Evening star., 1924-04-15
PLAN REFERENDUM
ON WELFARE BOARD
Member Bodies of Social Agencies
Council to Vote on Bill for
Amalgamaticn.
JUSTICE sIDDoNs SPEAKS
Traces History of Various 0rgani
cations Here.

Member agencies of the Washing
ton Council of Social Agencies will
vote on the bill to create d board of
public welfare in the District, accord
ing TO action taken at a meeting of
the organization at the Raleigh Ho-
tel yesterday afternoon.
Justice Frederick l.. SiddonS, chair
mon of the commission on public well
fare, outlined at length the history
and development of the work of the
commission. outlining recently in the
Introduction in both houses of Con-
gress the bill which would create a
public welfare board here.
lie was preceded by John Ihlder.
president of the council, who briefly
outlined some of the benefits of CO.
operative action IN various phases Of
modern life, particularly in business
and industry, and intimated that as
good results could be obtained in So
cial cooperation.
Origin of Commission.
Justice Siddons went back to the
time OF the creation of the child well
fare code commission and told of how
COMMISSIONER fuuO4pl as III % "
Of a larger commission in scope ana
membership This desire eNentuated.
ne said in the present commission on
public welfare. with membership OF
eighteen persons.
Tho old hoard of charities. Justice
Siddons said. established about
quarter OF century ago, had no
administrative powers, and its name
was somewhat of a missioner. CROWN
of social statues here, the speaker
hat a
OF patching without much consldera-
tion of the relation of proposed laws
to other laws. The residents here,
lie said. denied the right 10 vote,
have always found some expression
of their desire to take part in govern
ment, If only through the citizen as
SoCiationS and similar bodies.
He inStanced the board of charities
board of children guardians and the
hoard of trustees OF the Natio!ia ma /
Home for the Feeble Minded would
necessitate still another bt-lTu
We thought we had more boards
than necessary already" Justice SID
dons said I'VE Were faced with the
prospect OF a multiplicity of boards
Public hearings were called, and con-
ferenGes held, and the resulting legls-
latiou is more or less of a compromise,
he admitted. The bill now before
Congress creating the board Of public
referred to.
Favors Proposed Board.
Justice Siddons spoke in favor OF
the proposed board. rather than the
creation Of a department, saying that
while YOU have your fire department
and health department. they DO not
have to deal with affairs of family
life, and separate children from their
parents" He said that while he was
Congress
TO do, what a simple matter it would
be If Congress would make selections
of the new board from the old
boards"
endeavor to get together. Justice
Siddons continued. His own partici-
nation in the work, he said was on
the understanding that he would not
engage in any propaganda Whatever.
VIII Not Lobby.
II will not lobby or press for the
massage of these bills he said, re-
ferring to the bill for the public well
fare board, the new compulsory edu-
aid in the District. He advised the
member agencies of the council to
come to some conclusion about them.
President Coolidge, he SAID. Is
welfare board. The mothers allow
ance bill, Justice Siddons said, is not
n pension law in any real sense, not
Il bounty or reward. Ii is assist
ance, he stated, given by organized
society. If the present social order
gives place to another, he continued.
1t will be because the family life
crumbIes. Those who are opposing
the bill are opposing a we'll con-
sidered effort to prevent the dismem-
berment of the home.
Justice Siddons said the welfare
commission expects to submit to the
Commissioners bill to take care of
The feeble minded here, the idiots, i'm
beetles and morons.
DIR. John O'Grady spoke against the
establishment OF board of public
welfare, saying that far as he
had knowledge large cities were es-
tablishing departments of public
welfare In a board, he declared, it
is difficult to hold any one RESPONSE
bic, the director of the board always
being able TO declare "he will take it
up with the board"
Helps Weak Children Grow Strong.
FIR. Johns Medicine builds health