Evening star., 1934-06-16
Letter to EIWood Street
Also Debates Dropping
of Adult Classes.
ARGUES CHILDREN WILL
BE HUNGRY IN SUMNER
Welfare Head Promises Con.
sideration Of Pro.
posals.

Mrs. Franklin D. Roosevelt. In a
personal letter, today informed e.
wood Street, director of public well
fare, that she believes the free lunch
program for school children should
be carried on during the Summer, in
stead of being abandoned at the end
of school, June 20. She also ques-
toned whether there was any real
necessity for abandonment Of the
adult education and nursery school
classes during vacation.
After conferring with Commissioner
George E. Allen, District relief ad-
ministrator, Street said these sug-
gestions would be given very careful
consideration, adding:
"A request from the First Lady is
regarded by us as command, so far
as it lies within our power to accede
to it. We will give earnest consid-
because of the intelligent interest OF
Mrs. Roosevelt in the local situa-
ton"
Talks With Hopkins.
Mrs. Roosevelt's letter follows:
Il talked over your letter last night
with Mr.. Hopkins Harry L. Hopkins
head of the Federal Relief Admins
tration), and he says the reduction o1
$4,000 Tin the relief grant to the
District for June) should not really
make any difference in the support
of such necessary things as adult
education and nursery schools, for
the reason that there are on the re-
lief rolls in the District a great many
people who could be taken of. This
city apparently is spending more on
relief than any other city in proper
ton to its population. l feel very
strongly that adult education and
nursery schools should be carried on
through the Summer months.
Il feel also that the school lunches,
which are scheduled to stop when
school closes, should be carried on
These children will be just as hungry
whether they are going to school oil
whether they are playing around the
streets, and if we give them lunches
during school time, we certainly need
to give them lunches during vacation
1t was tried during the Faster vaca-
ton and large numbers came back
However, you can find out definitely
from Mrs. Henry Grattan Doyle.
Screens and Cots Needed.
"a understand that if nursery
schools are to be continued, there
will be a necessity for screens and
cots. The screening might be done
by men on relief and could be used
as a double project.
Il do hope you will talk the whole
situation over with Mrs. Doyle, who
is genuinely interested and very
practical. and If it is possible to re-
duce the relief rolls sufficiently tc
carry on these three things, that i,
will be DONE"
Street said he feared there was
some misapprehension as to the
standing of Washington in compari-
son with other cities on the amount
OF relief costs. He produced a tabu.
lation showing that in March the pei
capita expenditure for relief ir
Washington was 90 cents as compared
with $l.58 in Baltimore: $1.33 fol-
oA-O1 AZ SlCfC1dhd aLto Ia
cents at New Orleans.
Lists Aliens Reasons.
Street also gave a long list of rea-
sons which had motivated Commits
sioner Allen to decide to abandon the
school lunch program during vacation
time. Among these were the question
of spoilage Of food in hot weather
responsibility for children at school,
when school is not In session, protec-
ton of the children at crossings DUR
ing vacation time, and that money
would have to come out of the Dis
trict relief funds, already diminished
Street said also it was felt that food
for needy families. including children
was provided In relief budgets for the
families. and would be provided in
necessary cases even though the
school lunch program was stopped
He said the school lunch plan is the
more expensive one.
The welfare director also explained
that progress is being made in drop
ping from relief rolls persons found
no longer eligible as fast as a check
can be made by the new District re-
lief administration.