Evening star., 1932-09-27
AID FOR ALL NEEDY
DESPITE ANY COST
CALLED j. 5. DUTY
Money as Essential for Relief
as for BattIeships, Says
Rev. R. J. Clinchy.
SHARP INCREASE HERE
IN CALLS FOR HELP TOLD
Plea to Congress for New Fund
Declared Imperative by
Leroy A. Halbert.

The Federal Government should ap-
propriate as much money as Is needed,
no matter what the amount, to feed
its destitute, Rev. Russell j. Clinchy,
pastor of the Mount Pleasant Congre-
gational Church, told members of the
Monday Evening Club last night as
other speakers predicted greater want
during the coming Winter than since
the beginning of the depression.
IF American political philosophy
permits the spending of s40,000,000 for
a battleship to protect the lives and
property OF citizens, then that same
philosophy must make it possible for
the Government to spend as many 40
millions as Is necessary to save Its
people from starvation" Rev. Mr..
Clinchy declared.
Il think I say this as patriotic
American citizen" he added. 1T is the
duty of the Government to protect its
citizens against every foe, including the
foe of hunger"
Urges Creation of Work.
Rev. Mr.. Clinchy also advocated the
creation Of work by public construc-
ton and improvements. He partic-
spiritual values on the destitute and
especially on the half million young
people who are living the life Of vaga-
bonds throughout the country.
Others to address the club last night
at its meeting held in the Willard Hotel
were Leroy A. Halbert. supervisor. di-
vision of emergency relief. Board of P.
Welfare. and Walter S. Uford. general
secretary OF the Associated Charities.
The general subject Of the meeting was
, the Winters relief needs Mr. Halbert
point of public charity Mr.. Ufcrd as
private charity sees thsm and Rev, Mr..
Clinchy from the viewpoint Of private
citizen.
| Washington will be behind the rest
| of the country in recovering from its
present economic stress, Mr.. Halbert
| indicated.
In considering the prospect for the
coming year in Washington. it must be
borne in mind" he said, that Govern
ment economies are steadily decreasing
| the economic resources of Washington s
| business community, and therefore
Washington5 particular outlook is for
worse rather than better conditions for
at least a year or two to come. even II
| business conditions improve over the
I V,
organized propaganda to reduce Gov
eminent expenditures and reduce taxes
The demand for relief Is going to in
crease materially during the next year
Cites Employment Drop.
| The cause of the increased demand
on relief agencies. Mr.. Halbert said, Is
the long and increasing unemployment
throughout the Nation. The monthly
bulletins cf the Department Of Labor
show steady decline in employment
in several lines of industry for Wash
ington in May. June and July, he de-
clareo, and drop OF over 10 per cent
per month in construction here during
/ the same months.
/ He cited other statistics to show that
eight industries in Washington paid
G450,G00 less in wages during July than
! in April. This does not include losses
| in domestic service or Government en-
ployment, he explained.
| Mr.. Haibert said to meet this situa-
ton the S350,000 available to the Board
of Public Welfare for emergency relief
is entiI ely inadequate and will necessi-
| tate cutting down the relief budget to
| $780, 600 per month, while sum far In
excess of this amount would be neces-
sary to meet the existing need properly.
The emergency relief division" he
declared. will have spent by the end
months, about s125.OOO It has now
introduced detailed system of budget
ing the field workers and limiting their
expenditures and apportioning their
funds to their families that will reduce
| the rate of expenditure to $4,000 for
| the month of October. but the amounts
possible under the budgets are admit
tedlv inadequate"
There is not doubt, he continued
that a plea must be made to Congress
for more funds.
Mr.. Ufford gave the exhaustion OF
resources as one of the principal causes
of the great need which he said the
coming Winter will bring.
Needy Families Increase.
The number of families under care OF
the Associated Charities has increased
more than 100 per cent since 1928, Mr.
| Ufford asserted, causing an increase OF
| from S66 900 to $4,000 spent in relief
The last figure named was for 1881 and
in the first eight months of 1882 this
jumped to s2S0,O00, he said.
| From these and other figures, the
| speaker concluded that at least S5Q.
| coo per month, and probably as much as
| pI0,UUU, Will pe IleSQcu Wy pAANdOC SAAoi
ties to care for the needy OF the city
during the Winter.
Three resolutions were introduced
and referred to the Executive Commit
tee The first requested the Board OF
Public Welfare to put into effect a por-
| tion of the act establishing 1t which
empowers it to make study OF social
and environmental conditions so as
to be able to recommend to the District
Commissioners such remedial measures
as may be necessary.
The second recommended the devel-
opment in the immediate future OF
: city-wide program for the financing and
administration of relief, both public
f: and private, which will meet with the
approval and enlist the participation OF
public officials, the directors OF private
welfare work and the community as a
whole.
| third resolution, introduced by Rev
| Mr. Clinchy, recommended that the
club sponsor a mass meeting OF citi-
zens ITO express their conviction that
adequate public relief should be afford
ed by Congress" .
| Leifur Magnusson, president, presided
I