Evening star., 1934-04-01
Commissioner Allen to See
Administrator Hopkins
Tomorrow.
NEW FUND INTENDED
FOR PRESENT NEEDS
Early Agreement Is Expected on
District Requirements for
April.

The important question Of what is
to be the scope of the emergency works
program of the District as the sue
cessor to the civil works plan. which
ended yesterday, is to be taken up
for decision at a conference tomorrow
between Harry L. Hopkins, Federal
relief administrator, and Commits
sioner George E. Allen.
Arrangements were made yesterday
after two days Of uncertainty as to
the prospects of the District for Fed
eral grants to finance the new work.
relief system.
Because of confusion in the minds
Of District officials as to the meaning
of an immediate grant of S150,000 for
| work relief and $4,000 for direct re-
lief, uncertainty prevailed yesterday
at the District Building as to how
much money to expect during April.
Intended for March.
The Federal Emergency Relief Ad-
ministration issued an official state
ment last night, however, explaining
that these grants were intended only
to meet the present needs of the Dis
trict and that the requirements Of the
District for April as an entirety were
to be considered at the session tomor-
row. 1t was anticipated an agreement
would be reached quickly.
IntimationS were given unof1cially
that the new employment program
| would be conducted on scale far
below that Of the expansive civil
works plan, but Hopkins has stated
several times officially that the end
of the C. w. A. would not mean that
any needy person would have to go
hungry.
The request for 100000 for April
was based on an estimate of a need
of S625, 900 for both direct relief and
| work relief for 5000 cases at the
rate of S25 each a month. District
officials said s425. 900 was sought for
the work program and s375,000 for
direct relief, including administrative
expenses and material costs, and so
forth.
While the c. w. A. force had been
reduced to but 5000, the District re-
Gently has been caring for between
5000 and $4,000 direct relief cases,
according to reports by Leroy A. Hal
bert, emergency relief director.
Because the District has asked for
100000 during April, some District
officials feared the grants totaling but
100000 might indicate a move for
drastic reduction in District sllot-
mentS.
Informed of the situation yesterday
by telephone to St. Augustine, Fla .
where he Is on vacation Commissioner
Allen declared, however, he was con-
vinced all actual needs would be met.
He said he was not at all excited
over the matter. Hopkins previously
had informed the District Federal
grants would be made to meet local
needs. Allen will return to Wash
ington tomorrow morning.
Actually the District last night had
on hand credits sufficient only to as
sure employment through tomorrow
of its 5000 workers, transferred from
c. w. A. status to the emergency
works rolls, and for continuation Of
its present system of direct relief only
through Tuesday. This was made
possible by the special grants of
$4,000 for relief and $4,000 for the
work program. approved Thursday
and Friday.
Continuation Expected.
1t was expected, however, that fur
ther funds would be agreed upon to-
morrow to assure continuation of the
associated programs, not only through
the remainder of the week, but also
throughout April.
The District now is dependent upon
| the Federal Emergency Relief Admin
istration until July /, the beginning
of the new fiscal year, because Con-
gress approved an appropriation of
but Sl,300,000 for the current fiscal
year.
When the C. w. A. program ended
yesterday the District had some 5000
workers still on its rolls. These re-
ceived a pay roll totaling $4,000
yesterday. This force will become
emergency works employees tomorrow.
How many additional persons may
be employed in the new program will
depend on the size of the grant to
the District.
Only those persons who are actually
eligible for relief, however, may be
employed. This is decidedly different
from the G. w. A. system, under
which all persons out of work were
more or less eligible for c. w. A.
jobs, subject to q District quota of
$4,000.