Evening star., 1925-12-09
CAPPER GETS BILL
FOR WELFARE BODY
D. c. Commissioners Submit
Measure to Establish
Board.

lice welfare in the District was sub
mitted by the Commissioners today
to Senator Arthur Capper. cha irman
of the Senate District committee. with
n request for it's introduction and en-
actment. The measure is similar 10
one which failed of enactment at
the last session Of Congress.
tndesira BILE conditions existing In
the control Of charity and welfa re
organizations are described by the
commissioners in the letter of trans
initial. In some cases. II Is pointed
out. single institution Is under the
supervision Of as many as three
boards. This situate is unbusiness-
like and nrdesira BILE from every point
OF Nlew. said the communica ton.
The tendency Of the times is iowa rd
consolidation of agencies and unified
control thereof. both in the interests
Of efficiency and economy"
Necessity Long Felt.
The Commissioners explained that
they have for long time felt the
necessity of centralized control OF mat
ters affecting public welfare conditions
I'm the District, and they appointed IA
commission. consisting Of representa-
tive citizens. To make a study of the
existing laws on public welfare. and 10
recommend such lecisla ation as might
he necessary to improve existing con-
ditions
This commission has given most
careful attention to the proposed leg
islation,' the Setter said. 1T has
granted hearings To all those int er-
ested In the problem and has made a
careful study of the whole subject In
this study it has had the assistance Of
Il representative of the Russell Sage
Founda ion"
In the bill drafted. the Board of
Charities. the Board of Children =
Guardians and the boa rd Of trustees
OF the National Training School for
Girls are abolished and the duties of
these boards are committed to the pro
posed board OF public welfare This
boa rd Is to consist OF nine persons to
he appointed by the commissioners
for six years, appointments being
made in such manner that the terms
OF three members will expire every
two years.
The powers of the board are to he
the same as the powers now exercised
by the three boar rds to be abolished
except that the new boa rd has com
plete and exclusive control OF the in
stitutions enumerated in the hill in.
stead of the somewhat limited super
vision OF the present Board of Char.
tiles.
Only One New Employe.
the bill provides for only one new
amploye. a director of public welfare.
who il To he the chief executive Of
the board. and who is 10 be appoint ed
by the Commissioners. on the nomi-
nation OF the board. No persons now
he leeislat ted out of their positions.
The following institutions would he
pla ced under control of the boa rd
Nprkhouse. reformatory. Washington
Asylum and Jail. Tuberculosis Hos
| pital, Home for the Aged and Infirm.
Industrial Home School. Industrial
Home School for COlored Children,
Municipal LodVing House. National
! Training School for Girls. Home and
Training School for Feeble minded
and the Gsllinger Municipal Hospital.
As the present board Of cha rites and
| the board of trustees of the Nationa
Training School for Girls are appoint
ed by the President under the provi
! sions Of existing law. the Commits
sioners submitted to the President the
| question as to whether the ira nsfer OF
| the appointing power To them was
| agreeable to him. In his reply he
| stated that he was willing to accept
! the decision of Congress in this mat
ter.
Along with the letter of transmittaI
there was sent memora ndum and
statutory citation and expla ma tory
comment which was prepare by the
commission on public welfare legis
lation. and which the Commissioners
thought might he useful to the Sen
ate committee in explaining each sec
| tion of the bill and the changes pro
posed to he made in existing law