Evening star., 1932-01-22
PAY CUT FEARED
BLOW TO RELIEF
Representative Connery Tells
Catholic Charities Big
Business Seeks Slash.

Local charitable organizations will
not have sufficient funds to care 1or all
the needy in Washington II Govern
ment workers wages are Slashed, Rep
resentative William P. Connery OF Mas
sachusetts told the Catholic CharltleS
last night at the organization tentn
annual meeting, held in the Willard
Hotel
He charged that big business interests
cut Government wages so as to furnish
an "alibi" for the reductions they al
ready have made.
"These proposals were not made 10
balance the budget or cut Federal eX-
penditures," he declared. The real
purpose is to give big business, which
has already SlaShed wages heavily, an
out The business leaders of the
United States broke faith with Presi-
dent Hoover and cut wages. Now they
wish the Government to do the same
SO they can justify their betrayal OF the
President"
Representative Connery added that
Government workers now are under
paid and that many of them remain IN
the Government service because they
love Washington, although they could
get five times as much with private
organizations.
He pointed out that wage reduction
in the Government establishment would
create need and want in washington on
such a scale that the Community Chest
and its constituent organizations Woulo
be unable to cope with it.
The Catholic Church and the Ameri-
can Federation of Labor are the strong
est bulwarks against communism ana
bolshevism in the country today. the
Massachusetts representative asserted.
Representative Mary T. Norton, New
JERSEY, chairman of the House Dlstrict
Committee, assured members OF the
Catholic Charities that the DlstrlcC
Committee is ready to do everything
possible to help the people OF Washng-
ton. ~,
She said the District Committee will
welcome ideas as to what the city needs
and indicated that she is ready to place
help for the needy before anything else.
Mrs. Norton discussed her bill pro-
yiding for old-age pensions in the DIS
trict and expressed the hope that IL
will be passed,
The Community Chest was praised as
having enabled welfare workers TO reach
more unfortunateS than would nave
been possible otherwise, by Mgr. Patrick
C. Gavan. Maj. James Asher, com
mander of the Salvation Army here'
and Walter S. Ufford, general secretary
of the Associated Charities.
The annual report Of the Cathonc
Charities was presented by DR.. l.. j;
Shehan. assistant director. 1t showed
that the organization had 85,738. SO IN
its treasury at the beginning OF the
last year and that $85, 5,755.7s was dis
tributed. 80,
The report stated that 1 1,298 families
are being cared for, ass having been
carried over from last year. DR.. She
han said that 889 married couples are
receiving aid who would be self-Support-
ing in normal times. and 851 children
are under care. He attributed one
third of the total number OF cases tc
unemployment.
Oficers OF the Catholic Charitie:
were reelected. They include Admiral
William S. Benson, president; DR.. H. j
Crosson, vice president Allen Pope
secretary. and Adam vascular, treas
urer. Dr. Crosson presided in the abb
sence of Admiral Benson, who Is Ill. DR.
John O'Grady, director. also was moi
present because of Illness.
Resolutions of respect to the late
Charles w. Darr and B. F. Saul were
adopted.