Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1946-04-07
1926 Law Gave Welfare Board Full Control of Jail

The Board of Public Welfare, now
under fire for the Medley McFar-
land jailbreak, holds complete and
exclusive control and management
of the institutions under it by 1926
act of Congress.
These institutions include the
Workhouse, Lorton Reformatory
District Jail, Municipal Lodging
House, Home for the Aged and In
firm, District Training School for
the Feeble minded and the white
and colored children's institutions.
Besides institutions, the Welfare
Board administers public assistance,
aid to dependent children and the
blind, operates foster care program
for children and its own adoption
agency and supervises private adop-
ton agencies.
Gallinger Hospital and the Glenn
Dale tuberculosis Sanitarium were
under its control until public con-
Germ over the high death rate in the
District resulted in their transfer
to the Health Department in 1888.
Has Broad Authority.
Congress gave the board authority
to make all necessary rules, regu-
lations and administrative orders
governing the organization of its
work and the discharge of its duties
las will promote efficiency of service
and economy of operation" Con-
gress made it duty of the board to
establish rules that would promote
discipline and good conduct of in
mates and employees"
Testimony in the case of Howard
B. Gill, suspended penal superin-
tendent, provides an example of how
the board operates in practice. Board
members testified that they issued
orders to Mr.. Gill on how to deploy
his guard force, on elimination of
rehabilitation program, on use of
policemen at the Jail, and on attend
ing meetings of a committee he had
appointed to investigate the escape
of five prisoners November "a.
The Welfare Board lays down
policy and makes out the budget
for IA agencies under its control
and dominates the executives in
charge. The District Commissioners
say they can veto the Welfare
Boards recommendations but can
not initiate any budget requests,
or policy.
Ray L. Huff, welfare director, is
an employe of the Welfare Board
and is not responsible for any of
its policies. board members said
during the Gill hearings Mr.. Huff
only executes orders of the Welfare
Board.
Meetings are Secret.
Although it is public board, its
sessions are secret. In defense of
this practice, board members have
said they cannot hold public hear
ings because they must discuss
public welfare recipients.
The Commissioners appoint the
members for siX-year terms and may
remove them at any time for
cause" On the choice of nominees
to assume the sweeping responsible
ties of Welfare Board members, Con-
gress specified only that they must
be residents of the District for three
years and that there should be no
discrimination as to sex, color, re-
ligion or political afflliation. They
are unpaid.
In filling vacancies, the Commits
sioners rely heavily on recommended
tons from civic and fraternal
groups. Commissioner Guy Mason
says the only arbitrary rule is that
two members shall be colored. AL
though there are usually a member
each of the Jewish and Catholic
faiths on the board, sex and religion
are not basic considerations, accord
ing to Mr.. Mason.
Avoids professionals"
Mr.. Mason says he has tried to
avoid the appointment of profess
sional social workers and Federal
employees because he wants a non
professional board to counterbalance
the professional workers employed
by it. If the Welfare board was COM
posed of professionals, he says, it
might embark on all types of pro-
grams without regard for the cost
to the community.
AS for qualifications, Mr.. Mason
says he looks for character as evil
denced by position in the commu-
nifty, an indication that the appoin-
tee can and will put in the time re-
quired, and interest in welfare gen.
orally. The last qualification he
determines mainly by asking them if
they are interested.
BY law, the Welfare Board has
nine members. Currently there are
two vacancies. Following are brief
biographies of the seven men and
women who now control the Dis
trict's penal institutions as part OF
their duties as members of the Wei
fare Board:
Edgar Morris, 81, chairman, Is 8
past president of the Washington
Board of Trade and now chairman
of its Greater National Capital Com.
mittee. President of the Edgar Nor.
ris Sales Co., he was appointed tx
the Welfare Board in 1887 and served
as chairman of the penal committee
until members elected him chairman
OF the board in March, 1914. MIR
Morris headed the roll call of the
District chapter of the Red Cross fol
four years and at one time servee