Evening star., 1924-12-05
PLAN FOR WELFARE
BOARD IS FAVORED
Board of Commissioners
Asks Congress for
Early Action.

The bill for the creation OF a board
OF public welfare in the District gov
ernment should be enacted al this ses-
sion OF Congress, the District Commits
sioners declared today.
The bill is designed to consolidate
the public welfare agencies of the
city government and has the indorse-
ment of long list of civic organiZa-
tions. The bin was drafted by the
commission on public welfare legs-
lat1on after careful consideration and
In cooperation with representatives
of more than a score of organizations
that have appointed liaiSon officers to
work with the commission.
Members of the welfare commission
are gratifed over the action of Presi-
dent Coolidge in giving mention to
the Districts pending welfare legis-
laton in his message to Congress q
few days ago.
Justice COmmends Message.
Commenting on the present status
of the measure. Justice Frederick l..
SiSdons of the District Supreme
Court, who is chairman of the com
mission on public welfare legisla-
ton. made the following statement:
1T is very encouraging to the hun
dreds of citizens of the District of
Columbia. who for years have been
advocating an efficient consolidation
OF public agencies engaged in admin
lstratering what have come to be
known as welfare laws, to read that
the President in his message to the
Congress, invites the attention of the
National Legislature to the subject
and suggests that such a consolida-
tion would be an Improvement over
existing method. The Presidents ac-
tlon Is especially encouraging to the
members of the commission on Pub
lie Welfare Legislation. who after
many months of study, formulated
among other measures, one creating a
board of public welfare. which would
take the place of three existing boards
including the board of charities and the
board of children's guardians, both of
whom having indorsed the measure
Would BE Basic Change.
THE proposed change in the law
II approved, and enacted by the Con
gross. is designed as a basic change,
to which. it is hoped, subsequent re-
lated enactments would be o-ordi-
mated. The proposed bill has received
the official approval of the Commits
sioners of the District, and by them
II has been transmitted to the Con-
gress, with their favorable recon-
mendation. 1t has also received the
ldNOTdDIe 1nQOESenlent OF many Cltl-
zenS' association, welfare agencies
and organizations, and individual
citizens. Indeed no public disapprov-
al of it has been voiced from any
quarter. Its friends and advocates
have a reasonable belief that it is
soon to receive consideration by
Congress"
Urges Early Enactment.
From another source today came a
plea for early enactment of the pro-
gram of public welfare legislation.
William Hodson, consultant from
the Russell Sage Foundation. reminded
the House District committee that
the Welfare Commission had recon-
mended the creation of a Board of
Public Welfare and the abolition of
the Board of Charities and the Board
of Children's Guardians, and the
Board of Trustees for the National
Training School for Girls. 1t has been
recommended that the present EN-
ployes and appropriations made to
these several boards be taken over
by the new board.
The proposed legislation is now be-
ing considered by a subcommittee
of which Representative Oscar E.
Keller of Minnesota is chairman.