Evening star., 1946-08-26

{ trlct Unemployment Compensation
Board. This sometimes resulted il
holding up assistance payments, te
the irritation Of the welfare OH.
cials.
On top of this. Mr.. Pilkerton ha:
fought the establishment by tht
board OF central business Office
and last winter submitted to Con-
gress a report on relief expendi.
lures which charged 10 per cent ol
the beneficiaries were "chislers."
The survey concluded that the in.
f1uence of present methods under.
mines Office efficiency and staff
morals. 1t also supported a centra
business Office although this was moi
part of the committee recommen-
dations.
Committee proposals on this rela.
tionship were:
l. Legal provision for a post.
audit rather than pre-audit using
the DUO board as precedent.
2. Transfer to the board of tn.
| authority now granted the auditor
in appropriation bills to supervise
the accounting and disbursement.
of funds for general public assist.
ance and children's services.
Interpretation Asked.
3. The corporation counsel should
be asked to interpret the functions
OF the auditor required by Fedora.
statute.
4. Possible revision of this statute
il, under it, the activities of the au-
ditor violates the Social Security
Board requirement that, in the mat
OF Federal aid grants, the board
shall deal with a single agency. The
commissioners have delegated the
Welfare Board as that agency.
5. Reports of investigations re-
quested by Congress, the Commits
sioners or the auditor, should be dis
cussed with the agency investigated
before release to the public or trans
initial to Congress.
This last is a direct outgrowth oil
Mr.. Pilkerton's probe last winter.
mo agency should be subjected tc
the frequent investigations that are
made in Washington" declared the
survey report, NOR should they be
necessary if Congress were kept
we'll informed throughout the yeal
about the activities and problems o1
the agency"
Other Recommendations.
The report said the time and ef.
fort necessary to defend the agency
in these cases could be better usec
in planning action that would elimi.
nate many of the doubts thai
arise"
In the matter of standards, tht
Dun Committee recommended:
l. Appropriation of enough money
for adequate standards of aid con.
sistent with the f1uctuating livin,
costs and with reasonable provision
for contingencies.
2. A home economist should bt
employed for a constant study OF
living costs and the preparation Of
scientific budget guides for familie.
receiving aid The survey charged
a substandard food allowance is pro-
vided for children between and II
years of age.
3. Financial aid should be given
when needed. Assistance should be
granted in urgent cases on presumed
eligibility.
Residence Factors Hit.
4. Applicants needing aid should
be helped regardless of the length
of their residence here. All resi-
.dence restrictions in public health
and welfare should be eliminated
where service to people is involved
5. The Interstate Services Divi-
sion, dealing with the deportation OF
nonresident insane and INDECENT
from the District to their home
States, should devise suitable socia.
planning for these cases to deter
mine whether better care can be
given here or in the home State.
s. Legislation should be drafted tc
remove liability for erroneous relief
payments from social workers and
make the agency responsible. The
committee felt there should be nc
recovery from an individual staff
member who has not acted dis
honestly, in bad faith or with gross
negligence.
7. Congress should pass the an.
nual District supply bill enough
in advance of each July l or make
other provision to permit uninter.
rupted continuance of grants.
Administrative Changes.
Key administrative changes ir
current procedures, of the dozer
recommended by the committee, in.
cluded:
l. Transfer to the Veterans Ad.