Evening star., 1953-02-14
Council Rejects
Mandatory DC.
Relief Secrecy
Citizen Advisory Unit
Indorses Bill for
Discretionary Powers

Discretionary Powers
The Citizens Advisory Council
has rejected the District We'll
fare Departments renewed pro-
posal for mandatory secrecy Of
public relief rolls here.
The council stand was made
known yesterday in a statement
by Chairman Robert v. Fleming.
He told reporters the council
decided to return to the Com
missioners the welfare ofiicials'
proposed measure.
I'VE have taken action, but it
is not what the welfare people
wanted" he said.
Thus. the advisory group ap-
parently was sticking to its rec
ommendation last month that
the Commissioners should have
the power to decide whether the
rolls should be open or closed.
Members voted that way, not
withstanding the fact that ..
majority Of the nine favored
continued secrecy of relief rec
ordS.
B. M. McKelway, editor of The
Star, told the council yesterday
that the members vote and their
expressed views were contra
dictory"
Sought CIarificatiOn.
Mr.. McKelway was one of four
top officials of Washington's four
daily newspapers to appear be-
fore the council seeking clarifi-
cation of the councils position.
The newSpapermen also stated,
in positive terms, their own po-
sition that the public should |
have access to certain data con-
cerning relief recipients. !
What needed Qualification, Mr..
McKelway said. was whether the
council had voted in favor of
the Commissioners discretion |
proposal, or whether. as welfare |
officials thought-and hoped I!
the council favored mandatory
secrecy Of relief rolls.
Chairman Fleming settled that !
point by assuring the newspaper
men that it had indorsed the I
measure approved by the Senate |
last year vesting discretionary |
powers in the Commissioners. |
This bill failed to get through /
hte House.
Secrecy Bill Resubmitted.
Mr.. Fleming pointed out, how !
ever. that the Welfare Depart
ment resubmitted its old ,manda-
tory secrecy bill for considera-
ton by the Commissioners and |
the council. It was at this mea1-
ure that the newspaper execu- +
tives aimed their heaviest blasts. |
Mr. McKelway ;alled the con-
troversial provision extremely !
drastic" It would, he said. be |
writing into the law something
entirely too harsh"
my impression, he went on, |
sis that if a newspaper were to
discover some flagrant abuse on
the part of relief applicant and |
print a story about it, we would |
be subject to prosecution
He said he is concerned with
the principle ''of the right Of the
public to know how public funds |.
are being spent" He said he
favorS vesting discretionary pow
erS in the Commissioners.
Sees Fears Exaggerated.
John 7. O'Rourke, editor of
the Daily News, agreed. Mr..
ORourke said that the desire on
the part of welfare officials for
secrecy of relief rolls stems from :
a fear of possible injury to the
feelings of relief recipients.
should the rolls be open to public
view and the data published in
newspapers.
This has always sounded like
nonsense to the News" Mr..
O'Rourke said. Aside from the |
fundamental premise that public
money is not private business, a
check of public records from all !
over the country will show how
remote these fears of publicity |
are"
j. r. Virgins, managing editor |
of the Washington Post, de- !
clared that open relief rolls pro-
vide the best assurance against |
corruption, both on the part of |
welfare administrators and re-
ciplents.
Sees Honesty Promoted. /
Mr.. Virgins emphasized that
he did not mean to suggest that !
any such abuses exist here now. ,
But open rolls. he said, mean
that relief applicants are more
likely to provide honest infor-
nation and thus avert wrong
to the taxpayers, as well as
themselves
Mr.. Virgins said that, while
he would prefer an open-rolls
provision in the law, he would
be satisfied with the Council
approved measure as an alter
native.
Frank Waldrop, executive
editor of The Times-Herald,
said he does not want the Com
misSioners to have discretionary
power in the matter. There
should be an open-rolls stipu-
lation in the law, he said.
To close the rolls would be
"unsound and contrary to good
lollhlic ranlicv . Mr. Waldrnn de.