Evening star., 1940-12-07
Relief Problems
Topic Of 500-at
Session Here
Welfare Workers
Hear McNutt Urge
Health for Defense

Health for Defense
Discussions of welfare admins
trative supervision and organized
relief problems were to occupy dele
gates to the 5th annual round table
conference Of the American Public
Welfare Association today in closed
sessions at the Wardman Park
Hotel.
The more than 500 welfare work.
ers will meet in the final business
meeting and general session at 0:30
am. tomorrow, with William Hod-
son, president of the association and
commissioner of welfare in New
York City, presiding. The associa-
ton will hear summary reports on
the conference and will elect officers.
A panel discussion, at which WAL
ter w. Finke, director of the Minne-
sofa State Devision of Social We'll
fare, was to preside, was scheduled
this morning. Five round table
groups also were to be held.
DR.. Evelyn Burns, director Of long
range work and relief policy study,
National Resources and Planning
Board, was to speak at luncheon
meeting. The round table groups
were to continue in the afternoon.
McNutt Speaks.
Paul v. McNutt, Federal Security
administrator and co-ordinator OF
health and welfare activities affect
ing the national defense, last night
declared there are enemies within
our gates-ill health, disease, mall
nutrition and the dire and Distress
ing lack by many people of proper
medical, hospital and nursing facil-
tiles" He called for cooperation of
all State, city and county welfare
agencies in preparing America for
total defense.
He spoke before an audience OF
BOO people, including Secretary of
Labor Perkins, other Federal and
State welfare officials and delegates
at the associations annual banquet.
Mr.. McNutt pledged the various
units under his supervision to the
building up of a closely knit system
of basic services to meet the press.
ing social problems of the times.
! Stressing the Importance of team
| work between Federal, State, the
speaker said that despite Amer
ica's leadership in industry and
productiveness, materials for de-
fense would be useless without
/ QTenIIatp roonnouyar +La,
adequate manpower can only be
drawn from strong, healthy people.
Community's Part, Vital.
Problems of community health can
best be handled by local officials,
Mr.. McNutt explained, because they
generally know the background and
the most certain remedies. He
/ declared, however. that the various
/ organizations under his direction
would utilize existing facilities of
the Federal Government where and
when needed.
Communities are beginning to ey-
! perlence the special problems in
adapting their normal planning to
particular needs arising out of the
presence of troops and greater num-
bers OF workers, he said, adding that
no office in the National Govern
ment can place in the hands of local
communities blueprints for meeting
all the educational and health needs
OF newly arrived workers, nor def.
mite plans for wholesome recrea.
ton for soldiers in that area.
The spirit of cooperation in vel.
fare enterprises, Mr.. McNutt stated,
was designed to make America
strong on the home front by build
ing up. in addition to physical
strength, a great civilian morale,
which lin the last analysis, wins
all victories of peace or war;"
Miss Perkins Speaks.
Secretary Perkins spoke briefly,
stating that welfare work had only
recently come into its own and re-
ceived fair recognition. She said
that many problems now handled
by welfare organizations sprang
from problems that had often con-
fronted labor in the past.
Your work protects the living
standards of our people in much
the same manner as we protect the
labor Standards" Secretary Perkins
said.
Other speakers at last nights
meeting. held at the Wardman Park
Hotel. included Charlotte Whitton,
director of the Canadian Welfare
Council at Ottawa; Raymond Bow
man, deputy commissioner of the
Pennsylvania Department of Public
Assistance. and Louis Brownlow. di-
rector of the Public Administration
Clearing House.
Grants Held Necessary.
Discussions at an open forum,
held yesterday, set forth that the
establishment of a general public
assistance program with Federal
participation through grants -in-aid
was a major necessity to help ham
die Americas relief needs.
E. A. Wilson, executive director OF
the State Public Welfare Board in
change was needed in the agricul-
tural adjustment program of the
Agriculture Department. Benefit
payments by the Federal Govern
ment, he said, are forcing small
farmers of their land and into the
cities, resulting in the increasing of
relief loads unnecessarily.
Mrs. Val Heating, w. P. A. staff in
San Antonio, Tex, said the associ-
alton should go on record as believe
ing that every man, woman and
child should have sufficient food to
maintain life, health and growth"