Public works proposal attacked by White House

The White House strongly affirmed President Reagan's commitment to big increases in defense spending and his opposition to public works programs as a means to fight mounting unemployment.

Deputy press secretary Larry Speakes backed Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger's assertion that cutting military spending, as congressional Democrats demand, would not solve joblessness, which reached 10.4 percent last month. Mr. Reagan, who Tuesday continued a series of budget-review meetings dealing with the recession and government spending for the next fiscal year, has embarked on a $1.6 trillion defense program over five years.