Evening star., 1948-12-31
ID. T.. Relief Cost
Near u. ). Low,
C|app Reports
Per Copito Lood
Figured at $3.44;
Deficiencies Cited

The District has one Of the high.
est income averages IN the United
States, and at the same time nearly
the smallest relief loads in propor-
ton to the population.
This was the report made by Ray
mond F. Clapp, acting director Of
the Department Of Public Welfare
to the Board of Public Welfare at
its meeting yesterday. The report
was indorsed by the board.
The money spent for public assist
ance payments in the District on O
per capita basis for the entire popu.
lation is less than that spent in any
State in the Union. with the excep.
ton of only Virginia, the report says.
The total cost for assistance here is
$3.44 per inhabitant, compared with
the national average Of II. Colorado
pays the highest rate per inhabitant
with $36.46
The report was prepared by Mr..
Clapp for presentation to the Janu-
ary meeting of the Executive Com
mittee of the family and children's
section, United Community Services.
A similar report on what the private
agencies are doing has been pre-
pared by Mrs. Mildred Kilinsky, di-
rector of the Family Services Asso-
citation, which is UCS affiliate.
This report also will be presented
Jointly to the January meeting.
Deficiencies Outlined.
The board indorsed Mr.. Clapp's
report because it was believed such
action would give it more force.
Mr.. Clapp, in his report, said the
public agency fails to meet its legal
responsibilities in the following re-
spects:
Denies assistance to any person
who is fully employable, and to any
family the head of which is fully
employable, even though the en-
playable person Is unable to find
work.
Bases its assistance grants on
budget standard which is calculated
on 1916 costs of living, and fails to
meet even this low standard by an
arbitrary cut of per cent.
Makes appointments with appli-
cants for assistance from three to
four weeks in the future, for the
first interview by a social worker.
Makes no allowance for special
diets, even on doctors prescription.
Makes no grant in excess Of $160
per month, no matter how great the
need, except for certain specified
contingent items.
Denies assistance to families in
need, whose head is under a court
order to support, but fails to do so.'
Private Agency Program.
Mr.. Clapp said the private agen-
cies do the following work they be-
lieve should be done by the public
agency:
"Give temporary aid to persons
believed eligible for public assistance
during the period in which an ap-
plicant is waiting for the Public
Assistance Division to interview and
investigate
Assist nonresidents and persons
who have no established residence,
either in the District of Columbia
or elsewhere.
Give basic maintenance. as wen
as provides for special supple
mentary needs in a few cases Of
special urgency. In such cases, some
agencies propose that the public de-
partment give the basic main
tenance, while the private agency
provides the supplemental items"
Mr. Clapp said the agencies do not
now do the following things. which
have been proposed as public re-
sponsibility:
Give assistance 10 aged persons
in need with relatives who are legal
ly liable but fail to support them.
Supplement full-time earnings
which are inadequate to meet the
needs of a large family, or of a
family with unusually great need