Evening star., 1939-01-22

(COntlnued From First Page)
Of the Grievance Committee of Dis
trict Local, No. %, United Federal
Workers of America, an affiliate of
the Congress of Industrial Unions,
and Mrs. Lancione is president Of
this local.
Workers Overloaded.
Relief officials have agreed there
probably were numerous cases of
chisenng on the rolls, but have ar
gued much of this could have been
avoided had the casework staff not
been badly overloaded, which they
said, prevented proper investigation
work. They feel convinced, however,
that the percentage Of cases of
chiseling is relatively small, consid-
ering the many thousands of appli-
cations for relief which have been
handled by.the agencies during the
past several years. On the other
hand, Mr.. Lewis has charged that
relief officials and the caseworkers
themselves have displayed a lack of
determination to prosecute or take
other action against "chiselers," but
rather have "temporized' with such
situations.
Relief officials have promised to
make a check on each case cited by
the investigators as soon as the
cases are given definite identifica-
ton. Fictitious names and case
numbers are used by Mr.. Lewis and
his staff in the report. Means of
identifying the cases, Mr.. Lewis has
announced, have been furnished
Chairmen Collins and Overton of
the House and Senate District Ap-
preparations subcommittee So far
they have not been given to relief
officials.
285 Cases Covered.
The new section of the report
carries table concerning 285 of the
500 cases. indicating that $34, 4,644 a
year might be saved by corrective
measures. Recommendations were
made for the immediate closing of
12l of these 285 cases; for the trial
closing of II cases; and suggested
further investigations in the cases
Of the SO others.
One Of the cases cited concerned
a "Mr and Mrs. Holt and their
four children, who were receiving
$50 month. The investigator re-
ported that the Public Assistance
Division record showed the couple
were living in one room with four
children, in house with five sisters;
that relief worker had assisted in
removing them to a house rented at
$3.50 a month"; and that Mr.. Holt
had been on and off w. P. A. and
had "gambled and lost pay" Mr..
Holt was sent to the Occoquan
Workhouse for a year, being re-
leased last August and again was
certified for w. P. A. assignment.
The investigator recommended that
the case be closed, on finding that
Mr.. Holt again was working for
w. P. A.
Case Recommended Closed.
Another case cited by Mr.. Lewis
contained a statement by the relief
recipient that she did not know the
District case worker and had never
seen her. This concerned William
Henderson and his wife, the latter's
mother, and niece, Ella Gall names
fictitiouS. Relief grant amounted
to $28 month. The investigator
reported: "Visited and asked wom-
an who her landlord is. She seemed
surprised at the question and hesi-
tated. Then said his name was John
Harris Protested too much about
his (not) being any relation. Re-
fused to be questioned further. Said
she had been blind in one eye for
many years but could see all right
with the other. She has always done
days work and is only 46 years old.
Looked strong and well. Her niece
is living in the country and will not
return here. She did not know her
present case worker and has never
seen her. Admitted she was able to
work"
The investigator recommended that
the general relief case be closed and
that District officials proceed with
old-age assistance investigation for
mother, believing that this would
disclose the identity of John Har-
ris." The investigator added that
the family was living as one unit
in "a nice, well-furnished, brick
row house"
No Evidence Of Need.
Then there was the case of "Rich-
ard and Clara Hawkins" and their
children, and one child, Eddie, by
another father. Relief grant was
- EnD uYnE