Evening star., 1934-03-12

the Engineer Department Of the Dis
trict.
The arrangements above described
were not, Of course. 100 per cent eff
cient, but did accomplish excellent
results and were primarily under the
direction of George S. Wilson. direc
tor of public welfare for the District,
who is about to voluntarily retire
after "a years of highly conscientious
and extraordinarily able service for
the District of Columbia.
up to the time when the Civil
Works Administration program began
in November. 1888, the Emergency
Relief Committee Of the Board of
Public Welfare, in fact directed the
emergency relief operations. Since
that time 1t has done so only in part.
and for several months has had tech
nical responsibility for emergency re-
lief work exclusive of C. w. A. work..
but virtually no authority or control
over it.
Relieved by c. w. A. Work.
"By an arrangement which was
most agreeable to the Board Of Public
Welfare, the Commissioners Of the
District were named as civil works
administrators for the District, and
no part of that operation has been
placed upon the Board of Public We'll
fare or its committee. The Commis-
sioners have addressed themselves to
the c. w. A. problem. BY rather
natural process. the direction OF the
emergency relief work has converged
with the c. w. A. work and has been
directed in fact. by the District Com
missioner in charge OF welfare opera
tions and the staff of the Federal Re-
lief Administration, as present funds
for emergency relief are now supplied
by the Federal Relief Administration
under rather specific directions for
their expenditure.
The pressure Of other business has
for some time caused me to wish to
be relieved as a member Of the Board
Of Public Welfare, and a lull in the
work of the Emergency Relief Com
mlttee, to which 1 had given most of
my efforts as member Of that board,
seemed to present favorable oppor-
tunlty for my resignation. which was
presented to the Commissioners on
February 20, 1884, At the request Of
the Commissioners the effective date
of my resignation has been held in
allegiance.
Some Unreasonable"
"Since July, 1882, there has been
expended for emergency relief in the
District of Columbia exclusive of
c. w. A. operationS) roundly 50. .3OO,-
600. Most of the money has gone to
deserving persons. some of it has no
doubt gone to people who have i'm
posed upon the community. The re-
cent expenditures have. in my opinion,
in some respects. been unreasonable
and prodigal: notably the operations
on behalf Of transients. For wears
excellent service has been rendered
by the Salvation Army and other
agencies on behalf Of transients in the
District 1t seems unreasonable and
improper TO now attempt 10 give
transients better care than is given to
our own citizens. The present ar
rangements for transients include
quarters, three meals a day. clothing.
some OF which they are unaccustomed
TO and do not appreciate; recreational
facilities and cash for pocket money.
1t IS not surprising that we have a
steady inflow OF transientS to this city.
In the several reported instances
OF delay In furnishing emergency re-
lief no one has starved to death. per-
haps no real serious suffering has oc-
CURED, and aid has come through
neighbors or the Police Department.
While the delays are not excused, they
are not to be wondered at as the oc-
casional incident to the handling Of
thousands OF cases under pressure. It
Is also suggested that it would be I'M
desirable and unwholesome to attempt
to shut of the occasional operation OF
neighborhood or Police Department aid.
i am convinced that In these times
OF great emergency the Government
must supplement the efforts of private
charity, but I am also convinced that
emergency relief aid should be given
on an economical rather than extrava-
CANT basis and that 1t should not be so
attractive that any individual or family
would prefer to continue to live at
Government expense on emergency
relief rolls rather than attempt self
help"