Imperial Valley press., 1935-03-16
STATEMENT ON WORK SUBMITTED
BY EMERGENCY RELIEF GROUP

After two years Of service in the
emergency relief work of Imperial
county, we, the undersigned men,
bers of the original Imperial County
Emergency Relief committee, be-
liege our fellow-residents in Imper-
ial county will be interested in our
views. on the work that has been
done and on the new methods which
have been introduced in caring for
the needy of this community.
Our work, of course, was perform
ed without compensation. We ac-
cepted it as a civic duty which
should not be shirked and which
should receive the same attention
and consideration given to our own
private affairs. That we have en-
deavored to do. We have had no
axes to grind, no favors to beStow
or ask. We have tried conscientious
ly to do our duty as good citizens.
None of us being trained in the
practical work of relief, we neces-
Sarily had to start from scratch.
Naturally mistakes have been made
but we feel we have benefited by
our experience as the work pro-
crossed and have tried to pass such
benefits on in our work.
We administered all the work of
the CWA program during the time
ii was active as relief agency and
are proud that Imperial county's
standing among other counties in
the state on this particular work
was exceptionally high.
It has been our ende eavor
throughout the two years we have
been functioning to carry out the
original intent of the governments S
program-it has been Our conten-
ton that this has never been a So
cial service program but, on the
contrary, has been strictly an un-
employment program.
Before the period of the national
emergency the social service did
wonderful work in the rehabilita-
ton of the unfortunate and the
needy, but the present unemployed
men do not need social rehabilita-
t.on--they need work.
Until the past few months our
committee has had considerable
authority in administering the re-
lief program In Imperial county.
This authority has been gradually
taken from the committee and CIV
en- to social service workers sent into
Imperial county from the outside.
Recently our committee has been
little more than an advisory group
okaying the actions of the social
service workers.
Program Not Favored
During this latter period our
committee has not been in favor of
the program as being conducted
and has made every effort to have
it operate as originally planned by
the government. Our committee has
sbeen held responsible for the admin
iStration of the program and for all
the funds expended, yet we had no
authority in spending the money as
this was all done by case workers in
the social service department.
Our committee has received re-
ports that clients (persons on relief
were driving good automobiles and
asked the social department for the
names Of such clients, the make and
year of the car, the number of per-
sons in the family and the amount
of the family budget. This infor-
nation has been refused by this de-
partment.
Our committee and the county
grand jury were told that the high
est budget of any family was $3.50
per month, yet We found families
receiving from $104.00 to $115.00 per
month, and have been unable to
have this amount reduced.
Twice during the past two years