Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1945-05-10
Tangled Ideas
Stymie Welfare
Improvements
Months Of Delay
Seen Before Work
Actually Begins


tee of the House indicates there are
explanations by the bakers dozen
why provision for new homes and
modern facilities and the change
for segregation and enlightened
treatment will have to be delayed.
This means some months, at least,
unless a miracle occurs.
The deeper one goes into the ques-
tons of why" the more involved
they become, but these things stood
out as the situation was shaped up
before the House funds group:
l. To date there has been no final
agreement between welfare officials
and the Commissioners as to the
meets and bounds of the structure
and services to be provided in pro-
jected new Receiving Home and
Classification Center for Children.
Therefore, though Congress provided
$4,000 nearly five months ago for
drafting plans, such work has not
yet been really started. Therefore,
also, the city heads are not request
ing funds in the new budget for be-
ginning construction.
Critical Supplies Needed.
2. A spokesman for the Commits
sioners recommended delay in start
ing construction of this and some
other welfare agency projects be-
cause many critical but necessary
building supplies are not available
at this time, such as the most suit
able and lasting kind of plumbing
and flooring materials. Even if
plans were ready to go, this official
said, he would recommend delay
until the materials situation has
eased, so as to prevent a waste of
funds.
3. Because the District as yet has
failed to receive a decision from
the petroleum administrator for war
as to whether oil or coal should
be depended on, specifications for a
new and larger heating plant for
the Home for Aged at Blue Plains
haven't been drafted after nearly
five months. This new plant was
to serve not only the present build
ings but the proposed new struc-
lures. For this purpose, Congress
last December granted an urgent"
supplemental request for $4,000
for beginning construction of the
new heating plant, while also CIV
ing plans money.
And there are reports various
municipal officials also are involved
in debate over the size and exact
services Of the proposed new in
Urinary building contemplated in
the funds Congress granted.
Scores "Buck-Passing."
a. Sympathetic but rather be-
wildered, Subcommittee Chairman
Coffee protested there was no rea-
son why Congress should be blamed
for current delays. He pointedly
recalled that Congress last Deem
Der provided funds for plans or sites
for new projects having total
anticipated cost of some $4,000. 900.
An advocate of centralizing more
responsibility and power in the
Commissioners, he asserted, Here
again we seem to have had some
buck-passing."
1--WE are ready to help speed the
programs, but we can't make blan-
ket appropriations on some general
notion of what is needed" he said.
S. While the District Federation of
Women's Clubs has been insisting on
1916 funds for purchase of addi-
tional land near Laurel, Md, for
site for the future home of the
Industrial Home School, as a part
of the projected "Children's Center
there, municipal officials have not
yet asked for such funds. Appar-
emily, the program has not suffi-
GENTLY "crystallized."
In order to get the boy and girl
wards out of the ancient, made
quate and rat-ridden old Wisconsin
avenue housing, it has been planned
to move the Industrial Home School
into some buildings of the National
Training School for Girls as soon
as that agency can move to Jolly
Acres, near Laurel. But yesterday
it developed there was a suppressed
dispute among municipal officials
that this would crowd too large a
number of wards" into buildings de-
signed for much smaller popula-
ton.
"Get Together Soon"
6. Commissioner Guy Mason and
other officials yesterday predicted
I'VE will get together soon" on the
pending issues and he added early
conferences were planned.
Col. Joseph D. Arthur, jr., AS
sistant Engineer Commissioner, was
one of the principal witnesses on
the welfare problems, as architec-
tural and engineering problems were
involved. He maintained delays in
preparing plans and specifications
"are not of the slightest Importance"
because of the present situation as
to necessary building materials.
Even if plans for the Receiving
Home and some other welfare
agency replacement or expansion
plans were ready today, he said,
he still would recommend delay in
starting of construction, for the
reason it would be poor economy to
use building materials presently
available.
Fears Waste of Funds.
In some cases, he said, the District
has proceeded with schoolhouse and
other projects of emergency" char
acter by reason of wartime popula-
ton demands. But, he commended, it
would be waste of funds to erect
permanent structures today for well
fare agencies which had to use
plumbing fixtures that would have to
be replaced in a few years or flooring
materials that were not suitable.
Also, he argued, to grant building
funds now would obligate District
revenues which might be spent,
meanwhile, on other needs.
These situations may change in a
few months" ne continued, land
when they do We can go to Congress
promptly with supplemental re-
Quests" This was IN the asS,,n,r,.