Evening star., 1939-05-23
Chaos Faced Unless
Economy Is Begun,
Woodrum Warns
Further Experiments
In Spending Opposed
By House Member
Continued from page B-8)

until there is the co-ordinated effort
Of the three interested parties.
Now, just who are the three inter-
ested parties? Party No. one is the
taxpayer, the citizen. Party No. two
Is the legislative branch of the Gov
ernment, the Congress. Party No.
three is the executive branch of the
Government. 1t will do no good
for groups of citizens to adopt reso-
lutions about balancing the budget
and reducing public costs as long
as they continue to organize pres
sure groups to importune Congress
for more projects and more public
spending, all of which has the ten
dency of shifting from localities
and municipalities and States the
costs of their local government and
of relief to the shoulders of the Fed
eral Government. I am absolutely
convinced of one thing, and that is
unless somebody puts on the brakes
we are headed for either reputation
or drastic initiation of our currency,
either of which would certainly be
a major national calamity.
Relief Expenditures.
Now, what about relief expendi-
lures? I believe any thoughtful
citizen familiar with the national
situation will realize that in the
immediate future, almost regardless
of any natural business revival, the
Federal Government Is going to be
called upon to make rather large
outlays for unemployment relief
No one wants to see deserving
American citizens suffer. Every one
is willing to try to help the de-
serving, and there is no doubt
about the fact that literally mil
lions of American citizens today are
in want, who are able and willing
to work, but who, because of our
disjointed economic system, are un-
able to find private employment.
These people must receive public
assistance. So far as the unemploy-
ables are concerned, they are and
should be the responsibility of the
locality or the State. Providing
work for the able bodied unemploy-
ed, however, is a national problem,
and I think the Federal Government
should have a part in trying to
meet this problem. I am quite will
ing, under proper safeguards and
restrictions, to appropriate within
the limit of our means money for
this purpose. I do think, however,
the time has come when we must
take stock of the situation; when
we should recognize the faults.
frailties, shortcomings and blunders
that have been made in the admin
istration of the work relief pro-
gram; and when we should try to
correct that
Considering the magnitude of the
task, the difficulties attendant upon
any Federal work relief system, I
unhesitatingly accord to the ad.
ministration and to the admins
tration of w. P. A. much credit for
the work that has been done. The
w. P. A. program in many sections
of the country has been good 1t
has met a pressing emergency need,
and has afforded employment to
millions of American citizens who
without its aid undoubtedly would
have experienced great sorrow and
distress. But there are certain
parts Of its program, certain poll
Cies in administration, certain pur-
poses for which expenditures are
made, which I think are entirely in
defensible. A committee of the
House of Representatives, of which
I am member, in obedience to a
resolution passed by the House, Is
now investigating the activities of
w P A. The hearings are open to
the public, and the committee is
securing much useful and valuable
information. In a few weeks, I be-
lieve the committee will be able to
report to the Congress and to the
country. helpful and constructive
suggestions with reference to this
matter. I do not feel that it would
be appropriate for me at this time
to discuss in anv detail what these
hearings have shown, or to COM
ment particularly upon any feature
of the evidence. I will say. however,
that, in spite of the caustic and
critical public utterances of w. P. A.
officials, the committee, without ex-
ception so far as I know, is inter-
ested in finding out the true facts.
I think If will readily give credit
where credit is due, and I am con-
fdent that without fear or favor it
will condemn those practices and
policies which have not reflected
credit upon this activity.
Let me make, if you please, one
or two general observations. One
of the great virtues of the Ameri-
can citizen which perhaps more
than any other one single factor
has enabled us here to build a great
nation, is his industry, his perse-
verence, his individuality, his will
ingness to meet and overcome OBJ
stacles which may lie IN the path
OF his progress. This applies to
the American farmer and to the
American workingman.
In honIIi,o 1,,~