Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1942-12-05
Studies Of BuiIdinu
After War Slowed
By Lack Of Funds
Failure Of Congress to
Appropriate Compared
To British Action

The current issue of the Architec-
tural Forum contains a survey OF
postwar building programs in the
States and larger cities. The maya
zine notes that "in numerous cases
failure of Congress to appropriate
additional funds for the National
Resources Planning Board and the
Federal Work Reserve has limited
or stopped progress.
This is in marked contrast to the
situation in England where post war
planning is an accepted national re-
sponsibility, adequately financed and
proceeding now" the Forum COM
mented.
Among the responses to a ques-
tionnaire sent to Governors and
Mayors were the following:
I'VE have State Planning Com
mission which is devoting part of its
time to postwar problems. This pro-
gram is now being reviewed for ad-
ministrative guidance for war and
postwar programs" Gov. Herbert
r. O'Conor, Maryland.
Virginia has a Planning Commits
sion which is giving consideration to
postwar projects. We do not pro-
pose to start any of the projects I'M
til after the war."-Gov. Colgate W.
Darden, jr., Virginia.
ITO supplement private industry
In providing employment in times
of labor surplus, an extensive pro-
gram of economically sound public
works has been prepared to meet
anticipated needs of the State and
its communities. This program in
cludes projects of many types, such
as public buildings for administra-
ton, education or institutional
treatment, highways, recreational
developments, reforestation and pro-
posals for mine sealing and drain
age, stream pollution abatement, etc.
Naturally this program must be
tentative, subject to revision and
priority, depending upon the chang
ing needs and conditions. Wherever
possible. the projects will be self
liquidating or, as in the case of re-
forestation. will ultimately provide
new and permanent employment OPP
portunities.
Some projects have received legis-
lative approval, enabling construc-
ton to start when the war has
ended; others have not yet received
legislative approval; and some, such
as we're the wars concentration Of
workers in an industrial area has
created acute conditions, may be
unable to await the end of the war.
Begin "Self-Appraisals."
Public works, however, is only one
land, at best. supplementary
phase of Pennsylvania prepara-
tions to meet economic changes
which will follow the end of the
war. To assist various localities or
regions attain a better balance and
diversity in industry, greater en-
ployment security. and economic
stability, our Department of Com
nerce has initiated a program of
community self-appraisal based on
the home rule principle of local de-
termination.
Approximately 100 communities
have undertaken such selt-apprais-
ais in one or more phases. This
requires local fact-fnding of the
communitys needs, capacities and
abilities, analysis of the facts dis
covered. and action to develop the
community's resources of labor, raw
materials and location in order to
foster industries best suited to the
individual advantages of the COM
munity.
Through analysis of these local
facts, each community may know in
advance which industries may close
at the end of the war. which ones
must convert to peacetime rrcduc-
ton. and what new industries have
the best chance of proSperinC be-
cause Of local markets, local raw
materials and local skilled labor.
Through such advance knoWl-
edge and preparation to diversity
the industrial character Of the COM
munity, it becomes possible to cush-
ion postwar chances and to make it
more certain there will be Jobs for
America nsoldierS when they come
back and for the civilians during
the war-to-peace transition period
Gov, Arthur H. James, Pennsylvania.
practically each one of our GAO
incorporated towns and 254 counties
have postwar programs in various
stages of development, many of these
being advanced to the point of hav-
ting plans and specifications pre-
pared, Ernest j. Boyette. executive
secretary to Gov. Coke Stevenson,
Texas.
New Hampshire does have a
planning and development commits
sion, whose work it is to handle all
postwar projects. The commission
is working on a capital budget to be
presented to the 1943 Legislature
that may be classified as a plan for
such work
1T is also working out plan for
community and municipal reserve
financing, anticipating the day the
war will come to an end and a
number of public works will have to
absorb potentially unemployed peo-
pie. The designing and specifica-
tons of number of buildings I'M
der the capital budget have been
undertaken. '-Thorsten V. Kalijarvi,