Evening star., 1942-01-07
S8,422,067 Total
Is Quarter Million
Increase Over 1912
$4,000 Item to Draft
PIons for New Aged
Home Provided
By DON S. WARREN.

elimination Of ceilings" heretofore
placed on amounts of relief extended
to destitute persons or families are
among outstanding proposals in the
District welfare estimates placed
before Congress today.
Other highlihgts in this portion
of the 1943 District budget were:
A proposed outlay of $4,000 for
drafting of plans for the projected
new group of buildings for the
Home for Aged and Infirm, to be
erected on District-owned land at
Glenn Dale, Md. to replace the
oft-denounced old institution at
Blue Plains, D. c., and
A $4,000 slash in the District
government sponsored fund for
w. P A. projects, from $4,000 to
sl55.OOO. Apparently this was in
keeping with the administration
program for a heavy reduction in
the Federal outlay for the w. P. A
sS,422,O67 Welfare Outlay.
The total welfare outlay for the
new fiscal year would be S8,422 ,067
or more than a quarter million dol
lars higher than this years appro-
priations of $8,166996. The Board
of Public Welfare and welfare Off
cials had requested S10,235 900 for
the new year.
The 1943 proposals for emergency
relief and for the direct cash relief
n,ora elochal ,,,ovnoct oJlx low b1lt
officials emphasized that increases
were proposed for other relief cate
gories and showed that the pro-
posed outlay for all forms of public
assistance totaled S2,228125 or
S150125 more than for the current
year.
For instance. the item for home
care of dependent children would
thus be raised from S213000 to
s412.66O. and the old-age category
increased from 100000 to S760, ,465.
Of1cials explained the importance
of such changes lay in the fact that
under these categories the District,
along with the States. is eligible
for matching money grants from
the United States under the social
security program, whereas Federal
assistance is not offered for direct
relief OUTLAWS by cities and States.
They said this means greater aid
can be extended.
SS5O,0O0 Emergency Relief.
For emergency relief, including
administrative costs, the l943 budget
as framed by the Commissioners
and the Budget Bureau calls for an
appropriation of $850,000 as against
s1,O25 900 for the present year. For
direct cash relief alone, the budget
calls for $685.. 300 for next year as
against s872. .780 for this year or
s747865 for the fiscal year 194l.
In estimates they had prepared
last summer, welfare officials had
sought an increase in the general
public assistance total from ST ,025,-
600 to ST $685.
Proposed abandonment of the
food stamp plan came as some
thing of surprise, although dur
ing recent months various District
officials had evinced loss Of interest
in the project, although 5000
revolving fund for purchase of food
stamps from the Agriculture De-
partment for distribution and sale
of surplus commodities was incorpo-
rated in the appropriation act for
the present year only after two years
of efforts. Such a fund had been
deleted from the budget for the pre-
vious fiscal year.
No official reasons were stated for
the change. but it was suggested
that the present system Of giving
surplus commodities to the needy
would stop if the food-stamp plan
we're put into force. leaving some
groups or agencies out of the pic
ture; and that the foodstamp plan
as such had not won the wide sup
port at first anticipated.
Pleased by Ceiling Action.
Welfare officials we're cheered over
the prospect that the relief payment
ceilings" may be eliminated by
Congress as recommended in the
estimates. They have insisted for
years the limitations we're arbitrary
and artificial and that the amount of
grants per person or family should
be measured rather by the extent of
ascertained need In each case.
The ceilings" which have pre-
vailed for several years, limiting
month grants, are: Not more than
the following monthly amounts shall
be paid therefrom-emergency re-
lief or residents, single persons,
not more than S24; family of two
persons. not more than $50. and for
each person in excess of such num-
Der under 16 years of age, not more
than S. and not to exceed total
of $50 to any one family; home care
for dependent children, family of
two persons, not more than $50, and
for each person in excess Of such
number under 16 years of age, not
more than S6 and not to exceed
total of $50 to any one family; as
sistance against old-age want, not
more than $50 per month shall be
paid therefrom to any one person:
aid for needy blind persons, not
more than $40 per month shall be
paid therefrom to anv one person
Other items in the welfare esti-
mates included:
For the Child Welfare Division,
S537,210, as against S648,585 for this
year, the principal reason for the
reduction being that an item of $12l,-
300 was included in current appro-
priations for construction of new
Receiving Home for Children.
Slightly Less for Jail.
For the Jail, 1920, ,260, this being
slightly less than current funds,
Items for salaries and SUPPLIES were
up, but for present year more than
$4,000 was provided for a wall on
portion of the grounds.
For the Workhouse and Reform
atory, 81 1924 370, as against 81 ,309 1878
for this year The salary item was
increased and some additional work.
ers provided. Maintenance costs
show an increase and $4,000 addi-
tional is provided for continuing
construction of permanent buildings
for women prisoners The kitchen