The following table indicates the direct appropriation and other financial requests specifically set forth in the message and how such amounts have been or are now being considered:

Direct appropriation and other financial requests, message of Apr. 14, 1938

1 This amount increased for consideration in connection with this joint resolution by a supplemental Budget estimate (H. Doc. 626) requesting $50,000,000 for administrative expenses and other relief for certain agencies and the reappropriation of unexpended balances which may remain unobligated on June 30, 1938, from funds in the Emergency Relief Appropriation Act of 1937.

PROGRAM'S SUPPORT AND CRITICISM

The committee has conducted as extensive and complete hearings as it was possible to undertake with due consideration for bringing the measure to fruition at an early date. The printed testimony and exhibits comprise a total of 850 pages. Many who desired to be heard in support of the recommendations of the President, particularly those who are in need of the work, had to be refused because of lack of time. The committee has received many communications both for and against the proposal. Those coming from supporters of the recommendations are from many sources and ask for an opportunity to work that they may support themselves and their families until they may become employed through private enterprise. Those from opponents of the program, many of them in its entirety, are uniformly, with one or two exceptions, candid criticisms unaccompanied by any constructive suggestions as to what solution should be offered to help destitute people who have no work and are in desperate need. Much of the criticism is the result of a failure on the part of the critics to think the problem through and the committee feels certain that, if they individually were asked if they would be willing to see American citizens in sheer want for the necessities of life through the failure of Government to aid them temporarily until private employment resumes, they would unhesitatingly answer in the negative. The Government is furnishing only a part in carrying this load of helping to increase work and provide relief. If it should abandon the field and make no further funds available at this time it would not be many hours before the critics of Federal spending would be imploring the President and Congress to come to their assistance to alleviate the disastrous consequences that followed.

UNEMPLOYMENT

The amount of unemployment is not definitely known. Various estimates from sources both in and outside the Government place it at different figures. The census of unemployed and partially unemployed taken by the United States (John D. Biggers, Administrator) in November of 1937 indicated a total of over 10,800,000, including those on emergency work provided by various Government agencies. The Special Committee of the Senate to Investigate Unemployment and Relief, in their report submitted to the Senate on April 20, 1938 (S. Rept. No. 1625, 75th Cong.), made this statement:

At the present time, it is estimated by competent authorities that close to 12,000,000 workers are totally unemployed. Several million more, although actually on pay rolls, are working short time.

President Green of the American Federation of Labor estimated the number wholly unemployed (excluding partially employed) and including those on emergency work provided by various Government agencies at 11,231,000 in March 1938. President Lewis of the Committee for Industrial Organization estimates the number of unemployed and partially unemployed including those on Federal emergency work programs at 13,714,000 as of April 1, 1938. Data from the Works Progress Administration places the number at 12,500,000. Without reference to consideration of the factors entering into the difference in the various figures as between wholly unemployed, partially unemployed, etc., it is definite that at the minimum the total number of those out of unemployment in the United States, whether wholly or partially, is so large as to be a matter of great national concern. It is enough to know that since last September between 3,000,000 and 4,000,000 persons have lost their jobs in private employment. While this precipitous decline seems to have been definitely checked last month, action now is necessary to prevent a resumption of the tendency and to encourage an increase in employment in private industry.

A PROGRAM TO FURNISH JOBS

The committee desires to emphasize the great difficulty involved in the consideration of requests in connection with the preparation of this joint resolution. The purpose of the President's recommendations and of the committee in reporting the measure is to furnish with the greatest expedition consistent with prudent use of the funds as large a proportion of employment as should be contributed by the Federal Government in connection with the existing situation. In all such emergencies there is frequently great temptation to lay more stress on "projects" than on the "jobs" they will furnish. In framing the joint resolution the President's recommendations have been closely followed and while there may be disappointments over the lack of specification of particular projects and particular types of work and in particular areas, the feeling of the committee in the matter is that the earmarking of the funds with reference to individual projects, localities, groups, or otherwise would bog down the program and defeat the primary urgent end and aim of the entire proposal-that of speedily furnishing, by direct employment on the site and indirect employment away from the site of work, for some of the many millions who are unemployed and destitute or harassed by the specters that haunt the doorstep of that too large unfortunate group.

H. Repts., 75-3, vol. 2-69

EMPLOYMENT UNDER THE PROGRAM

The appropriations in the resolution, aside from personnel engaged in administration either directly or incidentally, are estimated to provide employment as follows: Under the Works Progress Administration projects program, an average of 2,800,000 per month for the 7-month period ending January 31, 1939; under the National Youth Administration 275,000 on works projects for the entire fiscal year 1939; under the Federal Public Buildings program, a total of approximately 60,000, directly and indirectly, for the period of the program; and under the Public Works Administration program, a total of 11,250,000 man-months of direct and indirect employment, or approaching 1,000,000 man-years, for the period of the program. The entire program under these appropriations and the loan funds should furnish, therefore, a total of employment approximating 4,100,000 persons for varying periods. In addition to the appropriations in this joint resolution, the appropriations for the Civilian Conservation Corps, totaling $278,000,000 for the next fiscal year, will provide employment for over 300,000 persons.

Also, the Federal Government has each year a program of general public works carried on under regular appropriations and conducted under regular Federal departments and agencies such as public roads, reclamation projects, parks, rivers and harbors, flood control, etc. While the appropriations have not all been determined for the next fiscal year for these purposes, a general estimate of the status of these funds indicates that the total of the average number of men to be employed directly and indirectly on account of projects for the fiscal year 1939 will be over 500,000. The shipbuilding program of the United States Navy and the merchant-marine program of the United States Maritime Commission will also contribute materially during the coming fiscal year to employment. It will be seen, therefore, that despite the fact that some of the Public Works Administration program and the Federal Public Buildings program will extend beyond the coming fiscal year, the work that will be furnished during such fiscal year by Federal funds, as supplemented by non-Federal funds will represent a proportion that should seem to everyone an adequately fair share that the Federal Government will provide toward the employment of those who are unemployed.

PERSONS RECEIVING RELIEF AND THE COST

The committee believes the membership of the House will be interested in the estimated net number of relief and nonrelief households and persons receiving relief, work-program employment and emergency employment from all funds, Federal and otherwise. The following memorandum furnished by the Works Progress Administration and the accompanying table 22, on page 73 of the hearings, give this data by months. Tables 23 to 29, inclusive, commencing on page 74 of the hearings, break down table 22 by types of emergency work and other assistance as of January for each of the calendar years 1933 to 1937, inclusive, and for the first 3 months of the present calendar year. The analysis of these tables shows that an unduplicated total of 20,100,000 persons were being aided from all sources during March of this year as compared with a maximum of 19,100,000 in 1937, 21,200,000 in 1936, 24,000,000 in 1935; and at the peak in February 1934, 7,900,000 households including 27,600,000 persons

were benefiting and at the low reached in September 1937, 4,800,000 households and 14,000,000 persons were being aided.

ESTIMATED NET NUMBER OF RELIEF AND NONRELIEF HOUSEHOLDS AND PERSONS RECEIVING RELIEF, WORK PROGRAM EMPLOYMENT AND EMERGENCY EMPLOYMENT

The following estimates cover the net number of households and persons, including dependents of family heads, who have benefited from direct assistance or employment provided by public relief and emergency employment programs during each month from January 1933 through March 1938.

The figures include all those benefiting from the general and emergency relief programs financed in part from Federal Emergency Relief Administration funds and in part from State and local funds; all relief and nonrelief persons benefiting from Civil Works program, Works Progress Administration, National Youth Administration, Civilian Conservation Corps, and Bureau of Public Roads employment; employment on projects financed by the Public Works Administration from funds appropriated by the National Industrial Recovery Act, projects financed by the Reconstruction Finance Corporation and projects conducted under the Works Program with funds appropriated by the Emergency Relief Appropriation Acts and funds contributed by State and local sponsors; persons benefiting from rural rehabilitation advances made from Federal Emergency Relief Administration funds and grants made by the Resettlement Administration and Farm Security Administration, the three special assistance programs of the Social Security Board and other programs of these types conducted by State and local agencies. They do not include rehabilitation loans or regular Federal construction employment other than public roads employment.

In order to estimate the net number of separate households and persons aided by these programs it was necessary to make allowances for duplication between programs since some households appear on the rolls of two agencies in the same month. The results are necessarily approximations and subject to revision.

Subject to the above qualifications, it is estimated that an unduplicated total of 20.1 million persons were being aided during March of this year, as compared with a maximum of 19.1 million in 1937, 21.2 million in 1936, and 24 million in 1935. At the peak in February 1934, 7.9 million households including 27.6 million persons were benefiting, and at the low reached in September 1937, 4.8 million households and 14 million persons were being aided. Data are shown, by program, for January of each year in the attached tables.

TABLE 22.-Estimated net total number of relief and nonrelief households and persons receiving relief, Works Program employment, and emergency employment, monthly, January 1933 through March 1938, continental United States

TABLE 22.-Estimated net total number of relief and nonrelief households and persons receiving relief, Works Program employment, and emergency employment, monthly, January 1933 through March 1938, continental United States-Continued

The cost of this aid during the period, 1933 to 1937, inclusive, as set forth by the Special Senate Committee on Unemployment and Relief in their report of April 20, 1938, and the cost of emergency public works during this period, which figures substantially accord with data on the same subject from other Government sources, and that committee's comment on the expenditures are as follows:

For the entire period 1933-37, inclusive, the total cost of public assistance and relief programs was $13,500,000,000 of which $10,000,000,000 came from the Federal Treasury and $3,500,000,000 from the State and local treasuries.

If to these figures the cost of emergency public works is added, the total expenditure for the period 1933-37, inclusive, is $19,300,000,000 of which $14,200,000,000 came from the Federal Treasury and $5,100,000,000 from State and local

Sources.

The expenditure of these sums, vast as is their total, has saved the lives and morale of millions of people in America. Public works of great value have been accomplished. The committee has made no formal inquiry as to the resulting value of work-relief projects. However, a survey has recently been made in every State by committees, the personnel of which committees were in no way connected with Works Progress Administration. While the survey has not been completed, reports received to date indicate that in the opinion of these disinterested experts, the projects have been conducted with great efficiency and have contributed to the wealth of the Nation, and to the morale of the people.

SCOPE OF THE JOINT RESOLUTION

The joint resolution is divided into three titles, as follows:

Title I deals with work relief and relief under the short title of "Emergency Relief Appropriation Act of 1938" and is, in effect, the Emergency Relief Appropriation Act of 1937, revised as indicated herein before.

Title II carries into effect the President's recommendations with respect to the making of loans and grants for non-Federal public projects to be administered by the Public Works Administration, which is continued to the close of the fiscal year ending June 30, 1940. Title III deals with appropriations for Federal public buildings.

APPROPRIATIONS AND ESTIMATES

The total direct appropriations recommended in the joint resolution in titles I, II, and III as compared with the Budget estimates for those same purposes are set forth in table A. A total of $2,519,425,000 is recommended in direct appropriations as compared with Budget estimates of $2,575,000,000, or a decrease in direct appropriation estimates of $55,575,000. It should be stated, however, that a