Evening star., 1946-03-05
Welfare eWaste
Report Spurs
Revision Plans
Bourd Officials to
Answer Check on
D. 6. 'ChiseIers'
By Don S. Worren

'AAS AocAASOo WCAldIC oCI VICES, 10
centralize control under the Board
Of Commissioners, were revived to-
day on the heels of an investiga-
ton report alleging heavy waste"
Of public funds to care for "chisel-
ers" on the relief rolls.
The call came from Chairman
Coffee Of the District Subcommit-
tee OF the House Appropriations
committee after he had revealed
at the end of yesterdays closed.
door hearings on the 1947 municipal
budget a report by Auditor A. R.
Pllkerton showing "unjustifiable ex-
penditures" for public assistance.
The report, which welfare officials
said they had not yet seen, was
based on 10 per cent random
probe of the more than 1000 public
assistance cases. Taking every
tenth case" Auditor Pilkerton said,
his investigators had found some
thing wrong with 40-odd cases, or
roughly one-tenth of 4l0 cases
sampled"
P@@o,OVV waste POSSIBLE.
II this sample should prove true
throughout the remaining 80 per
cent OF the total cases, Chairman
Coffee said, it would indicate a DOS.
slble total waste" this year of about
s225, 900.
One welfare official said last
night 1t should always be ex.
pected there would be some" clients
cheating on relief, though he would
be rather startled" If it amounted
to as much as 10 per cent. He
doubted it was that high.
Revelation of the fraudulent" re-
lief costs came in report submitted
by Commissioner John Russell
Young, Incorporating the findings of
MIR. Pllkerton and his staff. and urg-
ing the need for economy.
1t served to revive recommenda.
tons for adoption of the long pend
ing bill, sponsored by the city heads.
to strip the Welfare Board of its
administrative powers and transfer
them to the Commissioners, to leave
the Welfare Board as an advisory
body.
Huff to Testify Today.
Ray L. Huff, District welfare di-
rector, was to be called to the stand
his afternoon in another executive
session of the Coffee Subcommittee,
to be given a chance to answer
charges contained in the Pilkerton
report on alleged waste and inefi-
cheney in public assistance. If his
answers are not satisfactory, Chair
man Coffee declared, the investigat-
ing staff of the House Appropria-
tons Committee probably will be
directed to make an independent in
vestigation and to submit recon-
for action.
AT the same time Mr.. Coffee said
it should be remembered there may
be extenuating circumstances as to
some of the relief clients accused of
I'VE do not want any,
thing resembling Gestapo shopping
into private affairs of the needy"
Mr.. Coffee said, but at the same
time we do not want to let relief
money go to unwarranted cases,
which may deprive others of needed
relief"
During the morning session, Mr..
Coffee reported, the subcommittee
touched briefly on the efforts to dis
charge Howard B. Gill as general
director OF penal institutions. How
ever, a full-dress review of this mu-
nicipal battle was deferred to some
future date so as not to influence.
unlntentionally, the decision of the
special trial board scheduled to re-
sumo hearings on the case tomor-
row.
Discuss U. S. Costs.
Heavy extra costs dumped on the
District because this is the seat of
the Federal Government also bobbed
up at this mornings session.
Chairman Coffee said data had
been compiled showing the District
pays about $4,000 annually for the
maintenance of strictly Federal"
prisoners temporarily incarcerated
in the Jail, for which the United
States makes no reimbursement.
Elsewhere in the United States.
the Federal Government reimburses
The States, counties or cities for the
case of exactly the same type of
case, he declared.
This is just one of the countless
examples that could be given of the
extra burdens borne by District tax
payers said Chairman Coffee. who
S a leader in the current drive to
Increase the Federal payment to the
District.
Along with this he reported the
charge for the care of so-called Dis
'rict patients at st. Elizabeth's Hos.
oital had been increased from s1.8o
Der day per patient last year to
2.35, and more recently this was
'ut back to $3.50. He has agreed
With municipal officials that many
If the 4,500 st. Elizabeth's patients
charged the District really are the
responsibility of some other juris-
fiction
Mr.. Coffee voiced hope the well
fare reorganization bill could be
before the House for action
soon. There is no real supervision
over welfare affairs here" he de-
,lared, emphasizing that members of
the Board of Public Welfare are vol
lnteer, unpaid officials.
He cited the $13,000,000 welfare
budget for the next fiscal year, an
Increase of S4,400,000 over this year.
Is an example of "mushrooming"
District costs.
Carelessness Charged.
In addition to specific faults
ound in individual cases, Mr.. Cof-
ZEE reported, the Pilkerton probe
harged welfare officials with
carelessness" in the handling of
ases and with inadequate supery
'ision" despite "over- r-staffing"
he public assistance division.
One case cited in the Pilkerton re,
,ort, Chairman Coffee said. in.
'olved a mother of five illegitimate
hildren who was receiving $50 a
month public assistance in addition
o $42 a month under the aid-to-
lependent-children category, The
eport said she was able to work. but
vas unwilling to do so because she
ould not make as much in wages
S the 500 a month she was draw