Evening star., 1937-05-08
A|DSTAT|ONLEFT
OPEN IN SIT DOWN
Street Yields to Demand of
Strikers to Leave Doors
Unlocked.

With the written consent Of Welfare
Director Elwood Street doors OF the
District relief station at 1929 Pennsyl-
vania avenue were kept open all night
hast night 50 that about 40 members Of
the Workers Alliance might stage \
"sit down" in support Of their relief
demands.
Street gave = written promise that
the "sit-downers" could come and go
at the station at will last night as a
means Of ending threatened all-night
stay last night Of four alliance mem
bers In the private office OF Commis-
sioner George E. Allen.
The delegation had come to the Dis
trict Building to protest that some Of
their members were locked out Thurs
day night at the Pennsylvania avenue
station. The doors there were fixed
50 that once a ''sit-downer" left he
could not get back in, it was said.
Agrees to Leave Doors Open.
Finding Commissioner Allen out Of
town, the delegation, consisting Of
Edward Ozmun and three colored
women. announced they would stay
there until Street gives US written
statement" to leave the doors open.
Street later agreed to leave the doors
open, provided the alliance officers
promised they would clean up the
office before opening hours this morn
ing. He said he received such .
promise.
The demonstration at the station
started Wednesday night. Officials
there did not attempt to oust the
group. but at closing time locked the
lavatory. because it adjoined Office
space where oficial records were kept.
There Is no lAvatory in the waiting
room.
One Of the demands made yesterday
was that this door be kept unlocked.
Street refused, but there was COM
promise about permitting the sit
downers" to re-enter the station II
they left 1t during the night.
Street, in his statement to the al
lance said: "On Wednesday afternoon
the so-called strikers were allowed the
use Of the waiting room without the
doors being locked. They had com.
plete access to 1t throughout the night
They left the room in the morning
in q filthy condition, with food anc
receptacles scattered about and re.
fused, at first, to clean it up. It was
not until IL o'clock In the morning
that they cleaned up the room 50 that
it was flt for business.
None Admitted After Closing.
"On Thursday night, because Of thia
failure to keep the ONCE in good shape
the door was locked at closing time
No one was required to stay many
one could leave at any time. The
people were not admitted after the
hour Of closing. In spite of the fact
that anyone could leave at any time
the scrap baskets in the office were
used as toilets"
Street SAID also that the alliance
demands food checks first and the
need investigated afterward." To this
he replied: Employees of the Board OF
Public Welfare are public officials and
are sworn to support the Constitution
and laws OF the United States. Among
these laws is the District appropriation
act, which requires that relief shall
be given only to residents Of the Dis
trict and to those who are in need
Evidence must be submitted in &C.
cordance with this law that the appn-
can't is in need and that he Ia 4
resident Of the District"
He added this about relief demands
OF some Of the alliance members
Several people who were given fooc
orders on Wednesday, at last word
have not yet gone home to use those
food orders for their families or them.
selves"