Evening star., 1932-04-16
Additional Reason Cited.


of S2000000. and the custodians of the
fund will not respond and will no. CO.
operate-that strikes me as an addi-
tional reason why we should appropriate
and have the funds necessary to take
care of destitute and needy families.
What we are concerned with is that
all residents of the District of Column
bia who may be in need or WHO may
be destitute be properly cared for. We
are not concerned with the transient
bum, we are not concerned with the
loafer; but 1 say that if man or Wom
an or child do not care where he
comes from-is here in the Capital, or
is in my city, or is any place in the
United States. and is honest. is willing
to work and cannot find work. say it
Is the highest function Of Government
to take care of th.t man and his family.
I'VE should not abandon it, even if
private organizations will not cooper
ate with Congress. Even that is not
a justification for us to neglect them.
The S2.000,00O Community Chest
fund, the gentleman knows it is divisible
among 65 organizations. Some Of these
organizations serve social purpose;
others in educational work, but many
Of them are not engaged in giving di-
rect relief
What I am appealing for and what
I want the assurance of the gentleman
from Missouri, in charge Of the bill, is
tfis-we are sitting here as board of
aldermen for the City of Washington
l want the assurance that after we ad-
journ, if there are destitute families
and children in the District of Colun-
ba before we come back that at some
place there will be sufficient public
funds to take care Of those families in
the meantime"
Cannon Makes Reply.
In replying to Mr. La Guardia, Rep
resentative Cannon, in charge of the
ill, said that while his subcommittee
was sympathetic and anxious to make
every necessary provision for such
needs" they felt that ample funds are
available and that I'VE are convinced
that every child will be amply provided
for"
Mr. Csnnons explanation was in part
as follows:
In the first place, while the number
of these to be provided for under the
proposed item was estimated as high as
10000. it was found upon investigation
that the number was probably nearer
event of 1900.
I'VE were informed that IS per cent
of this number were made up largely OF
transients, drifters and floaters who
had been in the District less than six
months; that great many of them
were in fact, drawn to Washington by
the rumor that easy money was to be
obtained here and that a dole was
practically in effect. OF the remaining
Is per cent, We found per cent were
professionals who had never been self
supporting and who had no intention
of ever engaging in a gainful occupa-
ton Of any character. That left
maximum of 10 per cent who had been
in the District long enough to entitle
them to consideration and who might
possibly need assistance.
"We were told there were sufficient op-
portunitles for normal employment IN
the District to care for this 10 per
cent without resorting to made work"
to be supplied by charity. We first
asked that the IS activities to which
are allocated appropriations from the
Community Chest supply us with
statement of their overhead, with a
list OF their personnel and the amount
of salaries paid.
AhN4hNoh
We made this request in March 81,
and UP to the time the hearings were
closed, which was about April 7, or
thereafter only of the 65 charitable
organizations in the District had re-
ported. Some in fact. intimated it
was none of our business and told us
they would not supply the information.
Since the time the bill was closed, after
nearly three weeks, We received some
Is more reports, and came In
the morning mail. The rest of the 65
have not reported
In addition to this, we asked the
Community Chest to give us list of
the contributors, and in order that the
request might not be burdensome, We
asked for only those who had contrib
uted in excess of S25 to the Community
Chest. They refused this information.
The committee took the position that
the purpose of hearings before the COM
mittees of the House Is to secure infor-
nation. and unless they gave such in
formation committees are not in a po-
sition to pass intelligently upon the sub
iect under consideration, and ipasmuch
as the information requested has not
yet been received, and inasmuch as
they have on deposit at this time, sub
ject to check, 50 200 600 the committee
was unable TO find grounds on which to
baeo a conclusion justiiying an appro-
priation Of this character"
Representative Mccormack, Demo-
crat Of Mas achusetts, by a series of
questions and by suggestion that any
deficit in relief funds could be taken
care of IN deficiency appropriation
bill before Congress adjourns for the
Summer, drew from Representative
Cannon the statement that
There is no occasion for any child
in the District Of Columbia TO want
either food or clothing
Purpose Empbasize
In closing the discussion Representa-
I've Mccormack emphasized that his
purpose was TO have specifically in
serted in the record evidence which
viii be- conveyed to the people OF Wash
ington that the CongrrGA will not only
during the current year, but during
the coming fiscal year perform It's duty
In this respect"
During confederation Of the bill by
the House In committee Of the whole
AN effort was made by Representative
Stafford Of Wisconsin to strike out the
Municipal Center items totaling 81, l,500,-
900. OF which 81 .278. 900 was reap
propriat.on OF an unexpended balance.
Arguments by Representatives Under
hill OF Massachusetts and Simmons of
Nebraska. author OF the Municipal Cen
ter legislation. were successful in hay
ing these items retained in the bill.
During consideration Of the bill there
was interesting debate by Representa-
tives Dalllnger. Republican, of Massa-
chusetts and La Guardia, Republican,
Of New York with Chairman Cannon.
Democrat, and Representative Holiday,
Republican, OF the subcommittee in
charge Of the bill over the question of
cost in printing the hearings on the
bill, and the possibility of saving a con-
siderable item. This spread to a dis
cuSsion of printing hearings on many
lepiSlafiVh nrnnnSals II rran anrnnI