Page images
PDF
EPUB

tration for making relief grants to States during the early months of Works Program operation. Allocations for administrative expenses and relatively small amounts made available to some agencies for purposes other than the operation of works projects are also included in the total. By the end of the year about 93 percent of the total amount allocated, or more than $5,670,000,000, had already been obligated, and checks had been issued in the amount of almost $5,000,000,000. The amounts allocated to each agency, together with the obligations incurred and expenditures made, are shown in a table below.

The following paragraphs summarize the major purposes for which funds allocated to certain agencies have been used.

ALLOCATIONS TO THE BUREAU OF PUBLIC ROADS FOR HIGHWAYS AND GRADE-CROSSING ELIMINATIONS

Nearly $500,000,000 was allocated from 1935 Emergency Relief Appropriation Act funds for highway work, under supervision of the Bureau of Public Roads. Of this amount $100,000,000 was to provide funds for the completion of highway-construction work authorized and begun under the Hayden-Cartwright Act of June 18, 1934. and appropriated in the Department of Agriculture Appropriation Act of 1936. The remainder, which included funds for administrative expenses, was divided almost equally between highway, road, and street construction and the elimination of dangerous grade crossings. It was apportioned among the States, the District of Columbia, and Hawaii, in accordance with the mandatory formula provided by the E. R. A. Act of 1935.

From funds made available under the Emergency Relief Appropriation Act of 1936 about $9,000,000 has been allocated to the Bureau of Public Roads for the replacement of highways, roads, streets, and bridges damaged or destroyed by floods in the spring of 1936.

ALLOCATIONS TO THE CIVILIAN CONSERVATION CORPS

Allocations of $596,000,000 were made to Emergency Conservation Work from funds made available by the E. R. A. Act of 1935. This amount was used in the period from April 1, 1935, to about June 30, 1936, to finance the operation of the Civilian Conservation Corps. No provision was made for Emergency Conservation Work in the E. R. A. Act of 1936, since money for the continuation of this agency was made available by a special congressional appropriation.

ALLOCATIONS TO PUBLIC WORKS ADMINISTRATION

From funds made available by the E. R. A. Act of 1935 the NonFederal Division of the Public Works Administration received allocations totaling $389,000,000. With this money grants have been made to local bodies for approximately 4,700 projects. The grants have been supplemented by P. W. A. loans from other than Works Program funds, amounting to more than $117,000,000. In conjunction with funds received locally, these grants and loans provided a total of $932,000,000 for the prosecution of the program of construction of school buildings, sewer and water systems, publicly owned

utilities, and similar types of projects. No new funds were made available to the Non-Federal Division under the Emergency Relief Appropriztion Act of 1936. However, the Public Works Administration was empowered, under the direction of the President, to use up to $300,000,000 of the funds on hand or to be received from the sale of securities for grant purposes. By December 10 the President had approved approximately 940 projects, estimated to cost $154,000,000, for operation on this basis.

To carry on a program of slum clearance, the Housing Division of the Public Works Administration received allocations of $107,000,000 from funds made available by the E. R. A. Act of 1935. This fund is financing 40 projects located in the larger cities of this country, with the specific purpose of demonstrating how slum areas can be replaced by low-rent housing facilities, for the benefit of persons who are unable to obtain decent urban housing at a price within their means.

ALLOCATIONS TO THE RESETTLEMENT ADMINISTRATION

Allocations of $334,000,000 have been made to the Resettlement Administration, $227,000,000 from funds made available by the E. R. A. Act of 1935, and $107,000,000 from E. R. A. Act of 1936 funds. A major part of this total has been used to assist destitute farm families in various sections of the country. Rehabilitation loans have been made to farm families in need of assistance, but in cases of emergency outright grants have been made. In addition the Resettlement Administration is using a portion of its funds to carry forward a program of subsistence homestead development in rural areas and low-cost housing in suburban areas. The remaining funds of the Administration are being used to purchase and develop several millions of acres of submarginal farmlands.

ALLOCATIONS FOR THE BUREAU OF ENTOMOLOGY AND PLANT QUARANTINE

The Bureau of Entomology and Plant Quarantine has received nearly $14,000,000 from Emergency Relief Appropriation Act of 1935 funds and about $8,000,000 from Emergency Relief Appropriation Act of 1936 funds for control and eradication of insect pests and noxious plants in nearly every State of the Union. The Bureau's most important work involves the control of the white-pine blister rust and Dutch elm diseases and the destruction of the gypsy moth, which is harmful to fruit trees.

ALLOCATIONS TO FOREST SERVICE

Allocations to the Forest Service from 1935 Emergency Relief Appropriation Act funds totaled over $25,000,000. The work represents largely the expansion of the regular forestry work of the Service and the extension of the national forests through purchases of lands. An additional $10,000,000 has been allocated from 1936 Emergency Relief Appropriation Act funds to be used chiefly for the prevention of forest fires.

ALLOCATIONS TO THE SOIL CONSERVATION SERVICE

The Soil Conservation Service, through December 31, 1936, had received allocations of nearly $20,000,000 from E. R. A. Act of 1935 funds and almost $5,000,000 from 1936 funds, to be used in carrying out a program of soil-erosion control and soil conservation. The most important part of the work consists in practical demonstration project work, supplemented by nursery projects for growing trees, shrubs, and various types of vegetation for transplanting, and by research projects for the study of erosion.

ALLOCATIONS TO THE BUREAU OF RECLAMATION

For carrying on its work of constructing and operating irrigation developments, the Bureau of Reclamation has been allocated $65,000,000 from E. R. A. Act of 1935 funds. The Bureau has been able to expand its program, continuing construction begun on larger projects. in earlier years and initiating new work which would have been impossible without the additional funds.

ALLOCATIONS TO THE NAVY, BUREAU OF YARDS AND DOCKS

For general construction, improvement, and rehabilitation of yards, docks, water-front grounds and buildings, allocations totaling_more than $29,000,000 have been made to the Bureau of Yards and Docks of the Navy Department. Of this amount about $17,000,000 was allocated from E. R. A. Act of 1935 funds and $12,000,000 from funds made available under the E. R. A. Act of 1936.

ALLOCATIONS TO THE CORPS OF ENGINEERS

Allocations of about $147,000,000 have been made to the Corps of Engineers ($131,000,000 from the E. R. A. Act of 1935 and $16,000,000 from the E. R. A. Act of 1936). These funds have been used to carry on projects involving levee repair and other flood-control work, the development of hydroelectric power systems and reservoir construction. Other projects prosecuted by the Corps of Engineers involve dredging and general improvement of inland waterways.

ALLOCATIONS TO QUARTERMASTER CORPS

The Quartermaster Corps is prosecuting projects for general improvements and repairs at Army posts, forts, National Guard camps, and national cemeteries. The Corps has received allocations of about $15,000,000 from E. R. A. Act of 1935 funds and almost $9,000,000 from 1936 funds.

ALLOCATIONS TO RURAL ELECTRIFICATION ADMINISTRATION

The Rural Electrification Administration was established to formulate, administer, and supervise a program of approved projects with respect to the generation, transmission, and distribution of electrical energy in rural areas. The Administration has received allocations of $16,000,000 from E. R. A. Act of 1935 funds to prosecute this type of project.

SUMMARY OF FUNDS ALLOTTED TO AGENCIES OTHER THAN WORKS PROGRESS ADMINISTRATION

TABLE 1.-Status of funds under the Emergency Relief Administration Acts of 1935 and 1936, by agencies, as of Dec. 31, 1936

[subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][merged small][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][merged small][graphic][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed]
[graphic]

TABLE 1.-Status of funds under the Emergency Relief Administration Acts of 1935 and 1936, by agencies, as of Dec. 31, 1936-Continued

« PreviousContinue »