Evening star., 1946-11-09
Draft Of New Law
On Public Aid Ready
For Welfare Board

Inc nnal Qrd1C OF q uDeral1ZeQ
law for public assistance to needy
persons soon will be in the hands of
the Board of Public Welfare for
transmission through channels" to
Congress, Welfare Director Ray L.
Huff said today, as result of gen.
eral approval given the liberalized
law yesterday.
Mr.. Huff said a few word changes
and a legal Interpretation of one
provision of the proposed new law
would complete the preliminaries.
While there was some disagree
ment on phrasing of the law at the
public session yesterday, the major
ity of rs welfare workers who at
tended were in agreement on one
major point-that the Districts
present system of dispensing relief
is putting a back-breaking burden
on private charities.
Residence Clause Opposed.
That point came up particularly
on the question of eliminating the
one-year residence clause-now
requirement for relief. Nat S. VIII
son, manager of the District Red
Cross, joined with American Legion
Welfare Department officials in
pointing out that needy persons
come here whether they are eligible
for relief or not and they have to
be taken care of.
"We believe need should be met
as public responsibility" MIR. Will
son declared.
1t was agreed that the money
comes out of the District, anyhow,
whether it is paid with District tax
money or through contributions to
private charities.
Elimination of the residence
clause as requirement for relief is
one of several major changes pro-
posed in the new act.
Other provisions of the proposed
act would give the Welfare Board
control over all relief cases, instead
of dividing the boards powers with
the District Commissioners; would
make all records confidential; would
eliminate the fraud provision; would
permit the board to accept voluntary
aid and release relatives from re-
sponsibility for caring for persons
in distress.
Present Law Strict.
Under present relief laws, only
District residents who cannot work
for a living are eligible for public
aid. The new act would give the
board the power to determine if
employable applicants are eligible
for aid. !
When the question came up as to
whether a needy person included
one who could work but didn't, some
of the welfare workers, among them
Miss Elizabeth Wickenden of the
American Public Welfare Associa-
ton, countered that "it does no good
for a person to be employable if
there is no job for him"
Rather than bog down the pro-
posed act with definitions of en-
ployability, it was suggested that
the Corporation Counsel's Office be
asked if the work eligibility" factor
could be handled by regulations.
Mrs. Lester Stoll, representing |
the American Association of Medical
Social Workers, said her association
saw in the proposed legislation
sign of progress and was in favor of
the bill. NJ.
Benjamin Tnoron, representing
the Family Service Association, in
indorsing the bill, said actual fl
nancial assistance is public func-
tion and not private one.
A. Harding Paul, member Of the
Public Welfare Board, took lead
ing part in opposing some of the
language in the proposed act and,
as an addition to one section which
set forth the eligibility for public
assistance, said clause should be
added saying that a person able to
work should be deprived of funds.
This proposal met with opposition
from several women, who said it
should not apply to women-that
women should be encouraged to stay
in the home if they had children
and not he compelled tn work