TABLE 3.-Statistics for selected large counties, by industry group, Kenton County, Ky., 1st quarter 1959 [Payrolls in thousands of dollars. See text for explanations] TABLE 3.-Statistics for selected large counties, by industry group, Kenton County, Ky., 1st quarter 1958-Continued [Payrolls in thousands of dollars. See text for explanations] Senator CLEMENTS. In view of the foregoing, I would urge that this subcommittee act favorably on legislation to initiate a program designed to stimulate greater commercial activity and higher employment in economically depressed areas along the lines recommended in S. 2663 and as I have advocated. Mr. Chairman, I appreciate the opportunity that you have given me this afternoon to present these views to your subcommittee. Senator NEELY. Senator Clements, the subcommittee is grateful to you for your observations. You may rest assured that so far as the acting chairman of the subcommittee is concerned, what you have most impressively said has fallen on most sympathetic ears. And this member of the subcommittee's response will not only be sympathetic but will be vigorous to the limit of that member's capacity. Senator CLEMENTS. Mr. Chairman, if I might say this: No member of your subcommittee, no member of your parent committee, no member of the United States Senate has a more realistic understanding of the problems of the depressed areas of the two States of this Union that have the highest unemployment rate of any other States-West Virginia and Kentucky-than have you. You know the situation not only in your own State; but you know it well in our State where you are known by so many and where I may say you are favorably known by so many. Senator NEELY. Thank you very much, Senator. You doubtless know, Senator, that it was my privilege to conduct some hearings in your State at Pikeville more than year ago on the very questions we discussed here. And the testimony was unchallenged to the effect that the employment distress there and in that entire area around Pikeville was greater than it had been at any time during what was commonly known as the Hoover panic or depression. Senator CLEMENTS. And as I stated earlier, Mr. Chairman, you were willing to go down there again in the very early future to hold some on-the-spot hearings; but since this matter is of such urgency and since the conditions are not too much different than they were when you were there a year ago, I thought it unnecessary that you go there and hold these hearings at this time. Senator NEELY. We are glad to have heard you here today, Senator Clements. Thank you very much. A report on S. 2663 from the Housing and Home Finance Agency, recently received by the Chairman of the full committee, will be printed at this point. Re S. 2663, 84th Congress. Hon. LISTER HILL, HOUSING AND HOME FINANCE AGENCY, Chairman, Committee on Labor and Public Welfare, United States Senate, Washington, D. C. DEAR SENATOR HILL: This is in further reply to your request for the views of this agency with respect to S. 2663, a bill to establish an effective program to alleviate conditions of excessive unemployment in certain economically depressed areas. The bill would establish a Depressed Areas Administration under the direction of an Administrator appointed by the President with the consent of the Senate. In carrying out his duties the Administrator would consult with an advisory committee composed of officers in the executive branch including the |