Evening star., 1949-09-13
Welfare Setup
Here Criticized
AT Nicely Clinic
UCS Budget Director
Cites Lack of Funds
And insufficient Stuffs
By Don S. Warren


Washingtons welfare and re.
lief program was criticized today
as terribly inadequate" at the
second day of the citizens clinic
conducted by Chairman Nicely Of
the Senate District Committee.
The problem was brought up by
Ferdinand Grayson. budget direc-
tor of the UNITED Community
Services, who said he feared the
city would have to pay a price"
for the shortcomings of the pro-
gram.
Mr.. Grayson attributed the in
adequacies to lack of funds and
also to insufficient stats. He said
the District Welfare Department
is doing a magnificent" job with
what funds and staff 1t has.
Congress Duty Cited.
His statement drew from the
West Virginia Senator the COM
ment that Congress has a tre-
mendous responsibility and I do
not think it has lived up to 1t
at all"
Other witnesses continued to
outline the legislative hopes for
the city Among the bills backed
were those to permit unclaimed
dogs from the District Pound to
be used for scientific medical ex-
periments; to strengthen the Dis
trict's child labor law; to use the
old Belasco Theater for legitimate
stage productions. and to aban-
don Segregation in the city's pub
lie schools
The school proposal was offered
by Taft Feiman of the American
Veterans Committee as he urged
the Senate committee to take
steps for the establishment of a
district commission on human
rights.
Pledges to Introduce Bill.
After some discussion of this
Senator Nicely asked the relatively
small audience to indicate it's ap-
proval or disapproval of the COM
mission proposal When most Of
the approximately 80 persons
present stood up Senator Neely
announced he would introduce
such a bill in about week. He
declared there was nothing more
important than the promotion Of
human rights.
Senator Nicely said he would
propose that the commission in
clude representatives of white and
colored races. Jews and Christians
and other racial and religious
groups.
He said he believed the Senate
would pass such bill. He said it
was his plan to make the commits
sion permanent and to give it an
official status. When he called for
the show of sentiment from the
audience no one arose to oppose
the bill. but A. j. DriScoll of the
Mid City Citizens Association
later told Senator Nicely that
Washington had such a commits
sion, explaining it was an unof-
ficial body.
Hearing Begun With Prayer.
Woolsey w. Hall. past presi-
dent of the Federation of Civic
Associations. said he had been one
of six to set up a plan for such
commission recently, but that
sit died aborning." Mr.. Hall said
the principal obstacle to the COM
missions success was that it was
unofficial. The District now has
no commission. Mr.. Hall said.
"and it has never met and If it
did I think it would be dead"
The hearings, Senator Neely's
idea of sounding out local opin-
ion, opened yesterday. They be-
gan again with a prayer, this
time by the Rev. Paul Repetti ofo
Sacred Heart Church, a native Of
the District who lived for years
within three blocks of the Capitol
Building.
There will be another session at
10 am. tomorrow, Senator Nicely
announced at the close of today's
session.
In his appearance as witness.
Mr.. Grayson explained that the
United Community Services was
created last year as the successor
to the Washington Community
Chest and the Council of Social
Agencies. to coordinate and guide
welfare activities here.
He said the District Government
was doing a great injustice" to
families where the wage Garner
was unable to provide for the
care of the family group. He
said the District does not provide
help for the family if one of its
(See NEELY, Page A-3)