Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-11-07
CITIZENS CRITICIZE
COMMISSIONERS ON
|. D. c. JOBLESS PLAN
Lack of Coordination of Re-
lief Efforts Noted by Com
mittee of Volunteers.
LEADERSHIP QUESTION
TO BE PUT TO OFFICIALS
Reichelderfer Favors Policy Of Aid
ing Capital Residents Ahead
of Newcomers.

Sharp criticism of the Board of Dis
trict Commissioners marked a meeting
of the Citizens Committee on Unem-
ployment Relief today which finally
postponed definite action until an agree
ment could be reached on what is to
constitute the authoritative agency.
The committee, which met in the Y.
M. G. A. Building, was presided over
by Frederic A. Delano. The criticism of
the board was voiced by two Of the
members of the group, Melvin Sharpe
of the Washington Railway & Electric
Co. and DIR. Charles p. Neil, economist
and labor expert.
VIII Ask Question.
After extended discussion, in which
committee members advanced several
theories as to what should be done, the
group finally requested Mr.. Delano to
take a committee Of three, call on the
District Commissioners and propose this
question:
Are the District Commissioners pre-
pared to take the lead in this en-
ergency?"
Commissioner Reichelderfer said today
that he was in sympathy with the policy
Of washington jobs for Washington
people" announced by the volunteer
committee.
Whenever unemployment relief COM
mitteeS are set up in urban centers, he
said, there is usually an influx of the
JobleSs from the surrounding territories
who come to town on the supposition
that the unemployment committee will
take care of them. While the commit
tee intends to set up no such hard and
fast rule as Is in effect in Detroit, where
applications are considered only in the
case Of those who can prove a residence
in the city of at least one year, each
case will be judged on its own merits,
and the rule viii be that preference
shall be given to actual residents Of the
city. The others will be helped, If nee
essary, by the various charitable asso-
Citations and organizations.
The Commissioners have not as yet
received a reply from their letter to
Col. Arthur Woods, chairman of Presi-
dent Hoover's Emergency Unemploy-
ment Relief Committee, asking for adj
vice on setting up an official committee
to handle unemployment relief work
here.
Proposal on Membership.
1.-THE Commissioners are public men
and we have a right to expect their
leadership" Sharpe asserted at the
meeting today. IF / were q Commits
Sioner I'd resent being told by any citi-
zens' committee what could do on it. +"
The discussion was precipitated by
Mr.. Delanois suggestion that finance
committee ought to be appointed by the
citizens committee to handle incidental
and office expenses. One Of the COM
mittee said IS a head would not be
excessive and would provide nearly $500
for the purpose. Several members asked
for an explanation and 1t was then
disclosed that other committees are
doing a similar work in Washington,
each making an appeal for funds and
relief and with not one Of them vested
with authority to work for or represent
the whole relief effort.
Meeting Next Monday.
Mr. Delano will attempt to compose
the differences and report to a meeting
TO be held next Monday at 10 O'Clock.
Previously DIR. Neill had outlined his
opinion Of the direction the relief work
should take, and the committee was In
accord, for the most part.
This job" he said, sis to place men
out Of work who are able to work and
who want work. In other words, to
regularly employed, who are out of
work because of the depression.
I'VE can't ask employers to take unfit
men when they are facing problems of
their own.
1--WE ought to leave to charity, to or
carnations already dealing with the
cases of the unfit, that phase of relief
and concentrate on the one job of find
ing something to do for the other class
of workers"
Some members of the committee sug-
gested establishment of a vocational
guidance group to work along with the
committee, others envisioned vast or
ganiZation taking long-range view of
social and economic problems, and still
others thought charity organizations
ought TO be drawn into one cooperative
Qroup.