The Coolidge examiner., 1940-04-11
ASST APPEARS TO
Your Congressman

AS pointed out number OF
times before, during this session
of Congress the House in an eco
nomy mood has followed the lead
of some subcomfittees on appro-
priations and cut below the Budget
estimates in passing supply bills.
1t is true the Senate usually raises
the total appropriation, but that
is not the thing | wish to call to
attention now. What | have
roticed in the last two supply bills
is an interesting coincidence,
namely, that the House exceeded
the Budget estimate in one of
them by siXty-seven million dol
lars and cut under the Budget estl-
mate in the other by 67 100000
dollars. So, if we put the two to-
gether, the House appropriated in
these two bills what the Budget
suggested. The bill that exceeded
the Budget estimate did so be-
cause Of the increases voted by
the House for CCC work and for
the National Youth Administra-
ton. The one that undercut the
Budget estimate was for the war
Department. One way to !ook at
this matter is that sixty-seven
million dollars less was appropriate
ed for the purpose of war and
death. and sixty-seven million dol
'ars more was voted for the pur-
pose of upbuilding the youth of the
nation.
The WPA situation seems criti-
cal The relief appropriations for
this year were much less than for
the previous years and contained
provision for laying off for
thirty days those who had been
employed under WPA for eighteen
months. This provision. I am con-
vinced, has caused much hardship
I am daily receiving letters and
petitions not on'y from those who
have been dropped off WPA lists
but also from mayors of our cities
and other public officials having
to do with the relief situation
About the best that | can say in
reply is that | shall present the
situation in the hearing on the
bill, within the next few days, and
shall try to vote wisely when the
matter is before the House.
Congressman Scrugham of Ne
vada and | have joined in request
ing the location of CCC workers
along the Colorado River above
and near old Fort Mohave. We
believe that a considerable area
of land on both sides of the river,
but chiefly in Arizona, in that
vicinity should be treated with a
view of immediate use under an
act passed in 1888. While this act,
known as The Five Acre Tract
Act, was intended to apply to any
part of the public domain to which
it could be applied, it was de-
signed with special reference to
the Southwest where the climate
is admirable and wherever a
water supply is available. Because
the land of sunshine and mid eli
mate is so healthful, this act was
thought to be beneficial especially
to many ex-service men and pos
sibly others fleeing from the Dust
Bowl. My own feeling is that there
is opportunity for men, whose
health may be impaired but who
have a small income, to establish
themselves on tracts of land where
they make a part of their subsist-
ence. and at the same time i'm
prove their wealth and their
health. Relatively small tracts OF
land along the Colorado River, be-
low where it emerges from the
canyons, are not to be "sneezed
att, although they may not be so
vast as the acreage to be watered
from the Headgate Rock Dam or
from the Imperial Dam.
1t might seem that a congress
man would have plenty of oppor-
tunity to listen to long-winded
speeches in the Chamber itself
without going out at night to
listen to more. During the eve-
nings of the past week l have
listened to various types of speak
ers from Sir Stafford Cripp, noted
English author and statesman, on
the situation in China to the