El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1915-05-08
Distribution
Of RELIEF FUND
is CRITICIZED
Prince of Wales Fund Is Not
Fairly Distributed,
Is Claim
COMMITTEE SAYS
IT IS IMPOSED ON
2 ONDON. Eng. May s.-widespread

2 ONDON. Eng, May S.-Widespread
criticism is heard in England
- over the administration OF the
Prince of Wales National Relief fund.
which now amounts to SIS, 100000.
About a third Of this has been eX-
pended thus far
The criticism comes from two sides.
The Workers National committee com
plains that $1,000, 600 has been spent
in relieving dependents Of soldiers and
sailors and only 81, 000, 0OO0 for the re-
lief of civil distress, which the COM
mittee declares was the principal OBJ
ject of the fund. On the other hand,
families of soldiers and sailors COM
plain that there are unreasonable de-
lays in making allowances and pay
ments and that the administrators OF
the fund have taken no notice Of many
cases Of genuine distress.
The Workers National committee,
which is understood TO have the back
ing Of the Trades unions. has asked the
executive committee of the fund for "a
full statement OF receipts and eXpendi-
lures together with an explanation OF
the policy which has been pursued In
the administration Of the fund "
In Glasgow a serious situation has
arisen through a notice circulated a
few days ago by the local branch OF the
Relief und Executive committee, statlng
that the fund would not continue TO
pay the weekly rent Of 5000 dependents
The Glasgow secretary at the same
time stated that this action was taken
against the wish Of the local commit
tee. which had in good faith made
promise TO the soldiers, relatives which
il was now unable 10 fulfill
Committee Makes Defence.
The defence of the general executive
committee is thus given in the Times:
The committee admits that the local
administrative machinery for the pay
ment of allotments and allowances is
not vet working smoothly. But this
work was undertaken only to relieve
the unprecedented strain which the
war had imposed upon the army pay
department and the committee hopes
that before long the fund viii be en-
tirely relieved OF this charge upon
it
AT the beginning Of the war the
army pay office had on its books only
1900 soldiers wives The number en-
titled to separation allowances is now
close TO 100000 and they are paid
weekly. The number Of households
granted relief by the fund has -
over 10000 SO far as practicable the
money thus expended is being recov-
cred from the war office
Substantial. sums have been granted
for the temporary relief Of wounded
soldiers and sailors ana Tor tne pro
vision and training for the partially
Grants from the fund for the relief
Of the civil population are made solely
on the recommendation Of the govern
ment committee on the prevention and
relief Of distress. Of which the presi-
dent is Herbert Samuel. president OF
the local government board
Unemployment Less Serious.
Unemployment. as everyone knows,
is much less serious than was antici-
pated, and IL has not been necessary
to make any very heavy demands on
the fund for the assistance of cases
of distress among the civil population
So long as the governments demand
for labor on government work re-
mains unsatisfied, it would be impos-
sible TO regard without grave anxiety
the continued reliance Of men and
women on the relief funds The com
mfrtee, therefore. urges its local COM
mittees TO scrutiniZe carefully the cir
cumstances of all applicants for civil
relief"