The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1944-11-26
CAROLINA
FROM THE
CAPITAL
By ALLEN ]. GREEN
Star-News Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON, Nov. Is. - Wilmington and
New Hanover county, as well as other towns
and counties in southeastern North Carolina,
are eligible for Federal funds to plan their
postwar projects under lttle-knoWn section
Of recent law-Title V of the War Mobiliza-
ton and Reconversion Act of 1914.
And Congress is expected to include an ap.
preparation ranging into the millions of dol
lars for ALLEGATION by Federal Works Agency
to local communities for postwar planning,
when it approves deficiency appropriation
bill before adjournment next month. Exact size
O! the overall appropriation has not been an
nounced.
The funds, according to the act. may be
used for the architectural, engineering, aud
economic investigations and studies, surveys,
designs, plans, working drawings, specifica-
tlons-in fact all steps necessary to have pub
lie works projects brought to the contract-let-
ting stage. The city and county can use their
own engineering Stats and the Federal gov
eminent will not attempt to dictate the design.
Only requirement is that the projects be ap-
proved by the local and state postwar plan
ming group.
Ninety per cent of the total appropriation,
in the form of interest-free grants or loans,
will be allotted by EVA on the basis of popu-
lation The remaining 10 per cent will be
parceled out by the agency at its discretion.
The leans do not have to be paid back unless
which the loan financed the blueprints but,
Congress stipulates, the granting of the funds
does not obGgate the government to furnish
funds for the project itself.
A joint Wilmington New Hanover postwar
planning committee was authorized by the last
legislature and appointed. The city has since
set up its own planning board to handle present
as we'll as postwar problems.
Maj. Gen. Phillip B. Fleming, FWA admin
;ctY, &c Tho for
the postwar planning idea and his agency will
handle its details. The general made survey
Of states and cities and found that postwar
projects completed to the stage where work
| could begin in go days after the wars end
| would provide for less than a billion dollars
worth of work whereas, according to Gen.
| Fleming, IF we are to hope for an annual
national postwar income of $50 billion dollars
as the minimum to provide for something like
full employment and enable us to liguidate
the war debt, construction should ri se to
around Is billion dollars annually About 4
third of the total construction volume is public
works.
The general emissions compilation of mas
ter national list Of postwar projects of which
FWA would give priority to the projects need
ed most locally. Here is how Gen. Fleming
sees the planning functioning:
I'VE will have a very small staff at head
quarter for general administrative purposes
and will decenralize the program to the field
to the utmost possible extent. We shall have
field officers in most of the states and these
field offices will be given authority to act. We
shall aim for speed with a minimum of red
tape. Your application can be presented to
the field office with every assurance that you
will get prompt action from men on the ground
who are familiar with your problems
1t looks like the stage is set for starting
Wilmington and New Hanover county toward
a sound postwar economy.
EMORY TO WASHINGTON
Henry R. Emory, executive director OF the
Housing Authority of the City of Wilmington,
will arrive here Dec. for a conference of
the National Association of Housing officials.
The difference will center around the nations
postwar housing problems, including DISPOSE
ton of war housing projects and reactivation
Of slum clarence projects which were ready
to start when war halted all construction.
ANOTHER GUARDIANSHIP?
North Cardinals senior senator, Josiah W.
Bailey, has the prerogative of becoming chair
man of the Sena e Special committee on Con-
servation of 'Wildlife Resources since he is
now the ranking Democratic member by vir-
tue Of Chairman Bennett Champ Clarks de-
feat in Missouri Sen. Bailey can also retain