The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-12-14
BY ROBERT 8. BROWN
Times Special Writer


10 million men, women and children.
Theirs is also the responsibility OF
maintaining in the minds of this
still-growing number a faith in the
future.
Relief administration costs enor-
NOUS sums, and consequently Is at
all times subject to attack. To thv1e
on relief, administration often re-
presents a barrier to the things
which were theirs in prosperous
times. To those not on relief admin
tistration represents the cashiers
cage of a huge bank through which
flow their taX-paid dollars.
2 Since the Federal Emergency Re
lief Administration came into being
year ago last May, the average
cost of administering a relief dol
lar has been between 7 and cents.
Today the average is 10 cents. The
cost of administering direct relief
exceeds that of work relief, although
the total bill for work relief is
greater.
Administration costs are alike in
no two centers. The cost has been
found to run from cents per dol
lar in Pittsburgh to % cents in
Washington. One reason for this
spread is the variance in methods
of computing costs.
In most cities the administrative
cost is either coming down or I'M
changed. More uniform cost-ac-
counting systems, plus shake-ups in
personnel, have had an effect.
Standards Are Lacking
Administration in itself is far
from standardized
In Marion County, Indiana, a
silent battle is fought each day be-
tween state relief control and town
ship trustee relief. Personal an
-tagonism among officials has him
dered efficient relief in the entire
state, and has added to costs.
In few states has criticism of re-
lief administration been as con-
slant as in Oklahoma. Gov. Will
liam H. Murray operated it at first.
A howl went up and state control
was kicked out. Harry L. Hopkins,
Federal administrator, installed his
own director, but after Jan. l con-
troll will pass back to the state and
Gov. Elect E. w. Marland. Under
the Murray regime the average cost
was 81 cents per dollar. Under
FERA it is 10. F'ERA officials say
the increase is due to more thor
Ough investigation.
Political Charges Hurled
Political interference has been
charged against nearly all state re-
lief administrations. Little has been
proved through grand jury and
other Investigations.
In Tennessee, Senator Kenneth
Mcclellan recently demanded the
resignation of Walter L. Simpson,
state relief director, on charges that
Mr.. Simpson had used relief per-
sons in the last campaign in an at
tempt to defeat Mr.. Mcclellan for
reelection.
Who are the people who admin
lister relief?
For the most part relief admins
'trative workers are well trained but
ill paid. College education or its
equivalent is necessary for case
workers and social supervisors.
Clerical. engineering and supervi-
sorry positions are manned by per-
sons whose private jobs vanished
some time after 1929. The greatest
responsibility for administration
xx-f,n -
personally with the relief family.
IneligibIes Weeded Out
In New York City a vigorous
campaign has been carried on by
these home visitors to eliminate
from relief rolls those not properly
eligible for relief. Absence of the
head of a family during each Of
the investigator visits over a pc
Rod of six weeks accounted for 1456
suspensions.
A frequent criticism Of admin
istration rises from the heavy load
assigned the visitors. In Houston
the case worker has an average of
ITS families.
!. For this work. the visitor in San
d. Francisco receives SOS a week. In
Cincinnati it is 500 to Sl35
month. in Pittsburgh $40 to $50. in
Columbus $100, and in Youngstown
SIS.
The nationwide study reveals
little local enthusiasm for eXpan-
sion of relief manufacturing Even
relief executives oppose competi-
ton with existing industries.
Manufacturing Is Offered
All cities report protests from
private business against any extern
sion of relief manufacturing Organ
lied labor has complained that men
with jobs lose them because OF re-
lief production.
Transferring the unemployed from
relief rolls TO private employment
is another job of the relief admin
.istration in Cleveland, Pittsburgh,
New York and indianapolis, all en-
playable receiving relief must reg
lister with the MRS.
Charges are heard that relief
clients will not take offered jobs.
The San Francisco administrator
explains that relief clients hesitate
to take temporary employment be-
cause Of the difficulties in getting
back on relief after the job is gone.
Farm Labor Plentiful
Refusal to accept work as serv-
ants is common in large cities. al
though in Cincinnati. where the
average domestic weekly wage is So,
there are more applicants than jobs
During the harvest season all
points report plenty Of farm labor
available Answering charges that
many persons ineligible for relief are
kept on the rolls. administrators
generally say the proportion is
small.
To the opposite charge that needy
persons often can not get relief. ad-
illustrators say usually not more