Morgan County Democrat. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1886-1943, 1939-06-22

stone conforms to federal specifica-
tions and better grade was requir
ed than on the State Highway rs
through Bristol township. A federal
wage scale must be maintained. There
is no opportunity for county COM
missioners to construct such a road
by the cheapest and most efficient
method When completed, the Boule-
ward debOucheS at both ends into i'm
portant local roads serving consider
able traffic, with half the width, and
half the surface of stone and gravel.
We must, therefor, draw the follow
ing conclusions. Had local funds and
local responsibility been necessary for
the improvement of this COW path,
anyone advocating it's construction
would have been considered as slight
ly cockeyed. Teaching the people
that debts and deficits are a good
thing has destroyed all brakes on
spending public monies and deaden-
ed the sense of public responsibility
The boulevard in question cost $10,-
500 for one mile to service one fam
lily. There are at least 5000 farm
homes in Morgan county. AT the
same ratio of cost per mile, $32,-
604, 400 would be required to service
the 5000 Morgan county families
sum four times our total taxing
duplicate and an appreciable figure
even for New Dealers accustomed to
deal in terms of billions. Nor is it
any defense to say that the cost of
relocating and improving IA miles
over the most difficult portion of the
Rim of the World Route is S54,-
25S.00. Surely Mr.. Gibson would
not compare the completed value of
an important inter-county highway
famed throughout the state for it's
scenic beauty with an obscure mud
bank road serving one family in Bris-
tol township. Aside from the wages
paid to WPA workers and the money
spent for local material, there are
not half a dozen farmers in Meigs-
vile or Bristol townships who
would not call the funds expended
upon that road as almost complete
loss.
Mr.. Gibson calls attention to many
worthy projects in Morgan county
completed by the WPA. We are glad
to agree with his statement to this
effect, although we have no means
of ascertaining the comparative cost
had such projects been constructed
locally and without federal restric-
tions. We are not complaining
about the manner in which Morgan
county has been treated by the WPA
or the federal grants of money which
have been allotted to us. We, no
doubt, have received our fair share
or more of distributive funds allotted
for WPA, altho again we have no
means Of knowing upon what basis
these funds are allocated and dis
tributed. Let us agree with Mr.. Glib
son that in the main our WPA mon
ey has been wisely expended upon
things of useful and permanent
nature such as school houses and
roads. Let us also do Mr.. Gibson the
honor of affirming a general opinion
that he is doing the job of admin
istering the District WPA as we'll as
anyone could do it. What we COM
plain of is the system.
There was never better plan de-
vised for bankrupting nation and
for completely breaking down all
idea of thrift, management and the
responsibility for expenditures in the
conduct Of local government. The
Public Works program was Launched
six years ago as an emergency meas
ure to bring about recovery. 1t was
two-fold in purpose-it was believed
that the extraordinary expenditures
would stimulate industry and the
made work would supply employment
to the needy. Judged by results, 1t
has done neither.
The cost of WPA and other New
Deal panaceas has to date accumulat-
ed a 25-billion dollar deficit with
budget farther out of balance than
at any time during that period. II
recovery had been made possible
through the frightful waste OF the
New Deal, something might be said
for it. But there are the same num-
ber of unemployed at the end or the
time as at the beginning. This vas.
deficit must be paid if the federal
credit is to be maintained. We are
lust as anxious as Mr.. Gibson and his
fellow humanitarians on the pup-
lie payroll, to have every
man who wants work have job and
every needy case properly cared Tor
And further, we wish to emphasize
that we have the deepest sympathy
for the man or woman out or WORK
He or she would be foolish If they
did not accept a job on the WPA
There is no stigma connected WIN
such a Job and we consider rldlcule
of any WPA worker as an especially