Evening star., 1932-05-13
The Local Relief Problem.

While the House eliminated from the
District appropriation bill for 1888 the
proposed appropriation Of 5000, 900 from
local revenues for administration by
the Board of Public Welfare in unem-
ployment relief, the House advanced no
constructive or practical alternative. 1t
disposed of the request for this ap-
preparation by turning it down. But it
did not dispose of the problem that led
TO the request.
Washington citizens, familiar with
the acute local conditions regarding
adequate care for the victims of unem-
ployment, will make strong representa-
tions to the Senate subcommittee for
restoration of the 100000 item. They
might we'll rest their case on a mere
statement of fact as to demand con-
fronting private welfare and relief
agencies and of available financial re-
sources for meeting this demand. If
the Senate, or anybody else, can sug-
gest method of dealing with the prob
lem thus outlined and can propose
solution that does not contemplate the
expenditure of public funds, that sug-
sestion will, of course be gratefully re-
ceived. But in the absence Of work.
able substitute-dismissing as out OF
the question the inhunan act OF 1g-
noring the situation-there Is nothing
to be done but to follow the path OF
other cities that long since have used
public funds to augment those con-
tributed voluntarily to such agencies
as the Community Chest.
OF the approximately 10000 locally
unemployed, actually seeking work and
registered at the United States En-
ployment Bureau in Washington, over
tvo-fifths are married men with de-
pendents. A recent estimate places the
number of these dependents at about
81 900, bringing the total Of those
stricken by the blight of unemployment
to 10000. There are approximately
$4,000 persons partially or wholly de-
pendent ocw upon private charity for
their ds-y bread. There were $685.
families under the care Of family well
fare agencies during the first three
months of this year, as against 1892
for the same period last year, and the
number increases daily. In addition,
about $500 persons. mostly family men,
were receiving help through the Dis
trict Employment Committee before
that organization exhausted its funds.
In the face Of this demand for aid,
welfare agencies estimate a deficit OF
s2s2, 900 in their budgets fo- this year;
funds for the District Employment Com
mittes have practically been exhausted.
and it would require an estimated
s476,000 to enable that committee to
operate for the remainder of the year
on the scale that 1t operated during
January, February and March Of this
year.
If the appropriation of public funds
for relief is not the normal procedure,
neither is the demand for relief nor
NAL. Washington is about the only
large city in the country that has not,
thus far, augmented its private relief
funds by public funds. The Children's
Bureau, in a recent bulletin, shows that
public funds for general relief average
So per cent of the total expended by 81
cities exceeding 100000 in population.
Congress would have to appropriate
s728,86l for public relief in Washington
before that proportion was attained
here. On the other hand, Washington
per capita donations for private charity
compare favorably with those of other
citic-. The private contributor to char
ity hcre has done his part and Is now
called upon to contribute, in addition
as a taxpayer.
This whole question affecting or
sanized relief work in this time ol
emergency emphasizes the community
dependence upon the National Legisla'
ture, in which it is not represented
which possesses the exclusive power ol
legislation, taxation and the approprla-
ton OF local revenues. 1t emphasizes
the duty and the responsibility Of the
National Legislature to approach loca
problems from the viewpoint of loca
legislature or city council, guided b!
sympathetic consideration and under
standing Of the real needs of the loca
community.