Evening star., 1934-04-04
CITY HEADS SEEK
CONTROL OF PENAL
AND WELFARE AID
Transfer From Welfare
Board Sought in Pro.
posed Bill.
WORK OF ORGANIZATION
IS PRAISED BY ALLEN
Division of Institutions Into
Three Sections Planned by
Commissioner.

Complete authority over the man
agement Of the District welfare and
penal institutions would be placed
in the hands OF the District Com
missioners, instead of the Board Of
Public Welfare, under the terms of q
proposed bin sent this morning to
the House and Senate District Com
mittee by the city heads.
The plan Is sponsored by Commis-
sioner George E. Allen, who announced
his hopes for the change recently.
taking the position that since the
Commissioners ultimately are respon-
sible for operation of all District agen-
cies, they should have the power to
run the institutions.
Decline to Discuss Plan.
Members Of the Board of Public
Welfare were not prepared today to
express any views or comments on the
proposal Of the Commissioners.
w. w. MILAN. chairman of the Wei
fare Board, said he had not seen the
bill and had no views to express re-
garding it.
Mrs. Charles Goldsmith, another
member Of the board, said that so far
as she knew, the board had no ofIicial
notice Of the proposal. She said she
wanted to study the measure before
discussing 1t.
It was thought by some that the
question may come up for discussion
at the next regular meeting Of the
board on the third Tuesday Of the
month.
Without commenting on the details
OF the proposed change in procedure,
Mrs. Goldsmith said:
Il think We have all done our best,
giving our time freely and for moth
ing"
The plan was approved yesterday
by the Board Of Commissioners, but
was not announced until last night
after finishing touches had been
placed on the proposed measure.
The brief draft would transfer to
the Commissioners all the powers, au-
thority. property. duties and obliga-
tions now vested or imposed on the
Welfare Board to the Commission
ers. All employees Of the Welfare
Board, including the director Of vel.
fare, would become employees Of the
Commissioners for such time as their
services may be deemed necessary"
and would perform duties and exer-
else the powers conferred by law and
others as the Commissioners might
direct.
The employees could be discharged
and new employees appointed by the
commissioners without recommended
IN Hry %I,-
Board, as Is now required.
The Board of Public Welfare, un-
der the proposed bill. would become
an advisory body. charged with the
duty to study from time to time the
social and environmental conditions
OF the District of Columbia and to
report to the Commissioners the re-
suits OF its studies with its recommen-
dations to further safeguard the In.
terests and well being Of the children
Of the District of Columbia, and to
diminish and ameliorate poverty and
disease, and to lessen crime"
The Welfare Board would perform
such other duties as the Commis-
sioners might direct.
Praises Work of Board.
Commissioner Allen when he an.
nounced the plan solnt weeks ago.
praised the work which had been per-
formed b. the board, bu- declared the
management Of the Institutions re-
quired the full-time attention of paid
officials. Members of the board now
serve without remuneration and daily
meetings are not held. Members of
the board are appointed for six-year
terms.
Present members Of the board are
Mr.. MILAN, chairman; Sidney F.
Taliaferro, former District Commits
sioner: John Joy Edison, Mrs. Hugh
S. Cumming, DR.. H. J. Crosson, Mrs.
Coralie F. Cook, Michael M. Doyle,
Frederick w. McReynolds and Mrs.
Goldsmith.
A part o: Commissioner Aliens plan
is to divide the institutions under the
Welfare Board into three sections for
administrative purposes. One would
be disqualification, q second would be
penal institutions and q third admin
istration and case work. It Is indi-
Gated an official would be placed in
sllnervision over each division