Evening star., 1941-07-31
Bill Being Drawn
To End |mpasse
In Welfare Law
Board to Press for
Correction; Checks
Cleared for 4,800
By DON S. WARREN.


Members of the Board of Public
Welfare actively will seek legislation
to place selection of its case work
staff under at least minimum re-
ouirements of the Federal Social
Security Act, it was made clear
today.
Preparation of legislation to this
effect now is in progress, the board
declared formally late yesterday
when it cited it's record in defense
against criticism from the Social
Security Board for failure by the
District government to comply with
standards established under Federal
law for grants in aid.
Meanwhile, District officials acted
to assume payments by tomorrow
of grants to the aged, blind and
families with dependent children,
whose August checks had been held
up due to an ''ultimatum" served on
the District Welfare Board by the
Federal agency to force action" to
meet Federal requirements.
Federal Funds Released.
During recent conferences District
officials gave assurances they would
cooperate actively in seeking pas
sage of necessary legislation. Because
of these, the Federal agency Tues
day voted to release held-up Federal
grants in aid to the District for
the three categories for August and
49, --- --+"'irg Sl52000. In
VI, of official Federal word that
the, honey had been authorized, the
Distr. It Commissioners yesterday
ordered the full checks to be sent out
to nearly 1890 public assistance
cases. including both the Federal
and District shares Of the amounts.
Within a week, it was said, the now
approved Federal grants would be-
come available as a reimbursement
of funds advanced by the Com
misSioners.
The statement issued by the Dis
trict Welfare Board, following
meeting yesterday afternoon, showed
that it and its welfare directors in
the last year or more had taken
numerous steps TO get the District
into compliance with Federal stand
ards, that three bills had been
passed since May by the House and
now await Senate action and that
Congress in the past has declined
TO approve other changes Aged by
! the Federal board.
( The local boards statement in
cluded the declaration:
The present method of selection
of personnel has been unsatisfac-
tory to the board, which has been.
and is, taking steps to improve the
situation and to comply with the
requirements of the Social Secur-
ity Act, with which it is in full
agreement. Necessary legislation to
provide for competitive examina-
tons is now being prepared"
Answers on Appointments.
This present lack of civil service
tests for case work appointments
was one of the important points of
criticism made by the Federal board
when it served its "ultimatum.
On this point, the District board
continued:
This matter is one which Is COM
plicated by many factors, chief
among which is the fact that the
United States Civil Service Com
mission is prevented by executive
order Cof the PreSident from max
ing any additional expense in ex-
) tending provisions of the Civil Serv-
ice Act to the District.
Since Federal registers do not
contain suitable lists for positions
in the Public Assistance Division.
the only way in which the require
ments of the Social Security Act
could be met is by giving eXamina-
tions specifically for those positions
Such examinations would cos
money, and the Civil Service Con
mission is not authorized to exper
money for this purpose
"On April Is, 1941, the secretal
to the Board of Commissioner
wrote to the executive director
the Civil Service Commission,
the boards request, asking whethe
the commission would consider tn,
holding of competitive examination
for the staff of the Public Assis
ance Division. No response h
been received from that commi
= sion.''
: Silent on Advisory Phase.
One of the suggestions made
the Federal board was that t.
= Welfare Board be made advise.
/ and that full administrative r.
sponsibility be centered in a depar
i ment OF welfare, operating under Il
S Commissioners. The Welfare Boa
i made no comment on this point.
The District board, in its state
ment yesterday, argreed with Ii
e Federal agency as to dissatisfactlo
t over ceilings" placed on amount
r the District may extend TO certain
d types OF public assistance cases. Tho
n local agency said: The Board O!
Public Welfare recommended to tht
Commissioners at the time of pres
entation of its annual budget ir
each of the last two years the
elimination of ceilings and has ex.
pressed dissatisfaction with the re-
requirements that case workers b.
bonded
I These restrictive provisions re
S ferred to by the Social Security
= Board have been continued in legis-
V lation and in local regulations II
spite of the boards recommenda
: tions that they be eliminated"