments.
It may be that the actual appro-
priation of money for the w. p. A.
may be held up until the committee
has made some headway under the
Cox resolution.
Chairman Taylor of the House
Appropriations Committee has in
dicated the inquiry will be made by
a subcommittee. Apparently he is
authorized to select the subcommit-
tee. A good deal may depend upon
the personnel of the committee
picked by him-particularly If it be
a hand-picked New Deal commit
tee. Representative Woodrum of
Virginia, who has been chairman of
the subcommittee dealing with def
cheney appropriations. was recently
sidetracked by Mr.. Taylor because
Mr.. Woodrum fought the Presidents
demand for the full $875, 900 900 for
the w. p. A. Mr.. Taylor decided
himself to take charge of that sub
committee while it Is to pass upon
the Presidents new request for the
remainder Of the $875, 5,0O0,000.
Personnel Watched Closely.
If Mr.. Taylor declines to place
Mr.. Woodrum on the committee to
investigate the w. P. A. under the
Cox resolution he will raise, it is
said, a storm of protest. Further
more, charge likely will be made
that the administration is out to
"whitewash" the w. P. A. use Of
money. So the naming Of the sub
committee to make the inquiry will
be watched with keen interest on
the part Of the House.
The Republican membership OF
the House, under the lead of Rep
resentative Martin Of Massachu-
sets, lined up solidly for the Cox
resolution. Mr.. Martin told the
House that distrust of the w. P. A.
was not confined Ito those who pay
the bills" but extends to the people
who themselves are on relief. And
he added that in his own district
last summer and fall w. P. A. money
had been used in an effort to de-
feat him and elect a New Deal
candidate in his place. This is the
political angle. But what the Amer
ican people want to know, even
beyond that. is whether w. P. A.
money is wasted and in years when
no elections are scheduled.
The manner in which the w. P.
A. rolls have mounted in election
years and fallen of in the odd