Evening star., 1945-05-16
Mason Hits
Boards Plan
For Child Care
Urges Reduction
In Proposed Funds
For Juvenile Home

The disagreement over plans TO
the new classification center for tn,
Districts delinquent children, which
has held up progress in alleviatin,
the much-discussed conditions, cam,
out in the open today as Commits
sioner Guy Mason announced tn,
Commissioners would protest tn,
plans supported by the Board O
Public Welfare and the House Dis
trict Committees Health Subcom
mittee.
The subcommittee announced j
would submit written recommenda
tions to the Appropriations Subcom
niittee calling for $417,000 for thu
home (the sum desired by the Boare
of Public Welfare) and for othel
sums for the welfare homes. Com.
missioner Mason declared the Com
missioners would ask Congress t.
appropriate only $285 900
Neither sum is included in tht
present budget, and either woule
have to be inserted by Congress.
Commissioner Mason's statement
was made after a conference today
with Ray L. Huff, director of the
Board of Public Welfare; Col JOS
eph D. Arthur, jr., assistant engi-
neer to the Commissioners, and DR.
George H. Rutland, District health
officer
Disagree on Two Points.
The two points of disagreement
between the plans of the Board of
Public Welfare and the Commits
sioners are:
l. The amount of space provided
for sleeping and play in the new
home.
2. Whether or not psychiatric
guidance should be given at the
home or at the Health Department S
mental hygiene clinic.
If the building cost the estimated
s417,000, it would provide 10 private
rooms for problem cases and 10 for
sick children and rooms for rec
reation. If the plans are pared
down to the $285,000 cost, there will
be only one playroom and only a
few single rooms for sickness and
isolation.
The Commissioners believe. Mr.
Mason said, that adequate psychia-
trio care can be given at the Health
Department clinic Mr. Huff de-
clared it was desirable to give such
guidance at the home because it
then could be cotordinated with the
work of case workers and institu-
ton personnel after the children
left the center to go to an inStitu-
ton or to return home.
Would Provide Segregation.
The four playrooms as planned
by the Board of Public Welfare
would provide room for segregation
of sexes and races, so that full
time program of activity could be
established Commissioner Mason
said he believed the one room would
be adequate, with each Of the
groups. using it at different times
or. using different parts of it.
"Col. Arthur. Dr. Rutland and I
believe the Board of Public Welfare's
plan is too extravagant and we are
not sold" the Commissioner de-
clared. Il shall bring this up with
the board and I feel sure they will
support us. The matter will then
have to be decided by Congress"
Members of the Health Subcom-
mittee yesterday had planned to
present a special appeal before they
learned the Appropriations Subcom-
mittee had concluded study on the
1946 supply bill. The bill is to be
reported to the House next Tuesday.
Not content to let the matter rest
there, Representative Mcmillan,
Democrat, of South Carolina and
other members of the legislative
group accepted an invitation from
Chairman Coffee of the Appropria-
tions Subcommittee to file their Sug-
gestionS in writing. Mr. Coffee said
the suggestions would be given con-
sideration.
Later Opportunities.
Since the bill already has been
marked up," there apparently is
little chance for major changes be-
fore the bill goes to the House floor
but it was pointed out changes may
be made in the bill by the Senate
and the Mcmillan recommendations
would be available for consideration
if the bill goes to conference.
There was feeling in the Coffee
subcommittee it could not make
"last-minute" changes in regard to
items on which the Commissioners
and the Board of Public Welfare
have not yet reached unified posi-
ton. This applied particularly to
fhe size of the projected new build
ing for the Receiving Home for
Children.
The possibility also was suggested
that when municipal officials have
reached agreement on plans for
the Receiving Home, funds begin
ming construction might be included
in the last deficiency bill, which
CONGRESS will consider next month.