Evening star., 1944-02-20
Early Hearings
On Welfare Bill
Are Planned
Reorganization Plan
Goes to D'AIesondro
Subcommittee
BY DON S. WARREN.


Early consideration will be given
by the House District Committee to
the bill to centralize the Districts s
welfare powers in the Commits
sioners and to convert the Board of
Public Welfare into an advisory
body, under plans announced yester-
day by committee officials.
District Committee Chairman
Randolph referred the welfare re-
organization bill to a subcommittee
headed by Representative D'Alesan-
dro. Democrat, of Maryland. Mr..
DAlesandro plans to call a meet
ing early this week to set the date
for hearings =
Mr.. D'Alesandro also promised
prompt consideration of the bill ap-
proved last week by the Senate to
strengthen the Districts control
over both public and private restau-
rants by requiring grading accord
ing to sanitary standards, by stimu-
lating health inspections and by
providing sitter penalties for vio-
lations of sanitary rules.
Bill In Files Since April.
The welfare board re-organiza-
ton bill was sent to Congress about
two years ago but was pigeonholed.
An Identical bill was introduced last
April but up to this time has re-
manned in committee files
In letter last April urging
approval Of the measure. the Com
missioners wrote to Speaker Ray
burn:
employees of the (welfare) board
may be appointed by the Commits
sioners only upon the nomination
by the board and may be discharged
by the Commissioners only upon the
recommendation of the board At
present, the Commissioners are re-
sponsible for carrying out pro-
grams Of public assistance such as
general relief. aid for the needy
blind. needy aged and for depend
ent children. The Commissioners
have designated the Board of Pub
lie Welfare to administer the laws
providing such aid. The Board of
Public Welfare can function only
by the employees under its control.
The situation created is that en-
ployes OF the board, responsible to
the board, carry out programs of aid
for which, under the law, the Com
mlssloners are responsible. The
commissioners being responsible for
the general welfare of the District,
their powers should equal their re-
sponslbillties. 1t is essential. there
lore, that the duties of the board
should be vested in the Commits
sioners."
Provisions of Measure.
Under the reorganization bill. the
welfare board would have the duty.
upon It's own motion. or at the re-
quest of the Commissioners, to make
studies and Investigations of social
and environmental conditions in the
District, and to submit findings and
recommendations, to further safe
guard the interests of children, to
diminish poverty and disease and to
lessen crime. The board, or one of
its committees, would be directed to
visit each of the welfare institutions
at least once month.
Chairman Randolph Yesterday di-
rected Miss Mabel Haller, District
Committee clerk. to take a poll of
the committee on three of the bills
approved last week by the Senate,
with a view to expediting action.
The bills are those to change the
name OF Conduit road from the Dis
trlct line to Great Falls, to Mac
Arthur boulevard; to extend the
wartime $500 pay increase for Dis
trlct police, tiremen and school
teachers through the next fiscal
year; and to amend the charter of
Providence Hospital to permit it to
expand its realty holdings and hos
pital facilities. Held for separate
action is the bill to make Folger
Park available to the hospital for
expansion of its site
The House District Subcommittee
headed by Representative Lesinski,
Democrat, of Michigan, has been
asked to consider the bill to give
the District superintendent of in
surance control over fire and cas-
ualty insurance rates in the Dis
trict.
City Manager Considered.
Meanwhile, Chairman Bilbo of the
Senate District Committee revealed
he was considering suggestion that
the District government should be
reorganized to the extent of pro-
viding for the appointment by the
Commissioners of a city manager,
to be named by the city heads and
to be subordinate to them.
Senator Bilbo made clear such
plan would not involve abolition of
the Board of Commissioners as now
constituted and therefore would not
provide for an elected city council
such as is envisioned in the Nc
Carran home rule" bill now await
Ing action by subcommittee.
Remarking that the city manager
Idea always seems to bring up the
question of local suffrage Senator
Bllbo told reporters he had not vet
taken a formal stand on that issue.
Senator Bilbo said he shortly
would name subcommittee to con-
slider the bill, approved last week by
the House. to grant additional ad-
ministrative powers to the city
heads. While not passing on the
scope or details of the bill, he said
he felt Congress should not have
to concern itself with routine ad-
nlinistration affairs in the District.
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