Evening star., 1940-05-14
w. P. A. Job
Difficulties
Explained
Mrs. Ross Speaks
At Democratic
Club Luncheon

Some of the difficulties met by
seekers of District w. P. A. jobs were
explained by Mrs. Mary Steel Ross.
director of the Division of Profess
sional and Service Projects for the
District, yesterday at the luncheon
meeting of the Woman's National
Democratic Club.
During February, March and
April" she said, nearly 5000 per-.
sons applied to us for jobs at SUBJ
sistence wages, and the applications
Of about half Of them were rejected
because the applicants could not
meet the requirements of the law.
The applications" she added, were
supplemented by others from per-,
sons who are not yet ready to ad-
NIT they have reached the utter
most limit of their own resources
and are not willing to seek certif1ca-
ton as needy persons"
Mrs. Ross described In detail how
w. P. A. projects are sponsored and
financed, and how workers qualify
for employment as skilled or un-
skilled workers. She explained how
woman seeking employment by the
w. P. A. must first prove she has
been resident of the District for
not less than year continuously:
secondly, she must show she has
registered with the District Employ
ment Service and is unable to obtain
a job in private industry; third, in
case she has had previous employ
ment, she must show that she has
registered her unemployment with
the District Unemployment Com
pensation Board and has exhausted
her compensation as a source of
help, provided it amounts to as much
as So week; fourth, she must show
she has no money in bank nor rela-
tives to provide her the necessities
of life; fifth, she must prove she
has no other source of income; and
sixth, that she is able to work.
Says BO0n-Doggling Disappears.
Even then, said Mrs. Ross, she may
not be able to secure work with the
w. P. A. for she must show that she
is able to do the kind of work which
the w. p. A. is authorized and legal
ly empowered to do.
That awful word, boon -doggling
has practically disappeared and so
too have the jokes about shovel
1eaners.". said Mrs. Ross. In their
stead, she continued, there has de-
veloped an increasing recognition
and knowledge of old Skills re-
learned, new skills acquired and use
full public works.
"The Work Projects Administra-
tion has spent more than SIG, ZOO, 900
In Washington" she declared, for
wages and materials, and right now
we are employing more than 10000
men and women"
More than 100000 nutritious
meals have been served undernour-
ished children, she stated, with 32.-
100000 pounds of general foodstuffs
distributed. Almost 100000 pieces
of clothing and other articles have
been made and donated to the city's
needy through the Board of Public
Welfare by the work accomplished
on the w. P. A. sewing project. said.
Mrs. Ross.
Gives Other Figures.
Mrs. Ross concluded by reviewing
other figures on the record of the
District w. P. A., including instruc-
ton for approximately 600 physic-
ally handicapped children; instruc-
ton to 1900 illiterate adults in read
ing and writing; home-making, par
ent-education and commercial SUBJ
jects to 3,708 adults; 22,O93 visits
to impoverished homes; construc-
ton Of more than one-seventh of
the city's streets and highways and
many other achievements of benefit
to the Nations Capital.
"On these laurels," she said, "the
Work Projects Administration does
not rest. We see in them only an
incentive for even greater accom-
plishments."
Mrs. D. Tucker Brown, president
OF the club, introduced the speaker,
who announced that, "This Work
Pays Your Community Week." would
be observed from May 20 to May IS,
during which time residents will be
offered the opportunity to visit w
P. A. projects and decide for them
selves whether or not the Federal
relief work expenditures have been
worthwhile.