Evening star., 1937-04-07
BOOKS OVERSIGHT
CUTS RELIEF FUND
FOR EMPL0YABLES
$4,000 Lost to, Allotment
of Aid for 10000 Job|ess
in Three Months.
COMMISSIONERS TO ASK
$4,000 AS DEFICIENCY
81 900, 900 Appropriation for Next
Year Is Goal-Hidden Cash to
Hire Social Workers.

A relief crisis made more desperate
by bookkeeping oversight confronted
the District Commissioners today "a
hours after they announced they had
developed plan to lead 10000 impov-
erished persons from the citys no
mans land" of relief.
The oversight cut $4,000 from the
$4,000 which the Commissioners an
nounced yesterday they had found in
reserve account and which could
be used Immediately for the relief Of
unemployed employables and their de-
pendents.
The Commissioners in addition an
nounced they were sending to the
Bureau of the Budget request for
approval of $4,000 deficiency ap-
preparation to extend aid to un-
employed employables in May and
June, the last two months Of the
current fiscal year, and that they in
tended to ask for an added $l,000,0 900
in the relief appropriation for next
year.
In pledging support of the Citizens
Emergency Committee in the Com
missioners' appeal for the appropria-
ton, Canon Anson Phelps Stokes, OF
the Washington Cathedral, today
stated, "The determination of the
Commissioners to do all in their power
is clear and most commendable and
they may be assured of the public
support of our committee. We will
help also in trying to coordinate
better the work of public and private
relief agencies"
Five hours after the Commissioners
acted, Elwood Street, director of pub
lie welfare, following a conference
with District Auditor Daniel Donovan,
announced that only 100000 is avail
able for the relief of the 5000 cases
involving unemployed wage earners
and their families total of 10000
persons.
Reserve Requested.
Donovan pointed out that when the
Board of Public Welfare received
81 100000 for relief, exclusive of ad-
ministrative expenses, last July it was
required by law to set aside per
cent of that amount as a reserve fund.
The regulations provided that no
commitments could be made against
that reserve, Donovan said.
On April the Board Of Public
Welfare asked Donovan to release the
reserve fund. Donovan and the Com
missioners. believing that the fund was
unencumbered, decided to divert it to
relief Of the unemployed employables.
After the Commissioners made
their announcement, however, Street
and Miss Alice Hill, director Of the
public assistance division Of the
board, revealed that budgetary COM
mitments totaling $4,000 had been
made against the reserve fund, and II
the total amount were diverted to the
employables it would have to be taken
away from relief clients who are in
capacitated for any work.
$4,000 Per Month Quota.
The $4,000 which Street said was
squeezed out" of the remainder of
the reserve fund will be distributed at
the rate of $4,000 month.
obviously" Street declared, I'VE
will be able to aid only cases OF the
direst emergency. With 10000 people
needing help, it is obvious that s10,-
900 monthly is wholly inadequate"
Street said the 100000 is being
with representatives of the Council
of Social Agencies and the Federation
OF Churches to determine whether
volunteers who have been gathering
case histories Of the suffering in fam
lilies of the unemployed employables
can be used to select the families who
will receive meager aid from the
$4,000 monthly fund.
STREET. said the 100000 is being
budgeted over a three month period
because there is no assurance at this
time that the Bureau Of the Budget
or Congress will approve the request
for the $4,000 deficiency appropria-
ton.
Another Fund Yields S25,O00.
From another hidden fund" yes
terday the Commissioners diverted
S25, 900 to be used in hiring additional
personnel to certify unemployed en-
ployables as being eligible for w. P. A.
jobs. The money was found in a
transient relief account. 1t repre-
sents Federal moneys which were
turned over to the District Govern
ment by the F. E. r. A. when 1t
abandoned transient relief.
This $4,000, Street said, will be used
to employ IA social workers for six
months period He said he would
ask the Civil Service Commission to
send him list of eligible social work
ers for appointment. Weeks OF delay
may be expected before the certiflca-
ton staff can be expected to begin to
function and even then, Street pointed
out, IA workers could make only slight
inroads IN the 5000 pending cases.
On April l, Street pointed out, the
Board of Public Welfare had 1854, 900,
including the reserve fund, left from
the original appropriation for relief.
This does not include 100000 in the
appropriation for administrative ex-
penses, he said.
Unemployables Cut.
At that time, before any question Of
extending relief to employables arose,
Street pointed out, allowances to un-
employables were cut between 10 and
Is per cent and all fuel allowances
were discontinued. Even then, Street
said, the board did not expect sur
plus at the end Of the fiscal year.
When Donovan completed his audit
of the boards account there was left
$324,000 for relief of unemployables
and $4,000 for employables.
Street would not reveal whether fur
ther cuts will be made in the allow
ances Of unemployables to make up
the $4,000.
I'VE found the $30,000," Donovan
explained, ''in that portion Of the re-
serve fund against which no budgetary
commitments had been made"