The union times., 1947-12-20
Need For Relief CrOws, As Cost Of Living Scars
High Prices Mean City State Grants Must Be
 Extended

Calling upon all social workers, individually and as members of agencies and professional groups, to interpret to citizens and officials the need for relief expenditures in this period of relatively high em- plOyment, the Executive Committee of the Connecticut Conference of Social Work, meeting in New Haven last week, expressed grave concern ts+s the current investigations of welfare costs in this and neighbor- ing states should tend to discredit and disrupt established security programs.
 Mrs. Norma C. Anderson, president of the Conference, presided at this meeting and directed attention, not to any particular situation within the State, but to the need for better under standing by all citizens of the many human problems that create economic need, even in period of high employ ment, such as physical and mental ill., ness, emotional disturbances, accidents, widowhood, old age, industrial dis pldCeIIleIlC, dIlQ so OH.
 BASIC TO PROGRAM
 High price levels were cited by Mrs. Anderson as a factor in increased re- lief requests from families having some resources but not enough to maintain a reasonably dependable and decent standard of living.
 "Without this economic underpin- ming all other social work endeavors become meaningless and futile; we all know how basic it is to programs of physical and mental health, child care and development, youth training, and all programs designed to promote in dividual and family growth and stability, Mrs. Anderson said.
 The Executive Committee en- dorsed the fundamental principles ''that public assistance exists for the welfare of the people who are required to seek it, that rehabili- tation services should be an essen- tiaI part of the program, that there should be adequate appropriations for rising relief needs, adequate and qualified staff, sound adminis- trative planning and direction, and strong citizens committee, nOn- partisan in nature, to work with each local welfare department.
 In the coming year, the announce ment stated, the Connecticut Confer ence of Social Work will continue to work for a better public understanding of the need for and methods of social services, operating through various committees and through the Confer ence membership of two hundred agencies and one thousand individual members
 STATE BOARD
 In addition to Mrs. Anderson, other officers and Executive Com mittee members of the Connecticut Conference of Social Work are J.. William Hope mad Elwood Street of Bridgeport; Miss Irene A. Walker and Robert M. Heininger of Water bury; Rabbi Jerome R. MalinO of Danbury; Miss Margaret Callaghan and Horace W. Jones, IT,, of New London; the Reverend Alvin D.. Johnson of Middletown; Mrs. Elton W. Viets of Nichols; Miss DOrothea M. Murray of Norwalk; Mrs. Mall coIm J. Edgerton and Miss Eleanor P. Sheldon of Stanford; Mrs. Clar- ence l.. Sager of Greenwich. Also Miss Grace H. Stuff, John ]. Cronin, William H. Bulkeley, Dr. AIonzo c. Grace, Perry B Hall, Judge Thomas D. Gill. Lawrence A. Pagan and Miss Katharine E. Griffith, all of Hartford;
 Also Miss Elsa M. Montgomery, Miss Edith I. Epler, Charles A. Rus sell, Nathan Sherman, and Max H.. l Schwartz, all of New Haven.