Evening star., 1941-06-21
D. T.. Relief Cost
Of W.P.A A. Cut
Set al $4,000
Van Hyning Preparing
Detailed Estimates
Of Increased Needs


ton of perhaps S6720OO will b.
needed in the next fiscal year TO
direct relief purposes, if the orde
for dismissal of 1000 of the 300
w. P. A. project workers here stands
Acting Welfare Director Conrad Val
Hyning declared today.
Mr.. Van Hyning was directed tt
prepare estimates of funds needed
as the result of the impending dras'
tic slash in the Districts w. p A
quota, following a conference yes.
terday between Commissioner Johr
Russell Young and Chairman Over
ton of the Senate Subcommittee or
District Appropriations.
Mr.. Van Hyning said he hoped
to be able to submit recommended
tions early next week.
The order of Federal w. P. A
Commissioner Howard o. Hunter
for a so per cent reduction in the
number of District project workers
is to be effective the first week in
July. Mr.. Hunter has said this SO
per cent slash is the largest to be
made. and that only Connecticut
will be as heavily cut. He has in
dicated he does not plan to reduce
the quota cut here, despite protests
by Commissioner Young and others
Final Order Not Received.
The acting welfare director said
he did not yet have all necessary
facts in hand, but that it appeared
to him the public assistance divis-
ION could expect that about half of
the 1000 dismissed w. P. A. workers
would be unable to find other work
and would apply for relief.
Figuring relief grants to them at
the usual rate of S25 month, he
said it appeared the District would
need an additional relief appro-
priation of s672,0OO for next year,
including $4,000 for administration
expenses.
Mr.. Van Hyning said he was seek
ing information on what individuals
would be dropped from the rolls, and
data as to their sex, age, color, past
experience and skill
1t was said District w P. A. Ad-
miniStrator Paul Edwards has not
vet received a final order for the
District quota cut and therefore had
not today notified workers who are
to be dropped.
Further Protest Likely.
Commissioner Young has indicated
he may make some further protest
when the order is received. His
principal protest is that, while the
national reduction in w. P. A. prof.
ect workers will average but about
% per cent, the District was given
so per cent cut. He has declared
that, while Government employment
and certain types of private business
are on the upgrade, these activities
afford little opportunity to the men
and women on W. P. A. to find jobs
suitable to their abilities.
{ Under the reduction order. 1000
project workers must be cut from the
present force. Of the remaining
1000, some 5000 must be retained
because they're engaged in essential
defense work. That leaves 300
workers for projects which now
have total of 4.800
Obviously one person can't do
what six were doing before. So
some projects must be wiped off,
others curtailed. But where are
the cuts to be made? What pro-
iects are essential" to District Gov
ernment activities.
Sewer Fund Increase Asked.
Sanitary Engineer J. B. Gordon
asked Senate subcommittee for a
S175,OO0 increase in the sewer con-
struction item because, after July l,
according to present plans, he will
lose all but rs of 620 w. P. A. work.
ers assigned to sewer building.
But this is only one corner of the
picture which confronts District
officials.
Health Officer George c. Rutland
said today the 23O w. P A. workers
assigned to agencies of his depart
ment are fulfilling necessary serv-
ices"
I'VE didn't create these jobs he
said. "The need was there. If these
workers are cut off, it will mean a
definite loss of essential services.
This help must be continued or we
must be given replacements."
Alternative Suggested.
DR.. Rutland said the agencies
could continue to give the services
now performed by w. P. A. workers
If those scheduled to be cut off were
replaced by between one-quarter
and one-third as many full-time,
competent employees.
Granted that we could continue
the work with that many full-time
requirements, the fact remains that
we need to fill these services" said
the Health Officer.
Under the outlined program of
reductions, these would be cut off
the w. P. A. rolls: Twenty-one clean
ing workers at Gallinger Hospital;
nurses. secretaries, laboratory as
sistants, clerks, attendants and
seamstresses from the maternal and
child-welfare clinics - which DR..
Rutland says least of any can af-
ford any cut in personnel; 80 of 130
other workers in the social disease
clinics. vital statistics bureau, de-
partment Laboratories and other
agencies.
Are the workers on w. P. A. well
fare projects essential?
Would Cut Clothing Output
Mr.. Van Hyning says proposed re-
duction of the sewing room project
from 267 to 100 workers will mean
big decrease in clothing provided
needy relief recipients. Virtually all
of the $500 relief recipients eligible
for this clothing are members of
families where the wage-earner is
incapacitated. To them, said Mr..
Van Hyning, this clothing is nee
>essary supplement"
At the Home for the Aged and
1nfirm at Blue Plains. 86 w. P. A.
workers assigned to kitchens, din
ing room and ward service. sewing,
knitting, weaving and recreational
activities would be eliminated, under
the tentative plan.
I'VE carried on before without