Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1944-03-28
Welfare Board
Failures Cited
ByYoung,Mas
Commissioners Ask
For Approval of
Randolph Bill
BY DON S. WARREN.

Denouncing the failures of the
District system to meet welfare
problems, Commissioner Mason to-
day urged the D'Alesandro House
District Subcommittee to approve
the Randolph bill to strip the Board
of Public Welfare of administrative
powers and to convert it into an
advisory body.
At the opening of hearings which
may develop bitter fight over adj
ministration of the Districts well
fare program Commissioner Mason
declared:
There has been no vision on the
part of the public, the Welfare Board
or the Government with respect to
the rehabilitation or comfort of the
inmates" of the numerous welfare
and correctional institutions.
1t was pointed out that the Well
fare Board now costs more than
So 10000 year.
Earlier, Commissioner Young,
president of the Board of Commits
sioners, in brief statement, said
the Commissioners were "unani-
mously and strongly in favor of the
bill' and that on the basis of ex.
perience they felt it necessary"
Board Now of Little Service.
Mr.. Young, who formerly was
Commissioner in charge of welfare
matters, said sit seems the Welfare
Board, as constituted, Is of little
service" to the Commissioners in
trying to handle welfare problems.
IF anything goes wrong" he
added, "the Commissioners always
are held responsible. theoretically,
we have the responsibility-and we
get the blame for things-but we
have no authority.
Ut is not through vanity that the
Commissioners seek extra power,
but only to seek means of correcting
conditions"
Chairman D'Alesandro, who re-
peatedly has criticized Welfare
Board members for not being active
enough, interjected that he wanted
cooperation.
I'VE are not here to criticize" he
said. I'VE are all guilty, including
Congress, which should have given
more money, and the Welfare Board,
which should visit institutions more
often. But I don't want talk about
another 10-year or another Swear
plan. We want action. We want
to do something now. Everybody
fell down on the job and if we
work together we may do some
thing"
He said he recognized appropria-
lions were part of the problem but
suggested the Appropriations Com
mittee could be convinced"
Commissioner Mason, while de-
nouncing the Welfare Board for
having left some problems "sus-
pended in air." said the attitude
| of the Commissioners was ad-
dressed wholly to the system" rath-
er than to individuals.
Mason Cites Failures.
always the membership OF the
board has been made up of our
leading citizens, but they are not
giving full time. The boards time
is given to administering the law
rather than to planning or pro-
gramming. Administration Is full
time job.
In his criticism of the system, Mr..
Mason said.
Public welfare has been based on
the immediate or day-to-day pro-
gram, with the result that today
We know little or nothing more of
the science of the care for the in
digent and the unfortunate than we
did 80 years ago. We had then and
do now have a hodgepodge system.
To-day, with the exception of the
jail, the reformatory and the work.
house, we have little or nothing to
point to as a demonstration of
progressive step in the field of pub
lie welfare. >"
In lengthy description Of the
moves and countermoves for a num-
Der of the child correctional insti-
buttons and the Home for the Aged,
Commissioner Mason sought to show
that the division of authority was
largely responsible.
He concluded.
Had the Welfare Board since its
inception in 1926 devoted its time to
studies and advice-and the Com
missioners to administration
welfare, and it might be added pri-
vate welfare, would have followed
charted course and both private and
public welfare would have been in a
healthier condition today"
Frederick w. McReynolds, former
chairman of the Welfare Board, who
resigned recently in protest against
the Commissioners reorganization
plan, pleaded with the subcommit-
tee mot to tear down" an institu-
ton that had given long and valu-
able service.
Hearings are to be resumed at
1880 am. tomorrow.
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