Evening star., 1934-05-24
D. c. RELIEF WORK
|. TO Be REGROUPED
WITHIN FEW DAYS
EIWood Street Proceeds
With Plans Outlined by
Commissioner Allen.
TAKES OFFICE JUNE |
i AS WELFARE DIRECTOR
New Administrative Set-up De-
cided Upon Following
Hopkins Report.

Reorganization of the Districts
Emergency Relief Administration will
be effected in about week, according
/ to indications today as Elwood Street.
who will take Office June as public
welfare director, proceeded with plans
as outlined by Commissioner George
E. Allen.
Establishment Of a new admins
trative set-up was decided upon after
agents Of Federal Relief Administra-
tor Harry L. Hopkins found that a
large number Of persons on the relief
roster were not entitled to public as
siStance.
Disbursements Reduced.
In this connection. it was revealed
today that the amount of funds dis
bursed to the unemployed and desti-
tute was reduced S324.09443 from
March to April. During that period
the civil works program came to an
end and was replaced by the emer-
gency works program, which was con-
Quoted on less expansive scale.
Leroy A. Halbert, director Of emer-
gency relief. said today that since a
greater number of case workers had
been added to the relief division staff.
a closer check was being maintained
over the eligibility of relief applicants
and that many had been dropped.
District officials have declined to
announce details Of their plans for the
reorganization, but it was revealed that
one new element favorably considered
is the designation of Commissioner
Allen as the State" administrator OF
relief for the District At the present
time all three District Commissioners
are administrators The change would
be for the purpose of further CEN
Trailing authority over District re-
lief problems. Street would be desig-
mated as Aliens deputy administra-
tor.
Meanwhile. Street is proceeding
with plans for reorganization Of the
relief division itself. These are said
to call for development of Research
Bureau, the appointment of business
manager and the official establish
Would Relieve Halbert.
Halbert. under the proposed changes.
would be relieved of his present duties
and assigned as director of the Re-
search Bureau, it is creditably report
ed. This unit would be charged with
the planning of rehabilitation of fam
lilies on relief in a move to place
them again on a seh-sustaining basis.
The bureau also would MAKE studies
of typical cases on the relief rolls
The business manager would be
placed in control of all relief dis
bursements and creation of such a
position would be for the purpose Of
maintaining a closer check on out
lays to prevent waste of public funds.
The emergency works program now
is under the direction of a Planning
Committee headed by Capt Howard
F. Clark, Assistant Engineer Commits
Sioner This committee would be
retained, under the tentative plans,
but works director would be created
in the relief set-up. This post may
go to William c. Cleary. now secre-
tary to the Planning Committee, who
has been in charge of assignment
work.
For the time being Street will take
over personal direction of the emer-
gency relief division. He regards the
program for relief of the unemployed
as the most vital point in the Public
Welfare Administration 1t was made
clear today, however. that he would
not permanently direct the details of
the emergency relief activities.
On Equal Plane.
For the present, it was indicated.
the research director, the business
manager and the works director would
be on an equal plane and would work
under the direction of Street as deputy
relief administrator. Whether a new
director of emergency relief" later
would be appointed was not revealed.
Halbert's report to Commissioner
Allen showed that S9O8, ,46O was dis
burSed in wages to persons on the civil
works rolls during March but that
this figure dropped to S252,625 IN
April, as C. w. A. demobilization was
effected
Payments to workers under the
Emergency Works program in April
amounted to S220,994.
In March. direct relief disburse-
ments amounted to S434.025 but in
creased to $685. 1856 in April, following
dismissal of many from the G. w. A.
rolls.