Evening star., 1933-10-21
OFFICIALS AT WORK +.
|. ON AID PROGRAM
Draft of Permanent Plan
Will Include Pensions
and Housing.
~ the Associated Press.

~ the Associated Press.
A permanent social welfare program
for the Federal Government is now be-
ing prepared by administration officials
as the outgrowth Of less than two
years experience In direct human re-
lief and that as an emergency measure
only.
First recommendation will 60 to the
President In time for the session OF
Congress which meets in January.
They will deal not only with revisions
Of the present method Of giving relief,
but also with such questions as old age
pensions; mothers pensions, designed
primarily to care for children affected
by unemployment; unemployment in
surance; housing conditions, aggravated
by the depression, and dietetic needs OF
the unemployed.
One Of the major fights in early
stages Of the depression was over the
Federal Governments field in relieving
human suffering. Local relief was
pitted against Federal. Those who advo-
Gated Federal relief drove a wedge with
an appropriation Of $25 100000 to the
Red Cross. That agency refused to ac-
cept the money but later agreed to dis
tribute flour milled from wheat which
the Farm Board purchased in its
stabilization operations.
Federal Agency Set Up.
Direct grants for Federal relief were
forced at the last Hoover Congress. In
the extra session at the beginning OF
the Roosevelt administration, Congress
appropriated half billion dollars,
Camps, initiated the $4,000, ,000, 900 pub
ov,f
purposes. The Federal Emergency Re
lief Corporation, now under direction
Of Harry L. Hopkins, former head of
the work in New York State, was set
up to direct Federal relief activities
Although the number Of persons de-
manding relief is showing fractional de-
clines, administration officials are TAX
ing 1t for granted 1t will be several
years before even all the employable
on the relief rolls have been absorbed
by industry and business and that even
then, the Federal Government will have
on its hands problems Of permanent
nature that have been shifted from the
domain Of State and local relief
agencies.
Under presidential direction, officials
are preparing a program not only for
the pull back to normal conditions, but
for dealing with permanent social prob
lens after the depression.
The Nationwide survey begun this
week with series Of regional confer
ences under auspices of the relief ad-
ministration, Is to collect information
to be used in mapping both the tenn
porary and permanent programs: Oh-
cials hope the survey will give them
picture Of conditions.
Data Expected From Survey.
They expect it to tell them the fam
lily composition; the percentage OF en-
playable and the percentage OF chronic
charity cases; conditions in cities, in
dustrial.rural sections, such as coal and
lumber settlements, and purely rural
districts; how long persons have been
out Of work and how long on the pub
lie relief rolls: what the last occupa-
ton was and in what industry; who Is
getting work in the absorption that Is
going on in the Unemployment pro-
gram: how much doubling UP in hous-
ing has been going on during the de-
preston; how many children are al
fected, how many adults are employ
able and how many persons are englDie
for old-age pensions. :,
Although unemployment insurance Is
regarded by some officials as inevitable
ON o national scale, it is not likely II
will be proposed Immediately because
of industrial conditions. The condi-
ton Of industry at the moment is not
regarded as auspicious for the imposition
of even such a minor burden as would
be imposed by unemployment insurance
Moreover. its effects would hardly be
felt in the present depression, unless
II xpera y,rolopred heyond the expecta-
ton of officials.
As the outlines of permanent pro-
gram begin to emerge, even though its
structure lies a few years in the future.
officials familiar with the progress of the
program regard it as almost certain
to include a pension system touching
unemployment, widows health and old
age; an elaborate program Of child care
in which the White House Is interested
a Federal housing program designed to
clear slums and afford cheap housing
labor exchanges, and advance planning
Of public works to be done in emergen-
cies.