Evening star., 1946-05-20
Two Commissioners
Back Bill 10 Increase
Welfare Board Power
Gen. Young Opposes
PIon to Add Authority
Except Over Prisons

Legislation for a Public We'll
fare Board with complete ad-
ministrative authority over char
liable institutions was approved
today by two of the three Com
missioners and by members of
the Welfare Board in testimony
before House subcommittee.
Chairman Smith of the House
District Subcommittee on Health
and Welfare said he and the other
officials had approved such a bill
at meeting Friday.
White the subcommittee took no
action today, Chairman Smith said
after the hearing that he probably
would lay the new plan before the
full District Committee Mr.. Smith
indicated that it would not be neces-
sary to hold a further meeting Of
the subcommittee.
Corporation Counsel Vernon E.
West today outlined tentative draft
of a bill which would empower the
Welfare Board to administer all
institutions except prisons, which
would be administered by a sep
arate department of penal institu-
tions, functionihg directly under the
Commissioners.
| The general plan was approved
by Commissioners John Russell
Young and Guy Mason. Brig. Gen.
Gordon r. Young, the Engineer
Commissioner, disagreed.
Backs Separate Prisons.
| Gen. Young said he approved
Title One of the West bill, setting
up the department to administer
District prisons. He said he could
not indorse Title Two giving the
Public Welfare Board autonomy
over welfare activities except in the
matter of financing.
There is a general feeling in
Washington" Gen. Young said,
that the welfare institutions are
not being run 100 per cent"
Gen. Young said he felt that the
Welfare Board should have only
an advisory capacity. He explained
that he did not feel that committees
of citizens serving part time on
voluntary basis could administer
effectively, but should make sug-
gestions, criticisms, and recommen-
dations for the improvement of con-
ditionS
The second part of the bill, he
added, would accomplish little and
that little would be undesirable.
In the course of the discussion,
Representative Smith asked Com
missioner Young if he knew of any
reason why the FBI report on the
recent escapes from the deathhouse
at District Jail should not be made
public.
Secret as Matter of Policy.
Mr.. Young replied that there
seemed to be feeling that matters
concerning these escapes which the
FBI agents had uncovered should be
kept confidential as matter of pub
lie policy.
Certain statements have been
made publicly regarding that re-
port" Mr. Smith said Il want to
say that have seen the FBI report
and it does not justify the charges
that have been made"
The chairman apparently referred
to the charge that Representative
Hebert, Democrat, of Louisiana
made on the floor of the House last
week that it was known that women
had visited prisoners in the death
cells.
j At that time Mr.. Smith blocked
passage of Mr.. Heberts bill setting
up department of corrections to
| administer the prisons.
: At the outset of the hearing to-
day, Mr.. Smith said he felt there
had been so much confusion and
misunderstanding over the welfare
and prison problems that he had
| asked the Commissioners and well
fare officials to meet with him last
Friday.
4 The outcome Of this conference
] the Virginia Representative added,
was that all the officials present ap-
proved in principle the tentative
|, bill now under consideration.
). This bill, Mr.. Smith explained,
; would place all District penal in
stitutions under a separate depart
ment which would be controlled
by the Commissioners.
at would separate the penal in
, stitutions entirely from the juris-
, diction of the Board of Public We'll
fare" Mr.. Smith pointed out. "It