Evening star., 1938-08-05
New Requests Contemplate
Greater Assistance Funds
/ and Penal Construction.
so PER CENT INCREASE
/ SHOWN BY ESTIMATES
First to Be Published Indicate
/ District Will Face Big
4 Total for Year.
BY DON S. WARREN.

proposed UOOdy Dy the bOdTQ VI IuUlS
Welfare in its budget requests for the
nscal year 1910, which showed total
of $lo,44S,4s7.
Heavy increases over sums granted
for this fiscal year are proposed by
the board for the workhouse and re-
formatory, the Jail, for public as
sistance. the District Training School
for Feeble-minded, Receiving Home
tor Children, along with more minor
Increases for other agencies.
The welfare estimates were the
hrst to be published by the Commis-
sioners and if these are to be taken
Is a guide, the proposals of all District
department heads will approximate
the $4,000 900 aggregate requested by
the District divisions last year. These
we're slashed heavily by the Commis-
sioners and again by the Budget
Bureau and Congress.
Appropriations requested year ago
BY the Welfare Board amounted TO
S11,417,900. but by the time these
items had gone through the legislative
mill the total was reduced to s6,s34 900.
New Proposals Suggested.
Many new proposals for penal and
welfare plans are involved in the new
" estimates, but one old problem re-
mains unsettled-District relief needs
For public assistance, the board pro-
poses an appropriation Of s1,493 1922
for unemployable persons-an in
crease, roughly of IS per cent over this
years figure of 100000, which the
board declared wholly inadequate.
On this point, however, the board
explained it later would submit sup
Elemental estimates for care of en-
playable persons who are destitute
and cannot find work. It said it de-
layed submission of this item because
the subject now is being surveyed by
experts under the direction Of Con-
sress. a.
The board urged that BE freed
from the limitation imposed by Con-
gress against expenditure Of more
than 8la per cent of its relief fund
for administrative expenses, suggest
ing 10 per cent as more proper; and
also asked that Congress remove its
restrictions against payment of more
than $50 q month to cases on relief
or more than SIS a month to cases
under aid to dependent children. It
protested that unnecessary hardship
Is cylsed by these limitations in cases
Of large families.
Would Raise Age Assistance.
For old age assistance, the board
sought an appropriation from District
revenues Of $655, 5,020, which would be
aA increase of some $4,000 over this
yes-. 1t argued this was needed be-
cause of an expected increase of about
400 cases of needy aged persons.
Anticipating an increase in cases
Of needy blind persons, the board
asked for an increase from $36,250 to
$4l 200 for this bracket of relief.
Proposals for the workhouse. re-
formatory and Jail constituted major
elements Of the 1910 plans.
Aside from construction projects al
ready started at the reformatory and
workhouse, the board submitted pro-
posals for a new program to cost
$759.000. These new plans called for
following Improvements for the work.
house: A dormitory for 100 men, cost
Ing $4,000; an administration build
ing. $4,000; a recreation and library
building, $s2,500: an enlarged mess
hall, costing $25,000, and variety of
other buildings.
For the reformatory the new plans
ehvisioned two-story dormitory, cost
ing $4,000; a chapel, school and
sleeping quarters for inmates of the
prison and q tuberculosis hospital,
costing $l50,000, in addition to sta
bles, shops and replacement of eight
wooden guard towers.
Totals More than S2,605,000.
In all, for the reformatory and
workhouse, the board asked appropria-
tions totaling $2,605,455, as against
$1.265,s60 for this year.
"A large part of the increase would
60 for additional personnel. For SAL
aries for the next year the board
asked $758.334. as against $473,660
for the 1889 fiscal year. The board
requested $299,492 for the employ
ment of 1856 additional persons, mostly
guards and mechanics.
:. Also the board found it necessary
70 increase the maintenance item
from S46e,000 to $539,S18 to take
care Of an estimated increased popu-
lation Of per cent in the prisons
next year.
"A tremendous expansion Of the
construction program for the wom-
ems division of the workhouse was
found to Be needed by the board
because Of the increase in popula-
taon. It filed request for $500, 900
for this purpose for the next year.
The sums granted last year totaled
$1,000 and for the two previous years
$4,000.
4 Provides Segregation.
In connection with plans for the
classification of different types of
prisoners it proposed construction Of
one new dormitory for women prison.
Sfs requiring maximum supervision.
smother for women presenting but
average difficulty and third for
prisoners requiring minimum super
vision. It also asked for . new ad-
Ministration building and necessary
Utilities services.
1 The board requested that Congress
hereafter constitute the working capi-
tal fund of $4,000 as = real "re-
tolving fund" 30 that the money re-
claimed from the operation Of the
pfsoa industries need not be re-
(see WELFARE BOARD, Pare B-4.)