Evening star., 1934-11-18
Director Smith Says April
Figure Was Due to Cut
Off of c. w. A.
REINVESTIGATI0N OF
ALL CASES is MADE
Federal Order for Purging Rolls
Responsible for Waste Appear.
ance That Attracted Borah.
By the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
RICHMOND, Va, November IT.
Virginia's relief situation appeared
again in the public eye during the
last week.-Mrs. time in discussions
of administration costs.
William A. Smith, Virginia emer-
gency relief director, today said an
apparently high percentage Of admin
istration costs in relief reports may
indicate both efficiency and a reduc-
tion in the total cost Of relief items.
While that may not always be the
case, he said, ''it is easy to see how
an efficient administrative personnel
may increase its relative cost by
saving dollars for Uncle Sam"
This statement was made after a
survey of relief costs in Virginia from
April 1 to July Is, 1884, by State
Auditor L. Mccarthy Downs was
| called to the attention of Senator
Borah, who has asserted publicly that
is shameful"
Senator Borah now has a COPY Of
the Virginia report for his investiga-
tion, and Mr.. Smith says his books
as they were before the survey and as
they are since, are open for public in
spection and nothing is camoufaged."
Item Attracts Borah.
Administration costs averaging $2.68
for administering relief at the rate
Of s5.47 per active case during the
month of April was the matter which
attracted Senator Borah's attention
in particular.
However, both Mr.. Downs and Ad-
ministrator Smith said April was not
a fair month. because c. w. A. prof.
ects had just been cut off; Federal
authorities had ordered a complete
purge Of the relief rolls, necessitating
thorough reinvestigation of all
cases, thereby reducing to below the
minimum the number of relief cases,
temporarily, but the administrative
work at that time was greater than
usual
The last completed report of the
v. E. r. A. is for the month of Sep
tember. 1t shows in that month there
were lib employees in the lis local
relief Offices, and 141 in the State
offices in Richmond. The salaries of
these employees ranged from $50 to
$3.50 per month.
The report showed the open load Of
relief cases in Virginia, or the total
number of applications in that month,
was 50.873, and the active load, or
those cases actually receiving relief
money, during September totaled
6,418 cases.
September Total S544,679.8S.
The relief money spent in Virginia
during September totaled S544, ,679 49,
This total came from all sources
local, State and Federal. OF this
amount $109, ,16985 was spent for ad-
ministrative costs, including salaries,
rents, Office supplies, etc.
The average relief client in the
cities in SEPTEMBER received $11.30,
and the average relief client in the
counties received $8.05, making the
average case in Virginia receive $3.50.
l liz dOlNC NOoO 4OA dSOANC
cases averaged $299 per case, and
for the open load the case average
was $165.
Mr.. Smith said the administrative
cost as it is set up in the record was
17.9 per cent of the total relief cost
for the month.
But, that doesn't mean a thing"
he said, because that Is figured
against the amount actually given
the active client"
Explaining this statement he said,
For instance, it costs just as much,
if not more, to investigate case that
is not eligible for relief as it does to
investigate the poorest family in a
community"
He said Of the total amount spent
in Virginia in September, $31 ,172.70
had been spent for "non-relief"
wages to foremen on projects and
others in supervisory capacity on the
various projects: $4,000 went for
material, and $7,700 was spent for
necessary incidentals.