Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-08-29

prominent man in Oklahoma stat
ing that the w. P. A. had offered
a project involving many thousands
of dollars to make a survey of the
States resources for defense, and
that it was regarded as a political
racket because most of the informa-
ton had already been gathered by
other governmental agencies.
Today the w. P. A. has issued Il
letter declaring the story to contain
ridiculous and completely untrue
statements" and that the charge
was completely unsubstantiated,"
and calling either for proof or a
public retraction. This correspond
ent gladly furnishes today the proof.
In his letter, the w. P. AS acting
administrator, Howard Hunter,
writes:
THE so-called project which your
Oklahoma anonymous correspondent
claims to have been initiated by the
w. P. A. for the purpose of spend
ing 100000 in order to effect a
survey of the defense resources of
the State of Oklahoma is completely
non-eXistent. The only semblance
of truth to the story you publish
is that suggestion originated in
the Oklahoma City Chamber of
Commerce mot the w. P. A. that
such survey be made. No promises
were ever made by the w. ?. a.
administrator in Oklahoma and no
such project has ever been sub
mitted to the Oklahoma W. P. A.
or to the national headquarters in
Washington.
Reports on Checkup.
This correspondent asked Elmer
T. Peterson, associate editor of the
Oklahoma Publishing Co.-pubhsh-
ers of the Daily Oklahoman-to
check the statements in my dispatch
of two days ago and to interview
as many of the principals as he
could reach in the last "a hours.
He telegraphS me as follows:
THE record shows that the pro-
posal for war resources survey came
from Col. WeStbrook of New Orleans,
w. P. A. official. The Oklahoma
City Chamber of Commerce officials
were receptive to the project at
first, assuming that it, would cost
only a small sum. A series of meet
ings was held and Project Writer
Mellor of the Oklahoma State w.
P. A. was put on the job of drawing
up the project. The State w. P. A.
administrator, Ron Stephens, said
he had turned details over to Mellor.
The project proposal is set down
on regular form 301 on six blue
sheets with 16 extra insert sheets
and card marked exhibit A. The
total amount of the project is S274,-
236, of which $28,696 was allocated
to the sponsor. Doubtless w. P. A.
officials can find this in their
records.
1.-THE meeting at which West
brook Of the w. P. A. spoke was
in the Office of the State w. P. A.
administrator, Ron Stephens, and
was attended by about Is leading
citizens, including representatives of
city and State Chambers of Com
merce. One of these men, regarded
as exceptionally reliable, says that
the project proposal was under the
direct supervision of Eula Fuller
ton, the director of the State w.
P. A, and that she told him it would
take 100000. This figure was COM
municated to city Chamber of Com
merce. Representatives of the State
Chamber of Commerce were notified
of this figure and they objected to
1t as being exorbitant and unnec-
essary. Prof. Wardell of State Uni
versity was consulted by w. P. A.
project writer's.
Stephens Quoted.
when objection to the 100000
figure was made, State w. P. A. Ad-
ministrator Ron Stephens said, We
can cut it down, but you know that
all we have to do is to ask for more
This statement was heard and re-
ported by excellent authority. 1t
was indicated during these negotia-
tons, by newspaper clippings and
otherwise, that similar projects were
to be initiated in other States.
81 have talked with several unim-
peachable sources and their stories
all corroborate each other to the eff
feet that 100000 white collar project
for collecting war resources informa-
ton for Oklahoma was definitely
proposed, that it was cut to s274,236
upon protest of Oklahoma business
leaders, and finally pigeonholed al
together because it was considered
unnecessary. The fact that project