Evening star., 1939-01-20
Ran1speck Hits
Congress for
W.P. A. Politics
Representative Says
Legislators Hold
Power Over Funds

Responsibility for politics in w
/ P. A. was laid at the door of Con-
gress by Representative Ramspeck
Democrat, of Georgia, chairman OF
the House Civil Service Committee
! In an address last night before a
mass meeting of the United Federal
( Workers of America called to oppose
: reduction of w. P. A. funds.
Congress must be responsible for
the manner in which w. P. A. ad-
ministrative officers are appointed,
the Georgian asserted. Legislation
for their selection by the merit sys-
tenn was turned down. I am proud
to say that in my own State, Georgia
there has been no politics under its
woman director.
"As for politics in Pennsylvania
Tennessee and Kentucky" he said
"the politics was not confined tC
w. P. A., but the heat was put on all
Federal and State employees"
The mass meeting was held in the
auditorium of the old Interior De-
partment Building at Nineteenth
and F streets NV.
Ask Merit Extension.
After hearing Representative
Ramspeck and Lee Pressman, gen.
eral counsel of the c. I. O., the group
went on record with resolutions ad-
. vocating extension of the merit sys-
tenn to all workers, except those in
policy making positions, in w. P. A..
the National Youth Administration
and farm security and urged adop-
ton of 81 1000, 900, 1000 w. P. A. de-
} flciency appropriation to carry work
relief through June 30.
Mr.. Ramspeck expressed the hope
the Senate, where the w. P. A. ap-
preparations bill is now in subcom-
mittee, would corerct "the error" of
the House in adopting an amend
ment keeping the Presidents eX-
ecutive order of last June 4 from
putting employees of the three gov
ernmental branches already men,
toned under civil service
Mr.. Pressman attacked the con-
ception of many members of Con-
gress toward relief, including the
contention that lot of w. P. A.
workers wouldn't take private jobs
If they were offered"
"Will Find Relief Somehow"
'These people aren't going to take
this for an answer any longer" he
said. Every American who is able
to work wants job. They will not
be satisfied without jobs. 1t is time
the opposition recognized people
can't be forced into that kind of a
situation. Somehow-they will find
some kind of relief.
THE people against relief on Capt.
tol Hill today are the very ones who
were asking that their constituents
be given administrative jobs" Mr.
Pressman asserted The Federal
administration did not ask that the
Senate confirm State w. P. A. ad-
ministrators, but Senate conflrma-
tion was provided. The very people
who make the most noise about
politics and relief were the ones
most interested in the State admin
istrators being confirmed by the
Senate"
All the speakers, including Mr.
Ramspeck, Mr.. PresSman, Miss
Eleanor Nelson, ary-treasurel
of the U. F. w. A., and Arthur Stein
president of the unions District
council, who presided, condemned
w. P. A. reductions of $150,0O0,O00
An additional reduction in the Sen
ate has been threatened.
After the resolutions had beer
adopted, members of the union
affiliated with the C. I. O., were
urged to telegraph or write Repre-
sentatives and Senators from theil
home districts and States urging
that the w. P. A. figure be $1,000
100000 in order to prevent whole
sale discharges and widespread suf-
fering. The meeting closed with g
motion picture showing a wide va.
riety of w. P. A. projects under con.
struction.