Evening star., 1936-10-05
G. PCT. Of NEEDY
DROPPED FROM AID
STILL OUT OF Jobs
Most of Other EmpIoyables
Get Less Than S45 Per
Month. .
SURVEY REPORT MADE
BY WOOD STREET
Analysis Is Presented From Study
Of 4S8 Cases Formerly on
Direct Relief.

needy "employables" dropped from re-
lief rolls last March have failed TO
obtain employment and of the SO per
cent actually at work 80 per cent re-
ceive less than $45 per month.
These facts were revealed today in
a report by Elwood Street, director Of
the Board of Public Welfare, drawn
up as result OF survey made dur.
ing the last two weeks in August.
The jobless 81 per cent, Street said.
have been unable even to get w. p. A.
jobs, and at least one-fifth of the So
called "employables" will always be in
need of public assistance because Of
physical, mental or other handicaps.
4sS Gases Were Studied.
Streets conclusions we're drawn
after a study of 488 cases, 42l for
merly on direct relief rolls and 81
new ones. including heads of FAM
lilies who applied for aid after March
81, when all "employables" were
dropped. OF these cases, 81 were white
and 39l colored.
Streets report said:
Some of the determinations from
the analysis of these 488 rejected ap-
plications follow:
Il. Some one is regularly employed
in less than one-haf Of the employ
able families; in terms of actual per-
sons, only SO per cent Of all the 6S3
employable persons are actually en-
ployed.
20. Most of the comparatively few
employed persons 30 per cent Of
them receive only s45 or less per
month. Among all 4S8 families ap-
proximately one-half are without any
regular income. less than one-half
have income of $45 a month or less
and per cent receive more than S45.
"3. Although many small families
applied for aid, nearly one-half Of
them, on the other hand, contain five
or more persons: these families are
larger, on an average, than cases
closed in March, as families included
in the present analysis average 4.57
persons, as compared with an average
Of 3.79 persons in the earlier study.
Thus, it appears that, in general, only
the small families contrive to live upon
the low w. P. A. wages, whereas the
larger families find it difficult or i'm.
possible to manager.
One fifth Handicapped.
~ approximately one-fifth Of the
employable persons are handicapped
by physical or mental defects, by dis.
ease, by inexperience or are worried
with the lack of proper supervision
of young children during the period
of their employment. Many mothers,
sole support of their families, must
leave young children to the super
vision possibly of neighbors or hired
help. Such a woman with one or two
children. who can work and always
has worked. is not accepted for aid
to dependent children care, if she can
make some arrangement for her chill
dren, on the basis that she is as em-
playable as any other employable per-
son. Young persons, becauses of their
very youth and inexperience, require
aid to cope with the problems of finan-
cial dependence of parents and small
brothers and sisters.
IS. Only n persons, representing
11.2 per cent of all employable per-
sons, are skilled women. The re-
manning 88.8 per cent are unskilled,
with low earning power, due to is-
norance and lack of training; these
persons, particularly those with
large families, will probably always
need assistance and in many fam.
lilies case work is indicated as well.
IS. Persons not employed have
been eking out a precariouS exist
ence by odd jobs. by crowding in
with relatives or friends who them
selves have little to share, by bor-
rowing, and by not paying rent, cleo
trio and other bills.
No Plan for Future.
~. Most Of these families have no
definite plan for the future except to
continue to look for wark They have
become quite discouraged because odd
jobs are uncertain and permanent em-
ployment almost thing of the past.
Due to the fact that there are not q
sufficient number of w. P. A. jobs for
all who are assigned, 1t is felt that
persons who can pick up odd jobs or
can in any way do without w. p. A.
jobs should do So"
Street pointed out that the report
gives only cross-section of all the
needy families, since there were Abb
cases dropped last March, 800 more
border line" cases dropped June 80.
and approximately 200 new cases ap-
piled for aid after all direct relief had
been cut OF.