Evening star., 1934-02-11
FEDERAL EXPERT
SOUGHT BY ALLEN
FOR RELIEF PROBE
Plans Made for Study of,
District Emergency Wei
fare Division.
BROADENING OF SCOPE
OF STUDY is LIKELY
Other Local Government Agenc
in Similar Work May
Be Included.

The operation of the District Enrer-
gency Relief Division will be SUBJ
jected to an examination by a Fed
eral expert to determine if it is func-
tioning as efficiently as possible, ac-
cording to plans laid yesterday at the
District Building.
Final decision in the matter has
not been reached, but indications are
that if the investigation is made it
likely would be broadened to include
the operation of all the District gov
ernment welfare agencies.
Commissioner George E. Allen has
requested the Office of Harry L. Hop
kins, Federal relief administrator. to
lend to the District the services of
an expert for the purpose. it was re-
ported Approval of the request is
expected. The study would start at
once.
Changes RumOred.
Disclosure of plans for the scrutiny
of relief and welfare Operations
started speculation in some quarters
oo " "ICIAlcI SOlIle changes ex-
scutlVe positions might be involved.
Commissioner Allen, however, de-
clared it was his desire to determine
If the Emergency Relief Division was
functionlng on business like"
basis
Commissioner Allen said that since
millions of dollars are being expended
each year for relief and the operation
OF the welfare agencies. he wanted to
make sure that "a dollar in service
is being given for each dollar ex-
pended He emphasized that he had
nc reason to believe there was any
thing wrong whatever in the expendi-
ture Of funds
Our agencies" he declared. "mav
oe the very best of any in the coun-
try and may be functionlng 100 pc
cent. but want to find out lust ho-y
the organizations are working" Allen
gave the impression he was not salts
ned at the present time
Later, Allen went to the Whi,e
House for conference with MIS-
Franklin D. Roosevelt, but it wa
understood this was in connectio
WIN the old-age pension bill.
Will Study Coordination.
The study of the relief and welfa.l
| operations, it was indicated. like,
would deal with questions as t.
Whelaer functions Of various apenc,
or departments were overlspnif
whether there was proper co-ordin.
lion between various units, if neet.
persons are receiving proper attei.-
tlon and assistance, and if funas
could be expended more efficiently.
Inc relief division was subjected to
a study last Fall and after complaints
nad been made that there was too
great delay in investigation of an
plcatlons for relief, additional case
workers were assigned. Later. how
ever. Alan Johnstone, field agent of
the Federal Relief Administration
praised the manner in which relief
was handled here. The coming of the
civil works program. in November
however, placed a tremendously great
new problem on the District admin
Stratlon and caused a sudden shift
Ing OF relief procedure.
1t was recalled yesterday also that
the Districts program for serving free
iuncnes to undernourished school
children was ordered expanded and
improved after Mrs. Roosevelt had
paid an unexpected visit to some of
the schools where the program was in
erect and found the lunches unsatis-
factory.
During the current fiscal year the
District welfare agencies have appro-
priations totaling s5.845,0 900. Emer-
gency relief disbursements are pro-
ceeding at the rate of some $4,000 900
year. For the fiscal year beginning
next July 1. the budget contains esti-
mates totaling s6,476,000.