Evening star., 1939-06-26
Lehman Rushes
To Defend Federal
Works Programs
Replies to Attack by
Connecticut. . Executive
At Governors MEETING
BY the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
ALBANY, N. Y, June 26.-As-
sertion the Federal Government
was using public works spending to
"extend its powers into the States
and competing with private enter
prise, brought New Deal support on
the floor of the Governors confer
ence today from Herbert H. Leh-
man, New York.
Immediately following the state
ment Of Republican Gov. Raymond
E. Baldwin, Connecticut, Demo-
cratic Gov. Lehman declared:
I'VE have not found that the
Federal spending program has been
in competition with private enter
prise. Generally speaking, I think
the Federal projects have real eco
nomic value and are for the most
part a good investment"
Previously, Gov. Baldwin had
pointed to the large number of per-
sons employed in w. P. A., N. Y. A
and other Government work prof.
ests which are administered out OF
Washington"
Lehman Presents View.
Said Gov. Lehman:
There is no question that jobs In
private enterprise are more to be de-
sired than Public Works jobs, but
we are facing an actuality. Private
industry hasn't been able to give
enough jobs to relieve unemploy-
ment. Pending such a time the
Federal and State governments will
have to do their part"
Cows. John w. Bricker, Ohio and
Robert l.. Cochran, Nebraska, then
discussed restrictions placed upon
Federal spending in their States.
Both Governors said their Legis-
latures had placed restrictions on
the raising of local bonds for Fed
eral projects limiting the scope OF
such work so they would not COM
pete with private enterprise.
Gov Nels H. Smith, Wyoming
Republican, asserted Federal prof.
ects cost about three times as mucn
as they would under the States su-
pervision."
I'VE can't get labor on our ranches
because w. P. A. workers are told if
they leave they can't get back on
the w. P. A." he added.
Republicans and New Deal STAN
dard bearers, several mentioned as
1910 presidential prospects, sat side
by side at the opening Of the thirty
first annual conference as Gov
Baldwin precipitated the debate by
declaring:
"The Federal Government has
taken advantage of the distress of
large sections of our population to
extend its powers into the States.
Says Projects Forced on States.
Pointing to the large number of
persons employed on w. P. A., N,
Y. A. and other Government projects
which are administered out OF
Washington" he continued:
Instead of permitting us to de-
eide upon projects that in our own
opinion would be best for our in
dividual States and our citizens, the
Federal Government forces, or at
tempts to force, projects on us-not
in furtherance of our own wishes
or desires, but to impose upon us an
extension of the Federal power, or
the extension of political or eco
nomic theories in which we have nc
confidence"
Gov Baldwin, frequent critic OF
the New Deal, questioned the eco
nomic results of pump priming
through Federal spending and added
"There is. no substitute for a good
Job in private industry"
Public works should be an express
sion of a peoples greatness and not
the expression of an economic theory
of desperation" he asserted.
Wants Decentralization.
AS a solution of what he termed
the usurping of State powers through
public works projects and work re-
lief" the Connecticut leader sug-
ReSGcQ.
'The starting point, I think, is de-
centralization. Decentralization anc
home rule of relief and of public
works projects. Put the administra-
ton of relief work back where it be-
longs-in the hands of the States
and, through them, into the hands o1
local authorities"
In his address of welcome, Host
Gov. Herbert H. Lehman told the
chief executives "the growing evil
of the erection of barriers to trade
and commerce by one State or a
group of States against other States
must be checked.