The National Municipal League issued invitations today to submit nominations for the 1956 All-America Cities Awards. The awards will be conferred on eleven cities which have made especially noteworthy civic progress as a result of effective citizen action.

Initiated in 1949, the competition has attracted increased public attention year by year until now it is considered "the highest honor a community can achieve" according to George H. Gallup, League president. For the last four years, Look magazine has been co-sponsor.

Any city, town or village whose citizens have brought about important civic improvements is eligible to be nominated for an award. The improvements may be in a number of areas of community life, Dr. Gallup points out. For example, citizen-led campaigns for better government, better schools, slum clearance, industrial rehabilitation or other civic progress may help a city win. The accomplishment must be brought about through the action of citizens rather than public officials, Dr. Gallup emphasized.

Official entry blanks may be obtained from the National Municipal League, 47 East 68th Street, New York 21, N. Y. These must be executed and returned by September 15.

Representatives of 22 finalists selected by a Screening Committee will appear before a jury of distinguished citizens at the National Conference on Government, November 11-14, in Memphis, Tenn. The jury then makes preliminary choices and, when evidence has been carefully verified, selects the winners.

Announcment of the All-American Cities for 1956 will be made in Look magazine and the National Municipal Review. Plaques and other awards will then be presented to winning cities at local celebrations.

Last year's winners were: Bellevue, Wash.; Bloomington, Ill.; Cambridge, Ohio; Grand Island, Neb.; Joliet, Ill.; Phenix City, Ala.; Port Huron, Mich.; Reading, Pa.; Riverside, Calif.; St. Paul, Minn.; Savannah, Ga.

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A proposed five-year public works program, calling for expenditure of $675-million, has been approved by city council.

Funds now available, together with motor fuel tax receipts, will finance the majority of the projects' costs.

Some of the benefits the city will receive under the program include:

1. Construction and reconstruction of about 200 miles of arterial streets.

2. Installation of modern street lights on 294 miles of arterial streets, and new lighting in 75 square miles of residential areas.

3. Building 61 street grade separations, 39 through-lane overpasses, 159 channelizations, 71 widenings of street intersections, and 60 miles of street widenings.

4. Completion of the West Side subway in the Congress street expressway median strip, construction of a downtown subway in Washington street, and construction of a subway in the median strip of the Northwest expressway.

5. Construction of 13 major sewer systems.

6. Construction of a police academy and replacement of five police stations, 10 fire stations.

7. Construction of the Central District water filtration plant.

8. Construction of 25 neighborhood parking lots.

Breakdown of the city's five-year program reveals that $320,750,000 would be spent for roads and streets, $154,520,000 for water system improvements, $69-million for subways, $40-million for buildings and equipment, $35.5-million for sewers, $36,110,000 for airports, $22.5-million for parking facilities.

Not included in the prgram are highway improvements by the state and county within Chicago.