Evening star., 1941-11-11
Denial Of Funds
Spurs New Plea
For D. Works
F.W. A. Says Nothing
Left; Sc, 900, 900 to
Be Sought Of Congress
By JAMES E. CHINN.

DN JAVVLS Z. HMM.
Commissioner John Russell Young
declared today District officials
would leave no stone untnrned" in
their efforts to get a S6000,000 ad-
vance from Federal Work Admins
tration to finance a carefully pre-
pared program of emergency public
works.
Admittedly indignant over dis
closure by F. w. A. that its original
$l50,000 900 appropriation for public
projects in defense areas had al
ready been earmarked and that no
funds are available to loan or grant
the District, Commissioner Young
planned another appeal to Congress
for the urgently-needed money.
The revelation, made before the
House District Committee late yes
terday by Fred E. Schneppfe, as
sistant director of F. w. A., brought
from the Commissioner this state
ment: 1T looks as though the
cards have been stacked against
US
DVSiuVu .NVCu
Mr.. Young told the committee the
Commissioners had made known
their decision in July to seek S6000.-
900 from F. w. A., and as result
asked Congress to enact legislation
authorizing the advance to finance
new schools, extensions to the water
and sewer systems and other prof.
ects made necessary by the unprece-
dented growth of the District.
1t seems to me a peculiar time
for the F. w. A. to come along and
spring this on US" he declared.
This all seems very peculiar to me.
l don't see any reason for all the
secrecy. We should have been told
IN July we were not eligible for
allotments. I don't understand it."
The committee which had under
consideration a bill authorizing the
F. w. A. to advance the S60O0,OO0 to
the District in form of both loans
and grants, abruptly adjourned
with instructions to both the Com
mlSsloners and F.. w. A. officials to
get together and iron out their diff
1erenceS.
Information was given the COM
mittee that the House Public Build
ings and Grounds Committee is con-
slderlng an amendment to the Lam
ham Act providing another $780,
900 1000 for national defense public
works. Mr.. Young said the Com
missioners would appear before that
committee and urge that it spe-
ciflcally make some of that money
available to the District.
New Attempt Scheduled.
Meanwhile, Commissioner Young
said Budget Ofhcer Walter Fowler
would confer with F. w. A. officials
to find out if it is not possible to
get some Of the original $150,O00, 900,
so work can be undertaken without
delay on the vitally needed District
projects. the most important of
which Is additional facilities for
both the water supply and distribu-
ton systems
Opinion was expressed by C. Rus
sell Shetterly of the legal staff of
r. w. A. that some of the items in
cluded in the s6,0O0O00 program of
the Commissioners might not qualify
for F. w. A. funds under the Lam
ham Act because they do not clearly
come within the scope of projects
for which the original s150,000000
was appropriated. Only one of the
six schools in the program-an
eightroom elementary building at
Nichols avenue and Atlantic streets
Sc. near the Army reservation at
Boiling Field-was mentioned as be-
ing in a class that would meet ap-
proval. Advances for water and
sewer improvements. however, it was
said, probably would be approved.
Cites Three Glasses.
Mr.. Shetterly explained three
classes were set up in the Lanham
Act to govern advances for public
works in defense areas. They in
cluded:
l. Projects for the armed forces.
2. Projects for civilians assigned
on military or naval bases and reser-
vations.
3. Projects for civilian workers en-
gagged in industries essential to ma
tional defense.
Mr.. Shetterly questioned whether
projects to aid Government en-
ployes working in Federal depart
ments in Washington could qualify
under any Of the three classifica-
tions.
IF projects for office workers in
ammunition factories are included"
remarked Representative Bates, Re-
publican, of Massachusetts,, Il don't
see why projects for those who are
writing orders for the ammunition
plants are not included
Earlier, Mr.. Bates, who was Mayor
of Salem for IA years before being
elected to Congress, proposed that
the Federal Government pay the
District for the water it uses as one
means of avoiding a possible in
crease in rates.
The committee was informed that
the Federal Government uses We
tween IS and 20 per cent of the en-
tire consumption in the District, for
which IL would have tn nav If