Evening star., 1949-12-14
Relief Spending
Must Increase,
Je||eff Warns
Aid Pleas Double
Chest Resources,
UCS Head Says

UCS Head Says
Washington will have to spend
more money for relief next year.
either through the Government or
through private welfare agencies,
Frank R. Jelleff. president OF
United Com m un ity Services,
warned today.
Mr.. Jelleff's warning came with
the disclosure that the Districts
emergency relief demands now are
so large that the city's Community
Chest agencies can take care OF
fewer than half of those appeal
ing for financial help.
The UCS leader also disclosed
that:
The UCS Board of Trustees has
approved a proposal to the city
heads that the 1851 Board of Pub
lie Welfare budget be increased,
with a view especially to raising
relief grants enough to cover cur
rent living costs. Present grants
are geared to the 1946 level, it was
pointed out.
A $500 emergency appropria-
ton has been voted to the Saliva
ton Army for December relief
needs because the army's emer-
gency funds have been lex
hausted."
Many Suffer.
People who are "aged or sick.
children, and women who are
the sole support of their families"
are suffering now because Of the
shortage of relief funds, MIR.
Jellef declared.
This year, he said, seven UCS
agencies that receive their major
support from the Community
Chest are spending some $780,
900 for emergency assistance in
the way of food, clothing and
shelter. Even so. he continued.
requests for financial assistance
now coming to Chest-supported
agencies exceed available funds.
so that financial help can be pro-
vided for less than one half OF
needy cases."
1.-The community will be faced,
during the coming year, with the
problem of either financing more
adequately the Public Welfare De-
partment, or making additional
funds available through voluntary
gifts for meeting relief needs"
Mr.. Jellef stated.
The Chest agencies have been
forced to take over a large emer-
gency relief burden from the Gov
ernment because of the Public
Welfare Departments limited
budget, officials pointed out.
Growing Need Shown.
A bigger welfare budget origi-
nally was urged by the UCS execu-
tive committee in October. The
|committee's recommendations now
have been approved by the entire
board of trustees, Mr.. Jellef said.
Arthur H. Kruse, UCS execu-
tive director, explained that the
Recommendations were based on
six months of study, which show
ed "a growing need of people in
Washington for financial assist
ance, far exceeding facilities and
available funds"
During the past year, persons
with low employment potentiali-
ties because of old age, physical
and mental illness. lack of tech
nical skills and other reasons have
experienced increasing difficulty
In finding employment" Mr..
Kruse pointed out.
1.-THE inadequacy of the present
public welfare budget is indi-
Gated by the fact that persons in
actual need must wait five weeks
before their eligibility for public
assistance can be determined. Re-
lief grants are approximately 40
|per cent below current food costs.
Puts Food on Chest.
"The inability of the Public
Welfare Department to provide
financial assistance in extreme
cases of need. where no employ
able person is available to sup
port the family, has resulted in a
tremendous pressure on Chest
supported agencies to provide
emergency relief until such time
as the Public Welfare Department
lis able to examine the problem
and provide assistance" Mr..
Kruse declared.
The current burden on the
Salvation Army is about 100 pleas
for relief each week, officials said,
calling for expenditure of up to
81 800 a month. This has used
up the $4,000 or so which was
available for the entire year, ne
cessitating the special action by
the UCS board.
OF persons receiving public as
sistance, nearly 1000 families-in-
cluding 1900 children-are being
helped because they have no en-
playable male wage-earner to sup
lport them, Mr.. Kruse pointed out.
The UCS announcement came
as the area Community Chest was.
seeking to close a $555, 900 gap in
the nearly $4,000, 900 it seeks to
support UCS and nearby Chest
agencies next year. A new re-
port on the fund drive is scheduled
Friday in the Hotel Washington.
Freedmen S Hospital Rates
To Go Up December 80