Evening star., 1946-03-09

ment is indebted to the District for
many sizable items-such as the
$717,000 free) water bill, 100000
for maintenance of Federal prison.
erS in District penal institutions
and free fire and police protection
provided by the District"
Backs Welfare Request.
The league joined with other well
fare and civic groups in urging con-
siderable increases in employees for
welfare services, including public
assistance and foster homes, and for
public schools.
Considerable time was devoted to
presentation of findings and recon-
mendations by spokesmen for the
Interchurch Conference on Chill
dren's Services, Washington Fedora
ton of Churches, under the leader
ship of the Rev. DR.. j. Hillman Hol-
lister, pastor of the Chevy Chase
Presbyterian Church, on its lengthy
study of the Districts social prob
lens.
This group presented arguments
for adoption of at least all budget
requests as framed by the Board of
Public Welfare before cuts were
made by the Commissioners. This
would call for an addition of 2,200,-
900 to the pending estimates.
Added sums, largely for extra
help, would go to the National
Training School for Girls, the In
dustrial Home School for Colored
Children at Blue Plains, the Receiv-
ing Home for Children, for the fos-
ter homes and other children'S serv-
ices and the Industrial Home School
for White Children.
They were followed by Mrs
Thomas F. Norton, Mrs. Henry
Gichner and Mrs. Arthur Fawcett
for the Council of Social Agencies,
urging extra help for public welfare
agencies. While saying they were
by the arguments, men,
bers of the congressional group
wanted to know where is the money
coming from?' and what was the
limit on welfare costs?"
Hits "Unco- -ordinated Requests"
Representative Horan, Republican,
of Washington broke in to declare
that it appeared the more appro-
priations Congress grants the Dis
trict for one year, the worse condi- |
tions seem to be the next year"
Asserting there seems to be mo
coordination" between various Dis |
trict services and that one after an
other keeps bobbing up for increase
funds, he asked What will you do
if really hard times should return?"
Mrs. Norton gave him answers,
but he shook them off with the
statement This is why I'm in favor
Of returning the control over District |
affairs to the District residents.
Then, if things don't go wrong, like
they once did, maybe you would |
solve your own problems.
Chairman Coffee, after hearing a
flood of arguments for increased
welfare appropriations, noted that |
Department appropriations
had jumped from $8,400,000 for this
fiscal year to the budgeted S13,17l =
GOO for next year and added:
IF that rate of increase were ap-
piled generally, the District would
be hopelessly bankrupt in 1948."
Stephan Critical.
During an extended debate over
continuation of the child care CEN
ters, as urged by Mrs. Mary Hunt,
Representative Stefan criticized
women who holds jobs though
finances do not compel them to dol
so when it means farming out the
care of their children to strangers. I"
One of the troubles with America
today, he said, is that juvenile de-
is promoted by adult de-
linqunecy resulting from the fact
mothers are not staying home to
care for their children.
Mr.. Stefan made exception for
widows and mothers who must work
for financial reasons. On the child
center issue, Chairman Coffee
brought out his committee lacked
since basic legislation
would be needed if the District was
to take over the program.