Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-11-06
Organizations Hold Burden
Would Fall on Those Least
Able to Bear 1t.
INCREASED CHARITY
DEMAND IS FORECAST
Monday Evening Club Says System
Would Spread "Area of
Humiliation"

A large group Of persons represent
ing most Of Washington's charity and
welfare organizations called upon the
District Commissioners today with pro-
tests against the proposal Of the city
heads to put 800 low-paid workers on
half time during the coming Winter.
The plan had been evolved to prevent
the necessity of dismissing 400 men
when the open season ends and also
to open up an opportunity for employ
ing 400 additional men on half time.
In. various documents submitted by
those protesting, the proposal of the
Commissioners was greeted with harsh
words. The system, said a memorandum
OF the Monday Evening Club, would
spread the area Of humiliation" The
Laymen's League of All Souls Unita-
rian Church said the plan was eco
nomically unSound and socially un.
just"
Burden Held Uneven.
Most Of the directors also contended
the burden Of taking care of the extra
workers would fall upon a section Of
the community least able to bear 1t;
that this burden should instead be
placed upon the wealthy; that it would
double the number of charitable cases
ana increase costs OF administering
charitable relief.
The Commissioners listened to the
protests and promised to take them UNI
der advisement. The plan proposed by
the commissioners Is scheduled 20 be-
come effective November 16.
The paper submitted by the VoteleSs
District OF Columbia League of Women
Voters asserted it was misleading to re-
Ter to the giving up Of part of their
wages by the 300 affected as a "sacri-
fce," since the men would not do so
voluntarily, but under compulsion. The
league asked the Commissioners to re-
consider the plan and set a time for
conference with representatives of or.
CARNATIONS interested In the welfare Of
the laborers to be affected.
Objection Il Quoted.
The Monday Evening Clubs Commit
tee on Sterilization submitted an objec.
ton in writing as follows:
There are several obvious reasons
against this particular system Of shar-
ing work.
FIRST. it win double the number Of
relief agencies in the District while at
the same time 1t will not decrease the
amount OF charitable relief to be paid
out. For it Is clear that half time for
per diem employees who receive only
$3.50 day when the weather permits
them to work does not yield an ade-
quate income or standard Of living for
the families Of such employees. Their
income win, therefore. have to be sun.
plemented by additional charitable re.
lief. The system will merely spread the
charitable relief over q larger number.
thereby increasing administrative costs
OF giving such relief, spreading at the
same time the area Of humiliation.
In the second place, the system
would seem to be poor economy for the
District government as the administers
ton OF handling twice as many en-
ployes TO do the same amount of work
as half that number would do is obvi.
ously wasteful. There Is the training
OF the new men; there Is the extra
bookkeeping and payroll accounting
and timekeeping required.
And, third, such scheme as this
puts the whole burden Of unemployment
on class In the community that Is
least able to bear the burden. There
would seem to be Just one rule Of
charitable relief; namely, that those
who have shall be called upon to Weld
their surplus for the relief Of the needy
and not that there shall be taken from
those who have little or nothing at all.s
League Adopts Resolution.
The Laymen's League submitted q
resolution adopted at its meeting last
night. After charging the plan would
increase the number of charity cases
and increase the burden of charity ads
ministration and that its burdens would
fall on those least able to bear them,
the resolution urged the Commissioners
to take such steps as might be neces-
sary both by appeal to Congress for
additional tax funds and by public ap-
peal to the citizens of the District to
acknowledge their obligation and to
double their efforts to meet voluntarily
the necessities Of local unemployment
relief
Those who called on the Commits
sionerS included Leifur Magnusson,
chairman of the Sterilization Com.
mittee Of the Monday Evening Club.
and also representing the Laymen's
League; DR.. John r. Devereux of the
st. Vincent De Paul Society; Oscar
Leonard Of the Jewish Charities, Walter
Uford Of the Associated Charities,
Thomas NJ. Rives Of the District Of
Columbia Rehabilitation Service, Miss
Alice e. Padgett, Mrs. Elizabeth b.
Ufford and. Mrs. Ruth s. McKelway Of
the Voteless League Of Women Voters.