The union times., 1947-02-15
People Entitled To Know Facts. LetterAsserts
Mayor Urged To Name Tm- partial Group To Report
 To Public

1e eO AHucn smoke tnere must be fire" the New Haven Cen. tral Labor Council has asked Mayor William C. CelentanO to appoint a group of impar- tial citizens to investigate the city Department of Charities and Correction.
 The request was made public today, when Council President Vincent J. McGovern issued the text of letter he sent to the Mayor. The letter is based on action taken by the Council dele gates at their last meeting at the Labor Temple, action which was recommended by the Councils Social Welfare Committee. ENDORSE PROPOSED CHANGES
 In addition to demanding an im- partial probe of the Charities de- pertinent, the delegates also unan- imOusly voted to endorse the re- commentators which have been made by the Council of Social Agencies to the City Charter Com- mission regarding changes in the structure of the Charities Depart ment.
 The recommendations were present ed in detail, and almost an hour was spent in discussing their application to the Charities Department. There was unanimous agreement that the name of the Department should be changed to Department of Public Welfare that the Department, whether Republican or Democratic administration is in power, should not be directed by a "ward-heeler," as one delegate put it; and that workers in the Department should not be ap- pointed by ward chairmen," as another stated
 Following is the text of the letter sent to Mayor Celentano by Presi- dent McGovern:
 Mayor William C. Celentano," City Hal1,"
 "New Haven, Conn
 Dear Mayor Celentano 7
 "The New Haven Central Labor Council, at its last meeting, unani- mously voted to instruct me to write you, and request that you appoint group of impartial and properly quail fled citizens to investigate the entire situation surrounding the Department of Charities and Correction.
 MANY CONCERNED
 "In common with many civic or ganizations, we are concerned that the Department of Charities shall at all times maintain high professional standards. Those who need assistance are least able to demand their rights. It is for this reason that organized labor is keenly interested m the De- pertinent of Charities.
 ''There have been persistent re- ports during the last year that train- ed investigators, with long experi- ence in the Department, have been replaced with unqualified and in- personnel. These re- ports have not been denied. There are also reports that the new Super of the Department estab- fishes policy for the Social Service division. We hope this is not true, because whether the Administration in power is Republican or Demo cratic, the Superintendent is a pO- litical appOintee, whose experience in the field of social welfare usual ly is zero.
 WHY NO CIVIL SERVICE?
 ''We are also concerned that the employees of the Department are not appointed under Civil Service regula- tions. This is an open invitation to po- litica1 manipulation Do the people of New Haven who need assistance suffer as result of this situation9
 There are other aspects of the pres ent policies of the Charities Depart ment which are being questioned.
 'sIt is for these reasons that we believe in fairness to the Charities the people Of New Haven, and to your Administration, a thOrOugh-going investigation i'm the Department should be made. We do not think that public state- ments will eliminate the uneasiness that any people feel about the De- partment. We too are opposed to a political football of relief for the needy, and it is for this reason that we believe an impartial group should make the investiga- ion we suggest. This is the only ob- jective method by which the effi- ciency of the Department can be 
 ''If the Department is being operated on a nOn-pOlitical and eff ficient basis, the people of New Haven are entitled to know the eocRs g