Evening star., 1932-04-15

of the pledges made toward the S2.601,
900 will be difficult to collect on ac-
count of the continuance of the de-
preston and the cutting of wages and
salaries or other earnings of many of
those who pledged to the Community
Chest.
IS. The Employment Committee was
given S250,000 by the Community Chest.
"6. This amount at the present rate
of spending will be practically ex-
hausted by April Is except for the
maintenance of a skeleton organization
for stimulating Job finding.
~. The Municipal En- nployment Bu
reau reports approximately l9,500 cur
rent registrations Of unemployed. The
major part Of these are residents.
No Choice Left.
"8. When the Employment Commit
tee has exhausted its funds those who
are still unemployed and in destitute
circumstances will have no choice but
to apply to the family welfare agencies
for relief in lieu Of wages.
80 The Employment Committee has
paid $3.50 a week every other week to
those whom it has helped, and mean
time the Associated Charities and SINH
lar organizations have been obliged to
supplement the earnings Of many of
these men, as it is impossible for a man
to support a wife and children on two
weeks work month at sgt.
40. So far as these same men fail
TO find employment in the near future
the Associated Charities and similar or
ganizations will be obliged to continue
to contribute what they have previously
been giving plus the equivalent of the
wages which the jobless workers have
been receiving.
Spending 100 Per Cent More.
al. The Associated Charities and
Citizens Relief Association are spend
ing at the present time more than 100
per cent more than they spent at the
same period last year. The Chest
granted them in its estimates, provided
it reached its quota, about 40 per cent
more than last years increases Tor re-
lief. All agencies in the CheSt nave
been asked to cut their budgets 7 per
cent, which would mean serious
handicap for many of them.
"12 The Associated Charities, for
example, will have but one answer to
give to its applicants when funds are
exhausted as they threaten to be early
in the Fall unless the Community Chest
can be relieved of the problem OF un-
employment relief. When compelled TO
refuse applicants the only answer the
Associated Charities can give Will be to
recommend that destitute families with
children apply to the Juvenile Court for
the temporary commitment OF such
children to the Board of Public We'll
fare. Congress, SO far as we know, has
never failed TO recognize in its deficiency
appropriations the cost of such COM
mitmentS. Such refusal resulting in the
eviction of hundreds of families and
acute suffering would be heralded over
the country as a real disaster to the
National Capital.
"13. The Associated Charities is car
rying at the present time many fami-
lies whom it believes to be eligible for
allowances under the home care act for
dependent children, there being no
more public funds available for such
families at this time.
IA. The Associated Charities is also
carrying a number of aged couples and
old folks who could be cared for by
public funds outside the Home for the
Aged and Infirm if the District of Co.
lumbia had an old age security act
such as that in operation in several of
the States, including the recent laws
passed by Massachusetts and New York
State These aged couples if sent to
Blue Plains would have to be separated
after long years of living together.
Many Others can be cared for with sup
Elementary relief more cheaply than at
Blue Plains.
rs. If the relief agencies can be re-
lieved of the additional expenses of
caring for the unemployed. this much
money will be released for the care of
families who would even in normal
times bs without resources, largely on
account OF sickness desertion Of wage
earners, old age OF other reasons
'l6. Unless additional funds can be Sc