Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-11-29
Defense Aggravates
Migrant Problem,
Hearing Told
Proposed Solutions Are
Suggested; District
Situation Emphasized
BY BLAIR BOLLES.

oNoASiA VA iiOW iObo d1lu 1881 dNdLCu
the migrant problem for the Dis
trict and the Nation as a whole,
the select committee investigating
the interstate migrants problem
heard today. The committee hear
ing emphasized the District of Co.
lumbia aspect of the problem.
Commissioner j. Russell Young
urged the reintroduction of a Fed
eral assistance program, with funds
provided on a $3.50 basis to help
Washington care for its transient
migrants. Philip E. Ryan, chairman
of the Committee on Interstate
Migration of the National Confer
ence of Social Work, advocated a
twofold Federal problem to deal with
the migrant question:
81. The Social Security Act
should be amended to provide
grants-i n-aid to States for general
relief. in order to provide assistance
to those requiring help not now
eligible for aid under the existing
categories of the Social Security
Act or for whom work on public
projects is not available or suitable
q. There should be established
in the Federal Government a
national commission on interstate
migration responsible for establish
ing and guiding a national policy
for interstate migration"
Carnival Salesman Testifies.
Migrant and social workers filled
many of the seats as an audience
in the House Office Building caucus
room, where the hearing is being
held. The star spectators were
the six tow-headed Wyatt kids.
Their father, John Wyatt, told the
committee of his wanderings as a
carnival jewelry salesman up and
down the Atlantic Coast in foot
loose pursuit of a living.
Norma Jean, youngest Wyatt, sat
on her mothers knee during the
hearing, was born four months ago
in Rochester N. Y, and has lived
already in three States-now Mary
land.
B0ndy Offers Plan.
Washington gets many migrants
simply because it is the National
Capital, Robert Bondy, District di-
rector OF public welfare, told the
committee. He urged a four point
program for the District:
l. Uniform settlement or residence
laws for the various States and the
District of Columbia.
2. Adequate general relief through
matching of District of Columbia
expenditures for general public as
sistance by Federal Social Security
funds through amendment of the
Federal Social Security Act.
3. AS part of a Federal program,
suitable provision of funds for care
of non-residents during investiga-
ton and until plans can be made
when no residence is found to exist.
L. A municipal lodging house with
suitable facilities to meet a reason
able part of the need for lodging of
homeless men, both white and COL
ored.
'Non-residents requiring public
care here reached peak during
the 1882 to 1885 years under Gov
ernment-financed programs. Mr..
Bondy said. Today, while the VOL
ume is considerably less than in the
peak years, the last several months
have shown an increase in non-
residents. The problem arises from
the following causes:
Veterans come to prosecute claims
and secure disqualification from the
Veterans Administration; the pres
ent national defense program brings
people to Washington in search of
employment on projects that are
announced from Washington but
carried on elsewhere; seasonal mi
grants move South in the winter
and North in the summer with the
fruit industry, hotel and restaurant
business, race tracks and other &C
tivities.
Washington is the railway and
highway junction point between
North and South and has many
stranded travellers who must be
helped on; some come to secure
civilian hospital and medical care,
and many persons are attracted to
the Capital who are mentally and
emotionally unbalanced and come
offering panaceas for the Nations
ills.
THE principal lacks or needs in
care of residents and transients
in the District of Columbia are lack
of uniformity in resident laws of the
States; no provision for care of
those who have lost residence; in
adequate facilities for care of
colored persons; inadequate lodging
facilities for homeless men, the
shortage amounting to 200 to 500;
lack of funds for care of non
residents during investigation Of
place of residence, and inadequate
general relief funds which weakens
the entire public care program"
DR.. George c. Rutland, District
health officer. said the growing prob
lem taxes the facilities of his Office.
Chairman Randolph of the House
District Committee testified that
four or five persons daily asked his
committee for food, shelter or
work"
Defense Program Discussed.
Mr.. Bondy said of the defense
program:
THE present defense program
seems to be responsible for some
of the nonresident influx. The
applications for care at the nom
resident service of the Board of
Public Welfare. during the summer
months of 1910, remained high in
contrast to the usual drop during
the summer, about so per cent being
IL