Evening star., 1942-03-26
President Of Purdue
Urges Senate Group
To Retain n. Y. A.
Agency Called Beneficial
To Students, Abolition
Would Be Short Sighted
Nv ]. A. OTEARY.


Dr.. Edward c. Elliott. president
OF Purdue University, told the Sen
ate Education and Labor Committee
today it would be "shortsighted" to
abolish the National Youth Admin
tstration, as hearings were resumed
on the McKellar bill to curtail both
that agency and the Civilian Con-
seryation Corps during the war.
DR.. Elliott was one of score OF
witnesses from all parts Of the coun-
try, scheduled to appear during the
day to defend the work of the two
agencies.
In my judgment the N. Y. A. has
exerted a most beneficial effect on
the students, not only by the flnan-
cial aid of $40 or SIS a month, but
in morale and in keeping open the
door of opportunity to them" DR..
Elliott testified He said about 600
students would be unable to go
through summer courses at Purdue
# N. Y. A. is abolished.
Senator Taft, Republican, of Ohio
suggested that would require addi-
tional appropriations. explaining he
understood N. Y A. in the past had
not covered summer school work.
DR.. Elliott said that would be true
in his case.
Students Got SS0,723.
Senator McKellar, Democrat, Of
Tennessee brought out that for the
year 1940-41 the N. Y. A. aid to
students at Purdue amounted to
$780, ,723. He asked DR.. Elliott to sub
nit later other amounts the uni
versity receives in Federal funds for
engineering defense training and as
agricultural extension aid. The Sena-
tor also asked him for a report of
how many OF the 1924 boys aided
last year have gone into the Army or
defense industries. DR.. Elliott said
some of them are still in school, but
promised to get the figures
Senator Taft asked if he had seen
any tendency among the boys to
want to get into industry in pref
erence to the Army.
Nov and then we find such cases,
but generally speaking they want to
get into the armed service" DR..
Elliott replied.
The first witness was DR.. John G.
Pipkin, State welfare commissioner
of Arkansas. Pointing out that this
country will need 28,50O, 900 900 feet
of lumber this year alone, he argued
c. c. c. enrollees are performing
vital war work by putting out fires
that destroy the lumber supply. In
the forests of Arkansas, he said,
there were 10000 forest fires in 1910
and $500 in 1941, which the boys
helped to check.
I'm for retention of both these
agencies, for what they can do to
win the war;" DR.. Pipkin said.
Strawberry Picking Cited.
Senator Taft said he doubted the
wisdom Of continuing the c. C.. c.
because there is a demand for their
labor on farms and in industry.
DR.. Pipkin replied the problem
would be to get them on the farms.
To illustrate, he said. it will soon
be strawberry picking time in some
parts OF Arkansas, but most c. c. C.
boys are from the hills and would
not 90 down to pick Strawberries.
Senator Schwartz, Democrat, Of
Wyoming wanted to know why,
asking if transportation was the
reason.
That's largely the problem" DR..
Pipkin answered.
That's a marvellous situation"
Senator Schwartz observed.
If they were auocated to the
farms, they would CO." DR.. Pipkin
said, but argued the farmer would
only need them during the picking
season.
After the witness had testified
they would get 81 or $50 a day from
the farmer without meals, as against
$50 a month from the c. c. c., Sen
ator Taft suggested they fare better
in the G. c. G. and therefore the
boys will always go into the camps
As long as Congress appropriates
the money.