Evening star., 1940-11-22
Migratory Workers
Here 10 Be Quizzed
Al House HEARING
Testimony Of Federal
Officials Also Will
Be Received

Be Received
Migratory workers from the Dis
and Federal officials will be heard
at congressional hearing next Fri
day called by the Select Committee
Investigating the Interstate Migra-
ton of Destitute Citizens, it was an
nounced today.
Chairman Tolan of the House
committee, who has just returned
from a national survey of the migra-
ton problem, informed press con-
ference he is calling in the workers
themselves because he believes that
only by listening to their testimony
can some solution be found.
The hearings will be held through
December 10, but the first day will
be the only one devoted exclusively
to discussion of the migratory prob
lens pertaining to the District area.
Representative Tolan explained that
this region will be extremely valu-
able in the testimony.
Many Flock to Capital.
Because of the Importance of
Washington as a national city in
which many jobs have been added
to the Government in recent years"
he said, "the Capital is believed to
be the mecca of many persons from
all sections of the country who have
migrated here in the vain hope of
finding employment.
Many of these have run out of
funds and become destitute and,
since most of them are of the So
called 'white-collar' group, unsuited
for outdoor labor, they have be-
come something of problem at
times"
He revealed that latest estimates
put the total of migratory workers
in the Nation at 100000
Such condition, he said, strikes
at the morale of the Nation, land
what strikes at morale strikes at
national defense" The plight of the
workers, he asserted, is aggravated
by State laws, which in some cases
make it a penitentiayy offense to
transport destitutes across the State
line, and to the fact that many of
the workers have migrated for Sc
long and so far that they do not
know where they originally be-
longed.
Five Remedies Proposed.
The committee tentatively pro-
poses five remedies. 1t suggests
that uniform settlement laws be
passed by the States. The laws of
this nature vary now from six
months to five years. This situation
makes eligibility for public assist
ance difficult, the committee de-
clared.
Other suggested remedies were:
That unemployment conditions
throughout the States be integrated
and discussed by central bodies,
that social legislation be extended
to commercialized firms to cope
with such industries as fruit and
cotton picking, that Nationwide in
formation on employment oppor-
tunities be disseminated for the
benefit of the migratory workers
and that the Farm Security Ad-
ministration expand its program for
camps and loans to States.
At the District day" session rep |
resentatives of Gov. O'Conor of |
Maryland and Gov. Price of Virginia |
have been asked to appear, as we'll |
as witnesses for such organizations
as the Council of Social Agencies,
National Association for the Ad-
vancement of Colored People, Trav-
elers' Aid, League of Women Voters
and the Federation of Churches.
Area Held Good Sample.
Those who will appear at the
District hearing have been select
ed following interviews with desti-
tute travellers in Norfolk, Baltimore
and Richmond, in addition to
Washington and nearby places.
The local area is held by the
committee as offering a good sam
pie" OF the Nations transients.
There is the vast movement to-
ward Southern agriculture in the
winter, great numbers passing
through the District In the spring
they return to Northern industry
Representative Tolan said Is Or 20
workers would probably testify at
each hearing and emphasized that
all of the people with whom the
committee is dealing are "Ameri-
can citizens, not tramps."
Soil erosion is one of the chief
causes of migration, he said, and
100000 acres of once productive
land are now bare of top soil. Un-
employment and poor health he list
ed as other causes.