Evening star., 1937-02-25
.CHURCHMEN DENY
.A|DRESPONS|B|L|TY
FOR LOCAL NEEDY
Federation Officers Score
Views Attributed to Keddy
of Budget Bureau.
new PROPOSED POLICY
DECLARED IMPRACTICAL
Immediate Care Of 3, 1000 Destitute
and Employable Cases Would
Be Shifted.

Officers of the Federation of
Churches were cool and critical to-
day toward the opinion attributed to
John L. Keddy, assistant Budget
Bureau director. that the immediate
care Of 5000 destitute and employ
able relief cases in the District was
responsibility of the churches.
DR.. c. e. Hawthorne, president of
the Federation, and DR.. w. L. Darby,
executive secretary, quickly came to
the defense Of the churches and
Joined in asserting that such a policy
was Impractical" and impossible Of
accomplishment"
The reported statement Of the
Budget official was given as his reason
for turning down the recent request
Of the Commissioners for an $500
supplemental appropriation to meet
the rising costs Of relief dependency
until June 80, end Of the fiscal year
Without this sum or even q smaller
amount. relief workers are unable to
cope with situation which they say
has been allowed to develop too long
for the good of the community.
With other clergymen, the two Fed
GRAFTON officers took the position that
the effect of the policy said to have
been voiced by the Budget official was
a reputation Of all public response.
bility for the care of employables de-
MED Federal relief. They were re-
sentful also Of the apparent asper-
sions cast upon the churches which,
they declared, are doing all that can
be done now under limited budgets
to care for their own needy.
Conferences Being Held.
That the churches of Washington
are not unmindful Of their share of
responsibility in relieving distress is
indicated. they said, by the fact that
conferences are now being held with
welfare workers with a view to seeing
how much more of the burden the
churches can carry.
II don't think the churches Of this
city should be criticized by a public
official for not being able to take care
Of the whole burden Of providing for
these 1000 families" DR.. Hawthorne
declared for the federation, which Is
representative Of the Protestant faiths.
There is no question but that the
churches want to do something. They
can and are caring for some of these
needy cases, but it should not be ex-
pected that they should care for all Of
them"
DR.. Hawthorne explained that he
was not prepared to construe the atti-
tude Of the budget official as "a
thumbs down policy" for the churches
to assume the whole burden Of relief
THAT job is too big to undertake"
he said. THE churches are not organ
lied for relief purposes on such scale.
They must care for their own people
first and every parish has some de-
pendents it must look after"
The federation president asserted
that the Government itself had
brought about good deal Of the pow
erty in the city by legalizing liquor and
for that reason there was all the more
reason why IT should not try to thrust
many such relief cases on the churches.
Dr. Darby, who has wide and long
experience with the relief question in
Washington, stoutly defended the rec
ord Of the churches.
Welfare Board Matter.
1.-THE suggestion that the churches
alone should assume the entire respon-
sibility for these 5000 cases is imprac-
tical and impossible Of accomplish
ment," the federation secretary said.
THAT is q matter that rightfully be-
longs to the Board Of Public Welfare.
"The churches in Washington are
supporting many destitute families OF
their own and will continue to do so
and probably will increase the number.
"some people seem to think that all
a preacher has to do is to assess the
members Of his church for any amount
he desires, Just as the tax assessor col
lects from the public. Well, 1t can't
be done. The churches are having
trouble enough meeting their own lin
tied budgets and they couldn't begin
to collect anywhere near the amount
needed to care for such large num-
Der Of relief cases"
Dr.. Darby reminded that church
leaders are having conferences now
to determine what and how much
they can do to help out in the pres
ent critical relief situation. Some
definite plan, he said, may be worked
out in another week.
Not all Of the $s3o,ooo vainly sought
by the Commissioners from the
Budget Bureau was intended for the
estimated 5000 employable heads Of
families who are unable to obtain
either private or public assistance
due to the acute shortage Of available
funds from both sources. Approx
mately $l35,000 Of the amount was
recommended by the Board Of Public
Welfare to provide more adequate
monthly payments to the $500 un-
employables on relief rolls. They
now average $27.50 q month and the
increase would permit an additional
IS per month.
Inadequate Personnel.
With as many as $500 employable
heads Of families being actually
turned away each month from public
and private agencies, it would be
necessary to establish more adequate
personnel to handle and investigate
such cases in the event that funds are
authorized by Cangress. The churches
of the city could do no more than Co
operate in the building up Of such
an organization.
The relief situation is more critical
In washington than In any other large
city In the country, welfare workers
pointed out today. A recent W. p. A.
survey stressed the fact that the total
living costs in Washington Is "a per
cent higher than in New York City,
yet the average monthly grant OF
direct relief per family In New York
was S32.20 last June, while In WASH
l>~xa, 4 saa <niw an N =