The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1953-04-03
Taking Charity out of Relief

MANY will be surprised 10 know that there are
five and half million people receiving public as
sstance financed in part by Federal funds, IN
this country This includes about 81 million aged,
q million dependent children and those adults who
live with them 100 900 blind and 10000 perman-
emily and totally disabled Most OF these are in a
state OF dependence through no fault OF their own.
They are being provided for by the individual states,
supplemented by federal funds. They are eligible
for public assistance only after needs-test which
requires proof OF need.
The standard of poverty set up by the state rs
extremely low The assistance barely protects the
right of the citizen TO minimum of goods, food,
clothing and shelter, necessary TO give some mean
ing TO his right to life.
No one doubts that there some unworthy IN
cluded on these rolls Ii would be miracle of ad-
ministration If there were not. We have no doubt
though, that the vast majority who receive and are
In actual need and meet every qualification The
state sets up.
The Ohio General Assembly has received Sen
ate Bill Sc offered by Mr.. Pepple, and House Bill
2g4 offered by Mr.. o'Hara which proposed to make
public the names OF these people who are on poor
relief or who are old age pension recipients by
these bills each County Department OF welfare
which receives state OF federal funds f0r welfare
purposes is directed TO file with the County Auditor
q quarterly report listing the names and addresses
OF all recipents of aid together with the amounts
received This record is open to public scrutiny.
These bills are possible because of a curious
chain OF vents The Indiana legislature passed such
a bill which is contrary TO provision of the Fed
eral Social Security Act AS result the federal gov
ernment stopped federal funds for welfare 10 the
state This provoked crisis Then United States Sen
ator Jenner came to the aid of his home state and
tackled a rider to the Revenue Bill which permitted
states 10 publicize names OF those on the relief
rolls This is the Jenner Amendment II could never
have stood on It's own merits as bill but passed
and escaped presidential veto because II was At
tached to bill whose passage imperative The
Pepple and O'Hara bills enable the state of Ohio 10
do what the Jenner amendment permits.
The right TO public assistance is qualified
right right based on needs Since II Is public
money that is disbursed the taxpayer has right
10 know that il is carefully and honestly admins
tered We donf think this requires that relief rolls
be made public II there is bad administration II Is
the administrators who need scrutiny not the reclp
tents
Whether we like II or not there is stigma at
tached TO receiving public assistance and those
whose need is great should not be exposed to II.
Nothing is to be gained by il and much would be
lost in the injury to human dignity. Many who are
sensitive may reco from seeking the aid they
direly need and for which they qualify.
The mechanization OF State aid TO the needy has
already made the necessity OF applying for relief
sufficiently unpleasant a. to serve deterrent TO
those who would be placed in the unfortunate
position of requiring help 10 live as decent citi-
This bill promotes practice that is about al
far removed from the Christian principle of giving
possible, In giving don't let your right hand know
what your left is doing
We hope these bills a-e never passed