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4- 2201 .F.EDEBAL WORKS AGE:IJCY WORK PROJECTS ADNIN:i:STRATIOlJ Fo~ deleas e on Delivery, 'T uesday Afternoon , Janunry 28 , 1 941. 11 10CAL ROADS I N THE DEFEESE P}W:: _~,I 11 The following adc:re ss wns deliv ered. by P e rry A. Fell ows , Chief Eng ine er , Work Proj e cts Administre,tion , b0fo,: o t he County nighvm,y Officfo,ls 1 Divisi o!'.l at the 38th annual convention of th e American Road Builder s 1 Ass ocin tio n , :1t the Pon~:cs?lvanfr, Hotel , New York City , a t 2 p . rn. '.Iu.escby , J anu o.r y 28 , 1941 : In this period of nC1.tional emer gency every organization l'.,na. ever:r individua l seeks to do his }Xtrt for ni.1.t i onnl d.efense. Sof'.l eti::ies t J, is nec:•,ns do i nf; the cus tomc.r v job , but doing it with n.n i:ncrensed. urgcmc,y m1d. dis11a tch. Some times it me"..ns r eori ent i n§!; t he customary wo1·k so nn. tio nal needs . t:. 3 to sorvo t ho now We on the WPA ht,ve n, d.irecti vo from t he Concre ss to clevote a l a r ge part of our activities to p r ojects t ho.t 1:,re i mr,or t an t for n;:,,tion,:.l defense . Among those p ro je ct s o,n i mpor t an t group is represented by the devel opment of a cces s ro o,cl..s to p rovide ontr:1.nco c.1.nd egress f or ,-:i,rmy c1:.,r.1ps , mi._itar ;y or na vnl ros erv'.l. tio ns , a rs onn.J.s , mun i tions f r>,ct0 ri os f.'.nd simil!:'.r strnt egic points . This is the subj oc t I would like t o disc" .ss with you , since you will be t ho partne r s in t hi s entor:prise , 11,s ~rou h9,ve been in the ro ~d projects of the past . With ;rour cooperation and a s s i ~t o.nco , W?A worker s hltvc c onst r ucted or ir!rnroved mo re thnn 500 , 000 miles of highw£tys , roac;.s and str ee ts in t h0 prss t five ye8.r s . It is a complimen t t o all of ·,1s thl.'.t the demonstra t ed e ff ectivene s s of WPA ro o.d work , in every st.:i.to of the uni on , has let to t ho utilization of WPA l ~bo r in OATA~nding nnd i mpr oving the Digitized by Original from NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY 4-2ZCll - 2 nation I s r oad s;rstem for purposes of mili tn.ry d.efense . The i mpression has gone obroad. t hnt the WPA proposes to expand its o:9erations eno r mously i n t o new sections of the field of mrtjor highways . This i s nn e r roneous im-pressio::i. and I wrmld like to c orr ect it right a t the outset of my t alk. I know of no p l an t o turn over n ll work on pri mar y strateg ic hir-;hwnys to t he WP.A , n or r eason t o b el i eve thr,. t such wo r k will not be a_one und or l'..rrt1.ngoments as followed in t he past , by State h ighwa~r devnrtments and t he Public Roads Admi nis trat i on under the c ontract system . The Work Pr oject s AdministrA.tion , while it has b een authoriz ed t o give p ri orit y to defense projo c t:3 , s till r emri.ins an ngcncy whose :prim'.try function is to p r ovide useful wo r k for t he unempl oyed . It must c ontinue to utilize th e mt1.ximum l11b or that can be efficiently used in tho O)Gr o..tion nf :proj e cts . WPA fu nds f or equi ::iment and mAte r ial s s till r em[.dn s eve r e l y r es trict ed . The manner in whic.h the WP.A p l ans t o fit it s 011e r at i ons into a_efenso r oad c ons tructi on i s sir,1iln.r t o the manner i n which it has fitted its O}JOrat i ons into the ge-:10ral r oad -progr ams of tho r2.s t . As you know , we h?.v0 had few c onflicts i n t ho allotme nt 0f t asks , 2.mt I expe c t we wi ll h~ve even loss in the cas e of defense p r oject s . There is pl onty of urgent wo r k fo r overybocly t o-d o . The establ ishmen t of new camps , pcis t s , c'..lld avi n tion fie l ds , t he extensi on of milita r y [tnd. naval fncili ti e s , e,nd t he expans i on of t he industrial :plnnt f 0r d.e f onso needs -- al l t his makes 21e c ossary a t r emendous construction p r ocro..m for a cce ss r oads . .A p r oliminP.. ry survo~r b~r defense authorities and hi ghway enei nee rs i nd icates that more t .h['.U $200 , 000 , 000 will be required to construct those nc cess roads alone . Foll ow- up survey s hc ve shoi,,m t hn. t i n many specifi c c ases two or thre e times the amount originally cnlcul.:i, t ed mn.y be needod . Digitized by Original from NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY 4 - 2201 I n addit i~n to a cc ess ronds , the WPA has a big field of Gctivity i n the c onstruction or i m;o rovement of a l t e r n2,te or sup})lementary roads , for use i n emer gencies when sections of milita r y highways may no t be o:rien , or when t he ma in highways are r eserved for mili tary traffic and other r outes should be availaole f or civilian tra ffic . In extreme eme r - gencies practic::i.lly £\.ll r oad s assume gre2,t i nrpo r k.nc e . If there is DJJ.Yth i ng t hat r e cent military experience a broad has demonst r ated it is trot there c::m not be t oo mn,n;tr r oads . Sol:le $550 , 000 , 000 was eXJ,ended by the WP.A on r ond and street '.'.Jrr:>;j e cts dur ing the fi s c al yen.r 1 9·±0. lifo substantial departure from this r c'.. te is foreseen in t he immediat e :futur e . Th is yeror , however , it is expect nd th:1.t abou.t half of th e W?.A road. c onstruction will c ons ist of ro ::>.d.s v1hich kwo mi li tri..ry i mnortance a s d.i s tinct fro m r o::!.dways of purelJ' local int e r est . WP.A w0rk on access r oe.ds n:o.1d. on nl t er nate r outes is to be ca rried on under mnch t ho same :ix1rtner ship with local corrmmni ti os as ho.s obkd!18d i n tho pas t . _;_ major port i rm o f ~\"PA r on.d. wo r k in tho past has bo on co,rri ed unJor the s :~1onsorsl1 i:p of loca l uni ts of government , a s distinct from t he s t [ltc hic~hwn.y 'bodies which bu ild t ho J.o..rge r tr.'.',ffic e rt e rios with t hei r own funds nnd. nll ocations fr om tho Public Roacts Ao.minist r o, ti on , and_ which utiliz o WPA assistance on 2. smo.llo r :pr opo rti on of t 11cir wo r k . As nc[\.rly a s can be foreseen n 1D.r 6 e pe.::tt of t he WP.A d efense rond wo rk wi ll be sponso r ed b:r local govo r nmont units o.s i n tho past , with t~e Stat e Highway Departmen t ·s a lso s ponso ri ng t he ir usual quo t n of p r oj 0ct s . Rond.s on milit a r y properti es o f t he Go:vernr.1e!1t , will be spon s ore:.. , of c ourse , directly b y t he Federal de:partme:1 ts c oncerned . Digitized by Original from NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY 4-2201 4 - I would like to urge upon you local officials that you have an im:portant task to fulfill i n p:i.annine; and. !'3l.:;onso!'ing a.e:ense road projects . It is your task to :prepare the proper engineering dQ.ta, and. to carry your share of tho work , as all of the project rec...uirements cannot be met with Fed.e!'al f'nnds. Sone of the rec.ular 1;,,PA limi tatior.s may be mocUfietl on projects w!1ich merit full cortifice.tion by the Army or lfav;, authorities as of first importance to nation9,l defense, but ~you rr:ust alwa~rs remember that in practically- every instA-nce local road needs will be met at the same time that military :purr)os0s o,re being servell. If il1 some in s tances the circumstances make it possible to finsnce the se roacls a lmost entirely out of Fed.eral funds, so tha t the local communiti es 6 et thoir local needs served grdis , in other insta;:ic_e s it i s right and p roper that the locn.l co,:imuni ties b oar tho usual s:t,onsors I costs (.,nd. let the Arm:r and lbv~r reap the benG:fi t . In ore.or to assuro tho s,,, ooth functioning of the ron.L: prof,ram , th o W::?.A has instructed its state ac.ministr0,tors and its field forces to confer with local nnd c ol n t7 officfa.J.s 1 with tho loca.l ~1.rmy and lfav7 1 officers, with Stn,tc I~i,::;hway officials , and with the l ocul officin.ls of th o Public Roads Ad.ministrc, tion in ou tlinj_n,.c; suitable p r c: j ects , those con- fer encos will be hold jointly whore dosiruble . At these conferenc es the decisions as to which :projects arc to be undert:nkon by tho WP-.\., and which by Stat o high',,:ay bodies ar.d the Public Road::: Administration , ma? be governed , n.s in the pa.st , by the established character of the WP~\. as a quick- moving flexible organization which can mclrn available local unemployed labor for noed.cd public imp rovem,mts . the WP.:\. hfts boen built Ul) This character of ti."lrough cooperative relations with local officials, and. i,,:e 2-ll e:;...'})ect these reln.tions to continue in so dirocting the program Digitized by Original tro111 NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY 4-2201 5 as to meet defen se ne eds . There is one mo r e subject on which I would like to touch - al though it is no t dir e ctly in the t ochrdca l engineering fi eld -- G.nd t hat i s the trena. of unemplo;;rr,wnt and its b ear i ng on t he co n tinuance of :pro 6 rams of th o T'JF'A. The increas e i n p riva t e enr9loymont r e sulting from t he d.e f ons e program i s of cours e welcome n ows to e,ll of us . We all hope t hat p riv2..to e',1pl o~"I!len t \•till i n crease to such a po i n t as t o provi d.e jobs for all t ho u nom~JlO?Od and t ha t tho i nc r ease i n the t empo of businoss r eco v ery will make tho local communi tics so p ros:perous th;:i,t they wil ::. be ab l e t o carry on t he ir public work without the typ e of help r epr escnto cl b~• the WPA ; But this goal is far from having been att:=ii 1,.ecl . Most of you local offici2..l s know only t oo we ll t hat t he full effect of d.ofonse industry em:ployme:~t has no t seeped through t o your communiti es , £>,nd thc1.t you still have a r oli of p r ob lem as well l'.S a st ring en cy i n loco..l financi a l r es ources . The ox:pl mmtion is not fo.r to soek. It i s apJnr ont t hat orders to :r:irod.uc o th o thing s needed fo r clo fe i1So rmr:poses canno t b e d.istr ibu t ed ev enl y over n.11 co rnmuni tics . Fu.rther r:-1o r o , even t ho ox:poc t od rc q1.1ir omonts of d.ofense i nd.us- tri es ['.re still f n.r from equalling uncm:cl oynent whore it ex i s ts . As l ong as a_ big uner:.rplo:nrnn t r,robl cn r omn ins , and i t i s the :policy of t ho government to 0 ss ist i n me oti r.g th e p r oblor;,, an agency such as t :1.0 WP.A 1:T ill continue to ope r a t e . So don ' t be led ast r ay by oxagcerl",tcd good n ews consi st i ng of r ey.,r:,r ts th'.lt tho u :r.employmon t prob l em ho,s becon e a thin,~ of th o :pns t . When thn t s i tu.£>. ti 0n become s true , t he ;:,,b sonce of i180d fo r pul)J.j. assista.nc c t o the unor:tployed. will be r endi l y El.J.'})['.r e nt t o al l conc e r ned . The Pres ident and t he Burenu of tho Budge t ha v o r ecornr.iondcd to the Congress an appropri [l. tion for tho WPA a.u r bg t he fi s co..l yon.r 1 941- 42 Digitized by Original from NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY 4-2201 6 which will er.able it to employ on ave r age of 1, 300 , 000 ::,er3ons . This re1)re sents a, reduct ion of abcut a t hi rd f r o::1 the })resent program. Con- d i ~ions rn5.ght so i npr ove durin6 the next year tha t it would not be n ecessar ;v to STlcn<'l. all oi such a.n e:yp ro:pri i.lt i 0n ; but I d oub t it, a:•1cl I beli e ve YO'l d oubt it t '.) o . With such an ~:Dpropria ti on. , however , we s hall b e eble to 6.o qu i te a l ot of dcfe1,.se r c.:::.d vor:: -- n o t as ::iuch as WG should like t o 0..0 , and. no t as r:-mct. as t hero i ~ t o be d one , but still q_ui t o a lot . More tho.,n 40 2:10rcen t o": o·L1r ~-rPA l a b or has b een devoted to r -'.)c.ds and. streets , and. , as I have e.lrcad.;y indicated. , it ma7 b ,J expected. t;1at ab ,)ut half of our road work will b e devoted t o :p1·0,j octs of dofonse i m;Y)rtance . We on t he :'l:P.i~, m 1d I boli •:wo :-rou l oco.l offich, l s as woll , can derive r1 gr0at mon1 l s.'ltisfact-5.011 from c a rryi ng on use ful publi c wor k with l abor thnt w:,uld otherwise hr,ve g ;,nc to W.'...ste fr,'.)m t ho emplc;ymcnt of men and \•iomon whose skill s and m)r.1,le wnuld otherwise have b een corr , d. ed by i dleness . I think t his ~,02.r o-ur sD.tisfr,ct i8n c.-i,i1 b o nll the gr0'..1to r in tlk,t we n r e ns i r,-[.:; t h is l <'.bor t '.) :p rOD'.1t c the o.efonso of the nat i or. . We arc helping the u nem:;,,lo;yea. t o defend. th e nn,t i on ,.rhich defends th orn . - - - 0 - - - Digitized by Original from NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
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