Evening star., 1952-02-22
Senators Stand 7 10 |
For Ending Secrecy
On Relief Rolls
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of the high caliber of the present
membership of the welfare board
as an assurance of proper admin
istration of relief.
Senator Smith wanted to know,
however. how any one could give
any assurance as to future welfare
administrations.
who's going to be able to
judge the administration unless
some one on the outside has access
to the records" the North Caro-
1inian demanded.
One of the witnesses, Paul
Schiff, chairman of the District
Chapter of the American Asso-
citation of Social Workers, started
at one point to quote Senator
Pastore's remark about one life
meaning more than 81 million.
That's the trouble with you
social workers." Senator Smith
interjected. we've go to look at
this practically. Social workers,
as a group, are less practical about
these things than the man on the
outside. Dealing with practical
everyday affairs, you sometimes
have to take practical approach.
At this, Senator Pastore laughed
and said he'd always thought it
true that by reputation social
workers are too hard-boiled as it
Is.
Would Keep Public Faith.
But the North Carolinian stuck
to his position that nothing in
volving public funds should be
kept secret.
We've got to keep the public
faith in the administIatio of re-
lief, and one way to keep it is to
have publicity"
The text of the anti-secrecy
amendment proposed by the Com
missioners was read into the rec
ord at the request of both Sena-
tors Smith and Butler. The
measure would require public dis
closure of relief rolls but would
set up stringent safeguards against
indiscriminate use by the public,
particularly for commercial or po-
litical purposes.
Senator Pastore thought the
provisions inadequate.
Under this amendment it's
possible to throw in the kitchen
sink" he said.
Senator Smith said he was con-
vinced the proposal would protect
the cases that should be pro-
tected." He added that he does
not believe the limited informa-
tion which would be made avail
able to the extent feared by the
Rhode Island Senator.
II don't think the newspapers
and radio would want to take the
time" he declared.
On the subject of the names
of relief recipients becoming
known through public inspection
of the rolls. Senator Butler COM
mented that tits no stain to be
poor"
Cites American Attitude.
He said he had to sell news
papers once. He recalled families
with unpaid bills at the corner
grocery store, ''and my family may
have been one of them at oaei
time or another"
But no one held that against
them. the Senator continued. IT'S
our American way of life to rise
above being poor. The American
people are that way" i
On one point, at least, the three
lawmakers agreed, after reading
through and discussing the entire
proposed public assistance bill,
that apparently the only contro-
versial issue is the present secrecy
clause.
All the witnesses went along
with that conclusion. too. These
organizations were among those
represented at the hearing, which
lasted four hours:
Washington Central Labor
Union (AFL), District League of
Women Voters, Americans for
Democratic Action, District In
dustrial Union Council (CIO)
Washington Section of National
Council of Jewish Women. Fedora
tion of Citizens Associations, Dis
trict Federation of Women's Clubs,
American Legion, Board of Public
Welfare, Washington Taxpayers
Association, Washington Fedora
tions of Churches, District Young
Democrats Club and the Town
send Plan, Inc. A number of
private citizens testified as well.
Young Not Present.
Commissioner Young did not
appear before the subcommittee.
He was confined to his home with
cold, according to his Office.
Mr.. Young rendered no written
statement of his views, but Gen.
Robinson told the legislators his
absent colleague generally con-
curre6 in the views expressed I'M
the generals statement.
The text of Gen. Robinson's
statement follows: