Evening star., 1933-06-18

enthusiasm Tor relleI, Win 1CS generous
appropriations, being accompanied by
careless supervision, resulting in great
waste and wholesale fraud?
Fortunately, the answer on the whole
must be in the negative. Incidents such
as the one mentioned do occur with some
frequency, but the very publicity given
their discovery indicates that vigilance is
exercised and a careful study of relief
cases makes it clear that fraudulent
cases, though they exist are compare
lively few in number.
In fact, the theory that the great mass
of people are essentially honest is finding
considerable support in the present crisis
Time and again persons who have been
receiving relief report voluntarily to the
bureaus asking that relief be discontin-
ued on the ground that they have found
some way of shifting for themselves.
A somewhat unusual incident of this
kind occurred recently in a large Eastern
city. An old man walked into home
relief bureau one day and, after swear
ing one of the officials to deep secrecy,
asked that food allotments to his home
be discontinued. The old man lived with
his son and daughter in-law. The son
had obtained employment which amply
provided for the support of the family,
but he contrived to keep that fact a Sc
cret in order to continue getting free
food
Its shame and it amt right" said
the old man to the official. II talked to
'em, but it didn't do any good. I finally
got disgusted, and that's why I'm here"
The person who tries to get something
he is not entitled to is, of course, a ia
miliar phenomenon, and every crisis pro-
duces individuals eager to profit at the
cost of others. To this gentry public re-
lief in the form of money or it's equiva-
lent, is an irresistible temptation. What
is probably classic example of an at
tempt at this type of grating occurred
in Brooklyn shortly after the first large
appropriation for public relief was made
by the city.
A TELEPHONE call was received at a
district relief bureau saying that a
family at certain address was in des-
perate want. There were eight children
In the family, the mother was in poor
health and the father was in hospital.
An investigator was Immediately dis
patched to see what aid was needed. 1t
was neat, three-story house in a COM
forable section of Flatbush, and it was
so opulently furnished that the investi-
gator at first thought he had entered the
wrong place.
He was reassured, however, by one of
the children, a young man of 18, that
the family wanted home relief. At first
answers to the investigators questions
tended to confirm the information re-
ceived over the telephone. But soon he
became suspicious. The mother and the
four children who were present all
seemed exceptionally well dressed The
young man had on pair of shiny new
shoes, which closer inspection showed
were OF an expensive make. Then, with
sudden inspiration, the investigator took
one of the younger and less guileful chill
dren aside for questioning
The following facts were finally dis
closed Four of the eight children were
employed. Part of the house was rented
to a SeamstreSs. From various sources
the family income was $475 a month.
The family had $11 900 in the bank. 1t
was true that the father was in a hos
pital with broken collarbone-receiving
treatment in charity ward to which he
was not entitled. And it also was re-
vealed that papa had sustained the in
jury when he fell while carrying barrel
OF wine in the basement.
Curious about the psychology OF fam
lily SO well situated asking for relief from