Evening star., 1942-03-19
Hunter Assures
District W.P.A A.
viii! Continue .
Says liquidation
Order, if Given,
Will Be OverruIed

Washington's w. P A. program
will have to be reduced in size and
cost, but definitely will not be
''liquidated" June 80, Federal w. p.
A. Commissioner Howard Hunter
declared today. Written instruc-
tions that the District w. P. A.
program must be closed out by the
end of this fiscal year were received
few days ago by local authorities
from H. D. Williar, regional w. p
A. administrator for Delaware,
Maryland and the District.
At special press conference
granted representatives of Washing
ton newspapers at noon today, Mr..
Hunter said he thought there had
been some misunderstanding"
along the line. but that if Mr.. Will
liar had issued instructions that
the Washington program be liqui-
dated he would have to overrule
them.
Mr.. Hunter said he realized that
he had put Mr.. Williar on the spot"
by recent instructions to the regional
administrator that he would have
to reduce the program in his area,
but the Federal commissioner
added:
No instructions for closing down
the Washington program have been
issued by my office-and such an
order would have to have my ap-
proval-and as long as there are
needy employable persons in the
District and as long as we can find
projects suitable for them we Will
operate, a w. p A. program in the
District.
Appropriation to Be Asked.
This is subject. however, to the
extent to which Congress provides
appropriations for the national w.
P. A. program. AS the situation now
stands no appropriation yet has
been made for W. P. A. program
in the fiscal year beginning July l.
1t is my understanding an ap-
preparation for this purpose will be
sent to Congress in the near future"
When it became known early this
week that Mr.. Williar had given in
structions for liquidation of the
District program, Commissioner
Young, with the support of other
District officials, voiced an imme-
diate protest and said if Washington
was being singled out for rigorous
treatment, he would be compelled
to carry the fight to Appropriations
Committees of Congress.
Mr.. Hunter told reporters today
he planned to confer first with Mr..
Williar and then to talk with Com
missioner Young as to the District
needs and prospects.
The w. P. A. commissioner said he
felt Washington was in an unusually
good situation, with many types OF
business booming here, and that he
felt that perhaps many of the w.
P. A. projects should be assumed by
some District agency. He added he
realized Washington had peculiar
situation, due to its form of govern
ment, in that its Commissioners
could not appropriate funds, that
the question of financing rested with
Congress.
Young ReaSsured.
AS one illustration of how the
District program might be reduced,
he cited a District w. P, A. map
making project which has been op-
Grated as a local program because
prior to the war the War Depart
menqt did not have funds for this
service. This program, he said, is
being closed as District w. P. A.
project, and the program assumed
by the War Department. He sug-
gested numerous other changes.
Mr.. Hunter reserved decision on
the many welfare w. P. A. projects
until he has conferred with Com
missioner Young.
Informed of Mr. Hunters position,
Commissioner Young said: 1T was
hard to believe that any one con-
templated liquidation of the District
w. P. A. without first taking the
matter up with the District Com
missioners and Congress. Mr.. Hunt
er's statement is comforting and re-
assuring to us"