Evening star., 1933-02-02
Equal Footing to Use R. F. c.
Loans Sought in Meeting
Demands for Relief.
MORE ACUTE NEEDS CITED
IN PLEA TO COMMITTEE
Witness Says Dr.. Ballou Didn't
Want to Bother" With Hungry
Children in Schools.

Declaring the problem of providing
relief for needy families In washington
has become more acute during the pasC
wear than in the earlier stages OF the
depression. District officials maze an
urgent plea to Senate subcommittee
today to give the District government
authority TO borrow from the Recon
struction Finance Corporation, as li1e
States are permitted to 90:
A subcommittee of the Banking ana
Currency Committee. headed by Senator
Rrookhart of Iowa, was considering the
Wagner bill to broaden the powers OF
the Reconstruction Finance Corpora
tion in making loans to the states Ior
relief work and for employment proJecCs.
CORPORATION Counsel William w. Brloe
and Public Welfare Director George ..
Wilson. accompanied by District Auol-
tor Daniel J. Donovan, laid before tne
subcommittee a series OF arlenuli1eilIo
to this national bill which would put
the District government on the SAINT
footing as the States in the right 10
annIv to the corporation for relle!
loans. whenever existing pupllc anu
priyate funds are exhausted.
Conditions Grow Worse.
"Conditions have become exceedingly
acute in Washington during the past
wear" Mr.. Wilson told the Senatais.
"Practically every move the Govern
ment makes toward economy aHects US
directly here During the past year
GOOD many people have lost their Joos:
The reduction in compensation 1,,.S "a
son said, is another factor in the sltua-
tion. He said that until six montns
400 priyate agencies, through the Com
m,1nity Chest drives, met in some meas
IRE the demands for family relief. NO
one starved, he said, but many were
hungry and still are to-day.
MT. Wilson pointed out that the re,
cent drive of the Community Chest 1eil
short of its goal by approximately nan
a million dollars, but he explained tnaI
most other cities had the same expert
er~ p this wear. As result, the amount
of relief that can be accomplished from
private funds will be less this year.
Separate Bill in House.
Besides these local amendments 10
the Vcgner bill. there is separate nlll
pe..d.nT in the House and Senate DIS
r.. Committees which would Speclncal-
" authorize the District government 10
bcr-1.y up to 81, 600 from the RECON-
struct;cn Finance Corporation whenever
the emergency makes it necessary 10
SUPPLEMENT- puplIC ailo PAi'"'e
here.
Mrs. Eleanor Patterson. editor OF the
Washington Herald, also testlf1ed before
the Wagner Subcommittee in support
of the proposal to ennable the District
to borrow from the Reconstruction
Finance Corporation. Mrs. Patterson
told the subcommittee of lnformatlon
She had gathered regarding under,
nOurished children in the schools ana
complained that Dr. Frank w. Ballou;
superintendent of public schools, mao
declined to cooperate in proposed
plans for making some provision Tor
such children. o,,,
She quoted stories of distress among
school children, but said they wanted
their names withheld because they
were afraid of mourning the displeasure
of DR.. Ballou, who she said mslsteo
there were no hungry children.
"Didn't Want to Bother"
1--WE offered to start a fund with
$4,000 to feed the children. out ne
turned us down." she said. He didnt I
want to bother"
She said one teacher told her OF
school where approximately Is children
were going every day to the Volunteers
of America for lunch.