Evening star., 1933-04-09
CONGRESS TO HEAR
PLEAFOR D. c. POOR
Figures on Gravity of Situa-
tion to Be Given Supply
Bill Hearing.

Spokesman for the destitute and un-
employed of the District Of Columbia
are preparing an urgent appeal in their
behalf with the approach Of public
hearings this week on the District sup
ply bill before Senate subcommittee.
The case Of washington's needy,
welfare leaders say, can be stripped Of
sentiment and skeletonized in figures no
less convincing than the purely human
aspect Of their situation.
This side of the picture, 1t was
pointed out, viii be readily apparent to
any visitor to headquarters Of the Dis
trict Emergency Relief, at the. old
Metropolitan Church, John Marshal
place and G street.
Suppliants by the hundred congre-
gate there daily, crowding by almost
imperceptible stages, up the steps TO the
two church doors, which too often
must be closed In their upturned faces,
since nothing can be done for them.
Those turned away through the in
adequate of public relief cannot be ac-
cepted by private charities whose fam
lily welfare groups face financial col
lapse by the first Of August unless
someaof the burdenjs lifted from them.
This situation, one Of the gravest in
the memory Of welfare workers. has
prompted the Board Of Public Welfare
to call a meeting at the District Build
ing tomorrow afternoon In an effort to
find solution.
More Funds Urgent.
Sidney F. Taliaferro, chairman OF the
boards Emergency Relief Committee,
said yesterday it Is urgently necessary
that more fun6s be obtained from some
source. This opinion was seconded ny
w. w. MILAN, chairman of the Board
CT Public Welfare, although neither Mr..
Taliaferro nor Mr.. MILAN could pre-
dict what recommendation the board
would make to the District Commis-
sioners In view of the situation.
The $1,250, 900 item for emergency re-
lief in the pending supply bill contem-
plates further curtailment IN the
funds under which the public agency Is
operating during the present fiscal year,
welfare leaders say.
An appeal in behalf Of the Districts
needy was made yesterday afternoon to
members of the Senate District Com
mittee by Walter s. Ufford, general sec
retary of the Associated Charities and
chairman Of the Monday Evening Clubs
Committee on Emergency Relief.
Situation Here Critical.
The three largest family welfare
groups In Washington face a critical
situation, 1t was said. The Associated
Charities and the Jewish Social Serv-
ice Agency are paying out relief so
rapidly they will be forced to close up
entirely by August /, unless aid is forth
coming, and the Catholic Charities is
little better of, directors of the agen-
cies say.
Their Community Chest allotments
were cut this year because there was
approximately $762, 1000 less to divide
among all the afiliated agencies, and
because large share of the family
welfare burden was to be assumed from
public funds by the District emergency
relief.
The inadequacy of the relief appro-
pr1ation to care for unemployed resi-
dents, however. drove hundreds of
families back on the private agencies,
social workers say.
According to Albert S. Rosichan. ex-
ecutive director of the Jewish Social
Service Agency, that organization, de-
spite its curtailed income. has twice as
many families under its care this year
as last. Mr.. Rosichan expressed doubt
that the present funds could be ex->
tended later than July ! at the present
rate of disbursement.
The Catholic Charities Is in some
what better financial condition, as part
Of its relief burden has been accepted
by "a parishes Of the District, a bur-
den which the parishioners are little
able to assume, particularly in the col
ored districts.
Even with this help, according to
Rev. Lawrence ]. Shehan, assistant di-
rector of the organization, the Cath
olic Charities is spending far more than
its monthly allotment and must run
out of funds under the present status
long before the new Community Chest
drive.
The heads Of. the family welfare
agencies agree that slow starvation
must be the lot of thousands Of resi-
dents unless public relief is enlarged,
as in other communities, to tide pri-
vate charity through the present ener-
UanrU