Evening star., 1939-02-07

anticipated by P. w. A. and put into
effect. For instance, the committee
recommended that a definite for
mula be devised under which States
and the Federal Government would
share responsibility for works pro-
grams. The Public Works Admins
tration has had such a formula in
effect throughout its existence. Un-
der the P. w. A. plan, the Federal |
Government contributes As per cent |
of the cost of public works and the |
sponsoring municipality contributes
SIS per cent-a policy that has met
with wide approval from our cities.
The Byrnes committee report also
says that there should be no COM
petition between the various works
programs of the Government. Long
ago, P. w. A. defined the field in
which it would work. The P w. A.
field of operations is that of heavy
construction in which is has oper-
ated entirely through private in
dustry.
Further evidence of the interest
of the American people in a public
works program was shown by the
recent action of the Senate in call
ing for the list of public works
projects pending before P. w. A.
That list, which is now before Con-
gress, shows that today there are
some 5,807 applications for projects
on file with the Public Works Ad-
ministration, providing for pro-
gram for total construction cost
Of 81 IT'S 100000. 1t would seem that
America certainly wants public
works.
The Byrnes committee report puts
forward as fundamental principle
the establishment of a permanent
organization to handle the public
works and relief problems. 1 have
| long advocated the establishment Of
permanent public works organiza-
ton, equipped to meet emergencies
as they arise. 1t has long been my
conviction that if the Federal Gov
ernment is to deal at all with the
problem of stimulating or reviving
business and industry, it must do it
on the basis of some permanent
and well-thought-out plan. Since
1888 we have had number of P. w.
A. programs. But each authoriza-
ton by Congress was to meet an
immediate situation None contem-
plated the establishment of a per-
manent agency. Instead these va
| riouS programs were successfully
and independently authorized to lift
up the business index after it had
fallen. Yet despite disconnected
P. w. A. programs, the overall effect
has been to build up experience and
improve methods for handling works
programs. A purely fortuitous con-
tinuity of effort produced the fine
results that we are experiencing
under our 1888 program.
Pioneered in Field.
1t was a tough job that President
Roosevelt handed me in 1888 when
he made me public works admin
istrator. There was no organization,
no procedure, no policy and no
precedent. We were able to carry
on only because we took courage
from the Presidents unfailing sup
port. That the country accepted
P. w. A. then on faith and accepts
it now on performance, did not
tighten the burden as We pioneered
an unexplored land. 1t is my hope
that no future President and no
future public works administrator
will ever have to undertake such a
task in such circumstances.
Now is the time to prepare
against some future day of depres-
sion.
Now is the time to hold fast to
and to perfect the machine that it
has been proved will work effectively
The Public Works Administra-
ton has met every test for six years.
The American people have acclaimed
that they are overwhelmingly in
favor of useful public works of the
type that P. w. A. has helped the
country to build
We must either move forward or
retreat. Your Federal public works
administrator does not believe in re-
treating when the cause is both good
and just.