Evening star., 1937-04-04
PENSION PROGRAM
S232,856
TO CAPITAL NEEDY
Cash Grants Paid to 2,O58
in Year Ended March !,
Report DiscIoses.
AVERAGE PAYMENT
$25 TO $26 MONTHLY
Comparative Figures Show Wash
ington Aiding Fewer Over
IS Than States.

Cash grants totaling s232,s56 we're
paid to 2,058 needy men and women
past 65 during the first year of opera
tions under the social security pro-
gram in the District, the Board of
Public Welfare reported yesterday.
during the year which ended March
!, 4,37O applications for the old-ape
grants were filed with the public as
sistance division of the board and
l'o54 applications were stiu pending
when the year closed
The grants ranged from 81 to
S38 per month with an average of
between s25 and s26 per person. The
Federal Government contributed one
half of each grant. provided its share
did not exceed SIS per month.
Study of local old-age assistance
figures disclosed Washington aiding
proportionately fewer of its aged pop
ulation than any Of the States.
Number Over IS in District
The Bureau of Research and Sta
tistlcs of the Federal Social Security
Board estimated total of $4,000 per
sons IS years of age and mo-e resided
In the District on July /, 1885.
The large number of pensioned Gov
eminent employees in the old-age group
may explain why comparatively few
persons have applied for social Sc
curity grants, it was explained.
MISS Hazel I. Spicer, statistician
Tor the District Public Assistance Di-
vision, pointed out that since unem-
ployment takes its greatest toll among
those past IS future plans should be
made with the expectation that the
number applying for old-age grants
Will increase. rather than decrease.
Present facts indicate that the
number of persons to receive old-sge
grants will reach at least 5000" Miss
Spicer reported.
Social Security Grants.
OF the total number Of aged per.
sons who received social security
grants, l,lo7, or 538 per cent, were on
the active rolls of the Public Assist
ance Division receiving direct relief.
Although white persons constituted
approximately 81 per cent of the total
aged population, more than one-half
OF the old-age grants were to colored
persons, the boards report shows.
"hen grouped according to sex,
old-age grants reveal that the pro-
portion OF men and women is much
less than in the entire aged popula-
ton OF the city. The census of 1890
showed there we're 1926 aged men to
every 100 aged women. Among
recipients of old-age grants there
were 64.5 aged men to every 100
women
OF the 2,058 persons who received
grants 712 were colored women. 53s
white women, 425 white men and 382
colored men.
Breakdown of Statistics.
A breakdown of statistics in the
boards report showed that out of
every 1000 aged persons in the Dis
trict, lis have applied for social se-
curlty grants, 54 have been approved
for grants, 81 have been denied and
applications are still pending for 40.
More than one-haf of the 8O2
rejected applications were denied be-
cause the applicants had adequate re-
sources, either from their own per-
sonal income or because they had
friends or relatives willing and finan-
cially able to take care of them, tho
board reported.
The high death rate among those
granted old age assistance brought
the total number of those receiving
aid on March l of this year down to
1893 persons, it was pointed out.
Over one-half of the applicants re-
quired at least eight months invests
cation before eligibility could be estab-
hshed so exacting are the requirements
OF the law, 1t was pointed out. Only
applicants actually in need are en-
titled to the grants and case workers
must verify their age, length of resi-
dence and citizenship, investigate all
possible sources Of income and de-
termine whether the applicant owns
real or personal property or receives
any pension or annuity.
Many Former Slaves.
The majority of the colored appli-
cantS are former slaves who could not
read or write and had no way Of
proving the date of their birth, it was
pointed out. Family bibles, marriage
licenses, old school reports and other
records were among the proofs ac-
cepted.
The report pointed out that "a dear
old lady, 83 years Of age" applied for
old-age assistance, pointing out that
her only assets were worthless
stocks Investigation revealed that
while the stocks had greatly depreci-
ated in value they could be sold for
S4,987, which was deposited in
building and loan association to give
the applicant a monthly income Of
s75.
Case workers are handicapped by
. shortage of staff, high case Apads
and large numbers of applicp pms,
the board reported. Cost OF in
istering the old-age assistance p1hm
in the yead ending March t&as
$40,975. ~