Evening star., 1947-05-19
PoIicYChdnges
For Council and
Chest Studied
Quick Action Unlikely
On Social Work Report
Urging Budget Shift


Social Agencies officials today were
preparing to study a report by a
citizens committee on the "organi-
zation and structure of social work
in Washington. made public Satur-
day. to determine what changes in
policy or organization, If any, may
be called for.
The Social Survey, sponsored by
the Council of Social Agencies, has
been making reports on social prob
lems here ranging from health and
welfare to race relations and labor
management affairs.
Miss Jane Hoey, director of tht
Social Security ADMINISTRATOR
Bureau of Public Assistance, headed
the committee whose recommends
tions preceded a 150-page Social
Survey report on the Chest ano
council.
Among the recommendation was
one that distribution of funds to
welfare agencies here be made by
the council instead of by the chest
now the organizations largest job
Broader Representation Urged.
Ernest Griffith, president of the
council, said today, however, that
the recommendation concerning
fund distribution must be taken
under consideration In conjunction
with others suggesting that the base
of the council and chest be broad
ened to make 1t representative OF all
groups in the community.
Thus, he said. there might be one
organization which would at once
take care of the budgeting and the
planning.
He said since he is chairman of
the committee studying the report,
he felt he should withhold his COM
nents until recommendations have
been arrived at by the full group.
William o. Tufts. budget manager
of the chest, said it would take no
less than an organization to handle
fund distribution under the council
than it does under the chest.
He said Gardner F. Look, the tech
nician who wrote the survey report
never consulted the Budget Com
mittee, nor made any comments
about his plans at all" he said. Il
think he would. have been better
acquainted with the whole situation
if he had talked to some of us"
It think then he would have had
a better opportunity for doing a
first class job"
Praises Cooperation.
Mr.. Tufts said that members OF
the council sit in on all the commit
tees deliberations and are most
helpful" He said their cooperation
is splendid all along the line
He said 1t is question merely
Of whether the funds should be dis
tributed by the agency which COL
lects them or the one that studies
the program. ..s.- .,
Herbert Willett, director of the
Chest. said the report would go to
the Chests Executive Committee for
study and recommendations to the
Board of Directors.
He said it will then be. decided
what further study or adoption OF
recommendations are appropriate.
So far as the budget distribution
is concerned, he said, it has been
found to be the feeling of most con-
tributors that their gifts should be
distributed by the agency to which
they are made.
Board Must Take Action.
"The feeling in Washington has
been that 1t is proper for the organ
ization which raises the money to
take the responsibility for distribut-
ing it," he said. 1T may be that as
a result of the survey, people may
feel differently about 1t than they
did before"
The important thing to do is to
have their representatives sit down
and analyZe the report carefully"
Any action taken ass a result of
the report must be by the board,
representing, the agencies and the
contributors. he emphasized
Mr.. Willett hailed the suggestion
on the possibility of housing some
of the Chest agencies under one
roof.
"All we need, however" he pointed
out. lis money
The recommendation urging that
qualified members of various racial
groups be employed by the Chest,
Council and all agencies serving the
~
that there has been no discrimina-
ton: the policy of the Chest has
been ITO get the best people we
can" regardless of race.
Nominees Often ITO Busy"
He said the Chest has attempted
to make its board representative of
all organized groups in the COM
munity. but that often nominees
refuse to serve in case of election
because they are too busy
Nominati tons are made by COM
mittee of six citizens and by con-
tributors, he said.
It is Sometimes the feeling of some
groups that although their members
may, be serving on Chest boards
they are not represented because
they did not make the appointments.
he said.
So far as the accommodation that
an expert be hired to advise the
Chest Federation on campaigns and
outlays for new building projects of
member agencies is concerned, he
said. every time YOU hire somebody
that costs more money"
Time to Put Into Effect.
Mr., Willett said some of the rec
concentrations would require con-
siderable time for putting into eff
feet.
81 think it is looking toward the
future to say that if there were,
instead of federation of chests. a
single metropolitan chest and a
metropolitan council for all Greater
Washington. you wouldn't need in
dividual chests in Washington or
anywhere"
Lee D. Butler, president of the
Board of Directors of the Chest,
said today he had been out of
town and had not had an oppor-
tunitv to read the report
Two citizens listed as members
of the committee told The Star to-
dav that although they recalled