Evening star., 1952-04-14

quest officially reached the Capitol
Leod Story on the District Of Columbia
Budget Hearing Appeors on Pose Al
today. 1t was signed by President
Truman last Thursday.
Gen. Robinson told Senators
considering the District budget
that if the planning money is not
granted in the 1853 budget, it will
delay construction for at least an
other year. The $4,000 is to plan
a new National Training School
for Girls at the Laurel center.
Pictures Are Cited.
The Engineer Commissioner said
planning was not the place to
make budget cuts because then
the Commissioners would be un-
able to carry out the building
program they hoped to institute
in the near future.
He added there was mo more
dramatic argument" for a new
institution than that provided by
pictures of a comparable insti-
tuition in Wyoming. This was a
reference to pictures brought to
the hearing by Senator Hunt,
Democrat. of Wyoming, which
every one agreed were far superior
to the children's institutions here.
Both Senator Hunt and Senator
Hill, Democrat, of Alabama, chair
man of the Appropriations SUBJ
committee. indicated they were
favorable to the planning fund.
Five From Board Testify.
Senator Hunt said he wanted
It specifically written into the
$4,000 item that is be earmarked
for planning a training school for
girls. Senator Hill said he thought
that could be taken care Of.
Five members of the Board Of
Public Welfare testified. All of
them emphasized the difficulties
Of continuing to operate the chill
dren'S institutions unless the cuts
made by the House in the welfare
budget are restored.
Fred S. Kogod, Welfare Board
vice chairman, said the cut put
the Welfare Board in the position
of trying to take a trip that re-
quired five gallons of gas when it
had only four and one-half. you
just can't get there" he said.
Doing BEST We Can"
He said the cuts inflicted by
the House would destroy the en-
tire institution program.
I'VE are running rickety ship,
kept af1oat by a devoted staff,
said Preston Kavanaugh, another
board member. 1--WE are doing
an exceedingly poor job, but the
best we can under the circum-
stances. I don't see how we can
do even the job we're doing now
with this cut"
The Rev. r. w. Brooks, also
board member, said the board is
trying to meet human needs which
it cannot meet without more
money.
Board member A. j. Driscoll
emphasized the need for the $780,
900 as the first step to moving
the girls out of the old National
Training School for Girls. Mrs.
Theodore o. Wedel of the Welfare
Board, emphasized the need for
larger relief payments. She said
the Districts payment to the aged
was the lowest in the United
States.
No Running Water.
Welfare Director Gerard Shea
explained to the Senators that one
of the boards current problems
is providing for the 45Scolored
girls from the District who have
been housed at the Croome (Md.)
Settlement School. He said ore
reason Croome was closing was
because it has no running water.
II never heard of such a thing"
Senator Hunt commented.
Part of the fund that was cut
by the House would have made it
possible to house the As girls at
the National Training School for
Girls.
Notes Difference in Costs.
Senator Ferguson, Republican,
of Michigan wanted to know if it
would not be more worthwhile to
make larger payments for children
in foster homes than to care for
them in institutions. He noted
the difference between the $45 a
month paid to foster homes and
the $5.16 a day for each child at
the Industrial Home School An
mex.
Mr.. Shea pointed out that the
Welfare Department had planned
to increase the foster home pay
ment to $50 a month but would
be unable to do so unless the
House cut is restored.
Senator Hunt commented that
so cents a day allowed for feed
ing children in District institu-
tions was very low for growing
youngsters. He said it averaged
95 cents day in Wyoming, where
the institutions also have their
own farms.