Evening star., 1947-09-24
Loose Organization
Blamed in Failure to
Get Appropriations

effectiveness OF groups under the
Council of Social Agencies in get
ting public welfare appropriations
Is greatly diminished by the coun-
ellis loose organization, the Board
of Public Welfare told the District
Commissioners in it's annual report
today.
The board told the Commissioners
1t has kept closely in touch with
private charitable work in the COM
munity and that while there has
been a strong support for many
years for Community Chest collec-
tions for private work, there has
been less interest and organized
opinion expressed for public legisla-
ton, especially for appropriations.
I'm part" the report stated, "the
effectiveness of persons interested
primarily in private social work has
not been organized in way which
would make representation effec-
tive before the appropriating au-
thorities for public welfare.
Small Groups Allowed to Act.
'For example, the Council of So
cial Agencies as such, which repre-.
sents a large number of private
welfare organizations, has been
prohibited by its organization to
speak for such legislation.
THE council has permitted small
groups to act and report on matters
under actual or allowed sponsorship.
With such loose organization, the
effectiveness of such groups has
been greatly diminished. Reports
so made represent only the view of
q very small group of people"
The report stressed that the work
of public and private organizations
engaged in charity work should be
co-ordinated to achieve total COM
munity security.
Resources Inadequate.
The board declared it continues
its strong efforts to represent the
entire public in its proposals and
decisions. 1t recognizes the need
for private social work and the fact
%that these needs should be met
through private auspices, with con-
siderable latitude in both the field
and method of operation, it as
serted.
Resources of the board to meet
needs for preventive services, es-
pecially in work with children, al
ways have been and are now in
adequate, the report said.
The necessary individual atten-
ton which each child requires is not
available, and in a drive to obtain
foster homes a few months ago SO
were obtained-only small Hum-
ber of those needed, it was said
The board added that all the in
stitutions for children and adults
are inadequate.
Building Not Escape Proof.
"The board has asserted that it
should be supplied with the re-
sources which are essential to carry
out the commands of legislation, %
the report went on. "On these
premises it is in keeping with the
trend of the times that the re-
sources available for public work be
expanded and made adequate to
meet the demands established by
law"
The new building opened at the
District Training School near Laurel
is still without security features tc
prevent escapes, the report noted
The school can house only $50
whereas the community needs &C
comodations for 1000 by commonly
accepted standards, it said.
Those for whom resources are not
available are put in institutions not
suited to their needs or are on the
streets, the board stated. On the
streets, the girls become recruits o1
prostitution and the boys become
criminal stooges, it was said.
Home for Aged Unsafe.
The board also reported that the
Home for the Aged Is unsafe ano
unsuited to the needs of residents
there, and should be on the con.
science of the people of the District.
Closing the report, the board said
"The District Is poor. 1t must scru.
tinize each dollar of taxes 1t spends
Public welfare needs have not beer
met as they need to be.
by sudden thrusts from explo.
sions and catastrophes, money has
been found which did not appear tc
exist before. The catastrophe re.
suited in attention and emotiona
reaction. Public welfare is not AZ
emotional process 1t is means fol
public security. 1t requires sober
considered attention before catas.
trophe strikes"