Evening star., 1941-05-21
Congress AppIauds
Roosevelt Request
For W. P. A. Slash
Some Opposition Arises
To Proposed Changes
In Work Relief Low
Tert OF Message, Page A-s.

Tert OF Message, Page A-9. .
By the Associated Press.
Members of Congress today gen.
orally applauded President Roose-
velt's sharply reduced request for
w. P. A. funds, but some oppo-
sition developed to his requests for
administrative changes in the law.
The opposition was based on the
contention that the legislative
changes he asked might induce
some work relief clients to make
the w. P. A. their career"
In a special message yesterday,
Mr.. Roosevelt asked Congress for a
w. P. A. appropriation Of $886.00O.-
600 for the year beginning next July
Ia reduction Of Sl09 100000 from
preliminary relief estimates. and
comparing with the S1,350.650 900
appropriated for the current fiscal
year.
Asserting that the defense pro-
gram had taken up some of the
slack in employment, the Presi-
dents estimate allowed for employ
ment of about 100000 persons a
month on the w. P. A. rolls, the
lowest in years.
Relief Rolls Drop.
The monthly average so far this
year has been 100000, but has been
going down sharply in recent
months. On May IA there were l.
496, 1868 on w. P. A. rolls.
Representative Cannon of Mis-
souri,, ranking Democrat on the
House Appropriation Committee,
called the reduction in line with
the needs of w. P. A.
In the first place he said,
"the expenditures in the defense
program have greatly taken up the
slack in employment. On the other
hand in answer to those who say
we should eliminate the appropria-
tion altogether or reduce it still
further, the defense program does
not reach some classes of labor,
and they still must be taken care
Of"
The President took the same
stand, declaring that certain parts
of the country are not affected by
defense activities and many types Of
workers are not in demand"
Representative Taber of New
York, ranking Republican on the
Appropriations group, said he would
fight the whole program.
Charges Money Wasted.
THE w. P. A. is part of an anti
defense program of the President.
he said. "One group is getting stuff
out for defense. Another is trying
to waste the money of the country.
He is catering to both. The re-
suit is they work both ends against
the middle"
Representative Taber disagreed
with the President and Representa-
tive Cannon that a hardship TO
many people resulted from the pres.
ent provision requiring the w. P. A.,
to remove persons who have been
continuously on the rolls for 18
months. He called such removals
Justice"
The President asked that the re-
quirement be removed. He also rec,
commended elimination of an exist
ing employment restriction against
aliens otherwise eligible.
Mr.. Roosevelt likewise proposed
that administrative employees Of the
w. P. A. and those working in other.
agencies, but paid by relief funds,
should be made eligible to the bene-
fits of legislation extending the clas-
sifled civil service.
He concluded his message by not
ing that there are several sections
in the current relief act with respect
to political activities. While there
is no particular objection to the
re-enactment of these provisions,
most of them appear to be unneCes-
sary because Of the passage of the
Hatch Act and amendments thereto.7