Evening star., 1944-04-16
Welfare Board
Asks Congress
For More Power
CounterproposoI to
Commissioner
PIun Offered
Bv DON S, WARREN.

BY DON S. WARREN.
Fighting the proposal of the Com
missioners to take over all its ad-
ministrative powers and leave ii
merely to an advisory body. the
Board of Public Welfare yesterday
sought congressional consideration
Of counterproposal under which ii
would annex nearly ali the powers
over welfare matters now held by
the Commissioners.
The Welfare Board plan. drafted
after months of study. would make
the board an independent authority
over welfare and penal agencies and
services, except it still would be
subordinate to the city heads as to
budget and auditing. Also, it would
have to make annual reports to the
Commissioners on its opera ations.
Development of the issue is ex-
pected on Capitol Hill. since hear
ings on the Commissioners bill to
strip the board of it's powers are
to be resumed at 10 am. Tuesday
before the D'Alesandro subcommit-
tee of the House District Committee
Submitted by Huff.
The boards plan, forwarded by
Director Ray L. Huff Wednesday
and released yesterday, was sub
mitted to the D'Alesandro subcom-
mittee "for your information" An
accompanying letter said it had
been prepared to assist a citizens
committee, if one were appointed,
to study District welfare legislation.
simultaneously, the House Dis
trict Committee made public a let
ter dated April 7, from Mrs. Louisa
s. Roberts, executive secretary OF
the Council of Social Agencies, ask
ing that the DAlesandro subcom-
mittee suspend action on the Com
missioners' bill since the council be-
lieved "a study made by a group of
impartial citizens with expert ad-
vice from qualified persons is neces-
sary to determine what type of pub
lie welfare administration would be
best for the District" It recon-
mended that committee, includ-
ing adequate" representation by
the Welfare Board and the COM
munity at large be named by the
commissioners.
The council statement added that
1t had taken no stand on this con.
troversy' and would not until the
issues could be studied. 1t referred
to the testimony by Commissioner
Mason that he was not entirely
satisfied with the present bill.
Mason Comments.
Commissioner Mason said las,
night he hoped the result would be
centralization of authority and re-
sponsibility in the welfare board II
not in the Commissioners.
Let's have no more half way
business about it," he said. THE
commissioners, of course, prefer oul
Dill, with some amendments. but ]
would rather have it that way
with the welfare board given full
responsibility what we have
now, with powers and responsible
ties divided.
1 believe our bill is basically
sound - that the Commissioners
should have authority over all the
city government, but if this is not
satisfactory then I'd rather the
Commissioners did not appoint
members of the welfare board. They
could be named by the District
Court justices, as are members OF
the Board of Education, or by the
President or someone else. But GER
tainly, there should be a centraliza
ton OF authority and responsibility, >
Would Make Appointments.
Under the plan adopted by the
welfare board, the basic 1926 act OF
Congress creating the Board of Pub.
lie Welfare would be amended in nu.
merous places to grant new powers
to the board, most of which would
be taken from the Commissioners.
The welfare director and all the
personnel of welfare agencies ano
services and the penal institutions
now are appointed by the Commits
sloners but only on nomination by
the welfare board. Under the new
plan they would be named directly
by the welfare board. The same
would apply to discharges of EN-.
ployes.
The welfare board would have
complete and exclusive control anc
management" of the Receiving
Home for Children, the District
framing School for Predetermined
the Workhouse and reformatory, the
lall the National Training Schoo
Tor Girls, the Home for Aged ane
lnflrm, Municipal Lodging House
ana the industrial home schools, a.
well as the various welfare division,
and services.
Would Handle Relief.
A proposed new section to the lau
would make it the duty of the vel.
lare board ito administer relief tc
lnolgent residents of the Distric
under regulations prescribed bv thu
ooard and without regard to the
provisions Of any other law" Ad.
t mlnlstratlon of the old age ane
= needy blind relief programs als(
S would be placed with the welfare
BOARD, along with provision of :
7 consultation service in landlord.
tenant cases, either on reference b,
the court or On applicat ton by any
interested individual
another new section, vesting /,
the board powers regarding inmate
OF the National Training School fo
Girls, provides that any girl of tn,
colored race committed to the wei
fare board by the courts, may, in tn,
discretion of the board, be placed
IN the training school for such time
not TO extend beyond her 21st birth
: day. as may be determined bv tn,
board to be in her best interes
and in the best interest of the com
munity." Also the board woult
nave power to place such wards i,
private home or institution an,
provide for her board and car,
either at wages without expense n