Message to Congress on Rehabilitation of Parts of the Northern Lakes States Region.

To the Congress:

Exploitation of our resources has created many problems, but none more pressing than in those areas of the United States where a basic resource has been mismanaged and the principal industry has moved or waned, leaving the working population stranded.

The cut-over region in the northern part of the States of Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin was once the scene of a flourishing lumber industry. Today a large section of the population in that area depends for its very existence on public aids, work relief, and security payments. The large expenditures for these purposes in the area have enabled these people to survive, but could not provide a satisfactory permanent solution to their problem.

Members of Congress representing the region appealed some time ago for aid in developing a program to assist the people in the area to find a way of life that would provide opportunity and reasonable security. The problem is now to make the best use of the natural and human resources of the area.

Over a year ago the National Resources Committee began a study of the region, establishing large local committees in order to insure accurate representation and true understanding of the local point of view. Individual reports were prepared by groups representing the cut-over areas in the three States. From these individual reports a summarized version of what is thought to be a feasible program has been developed. This summary constitutes the most recent in the series of regional reports by the National Resources Committee and is entitled "Regional Planning, Part VIII—the Report of the Northern Lakes States Regional Committee."

I am asking that the National Resources Planning Board keep in touch with the regional committee, which sponsored this report, to assist the regional committee in promoting correlation of activities of Federal, State and local agencies concerned with bringing about the accomplishments desired. I commend the report to your careful study for whatever action may be appropriate.