Research Article
Jan 1939
Public Works: Influence of Public Opinion
Publication: Transactions of the American Society of Civil Engineers
Volume 104, Issue 1
Abstract
A well informed public can and will raise such objection to projects which they know to be unsound that no Federal, State, or Municipal Administration will dare to undertake such projects.
Public works are, in general, so complicated as to be little understood by the general public. In recent years and in the past, many uneconomical public works have been undertaken, for reasons of political expediency, and have gone unchanged because the public has not understood their unsound character. This lack of understanding by the public is largely due to the fact that the Government seldom furnishes the information necessary for a basis of sound judgment, but misleads and misinforms the public by extravagant statements and propaganda favorable to such projects.
Engineers, from their training and experience, can and should study these projects and inform the public, in simple language that can be readily understood, the facts concerning such projects that will give the best possible knowledge from which the economic feasibility and desirability of such ventures may be judged. Some of the Government projects of the past, present, and probable future, are discussed briefly, herein, and these objectionable features pointe d out.
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Published In
Transactions of the American Society of Civil Engineers
Volume 104 • Issue 1 • January 1939
Pages: 652 - 667
Copyright
© 1939 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Published in print: Jan 1939
Published online: Feb 10, 2021
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Authors
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Daniel W. Mead, HM.ASCE
Past-President; Prof. Emeritus, Hydr. and San. Eng., Univ. of Wisconsin; Cons. Engr., Madison, Wis.
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Terms of Use: ASCE Library Cards are for individual, personal use only. Reselling, republishing, or forwarding the materials to libraries or reading rooms is prohibited.
Terms of Use: ASCE Library Cards are for individual, personal use only. Reselling, republishing, or forwarding the materials to libraries or reading rooms is prohibited.