Evening star., 1954-10-22
Efforts for Accord
On Juvenile Courts S
Welfare Data Fail
BY chorIes G. Brooks

Progress toward agreement
between the District Welfare
Department and the Juvenile
Court has come to a halt.
Welfare Director Gerard M.
Shea yesterday called for a
high-level co-ordinating COM
mittee as the Juvenile Court Ad-
visory Committee recommended
exploring the possibility of such
a committee, but Juvenile Court
Judge Edith H. Cockrill fatty
stated she was against it.
Mr.. Shea and Donald Gray,
superintendent Of public assist
ance, met with the advisory
committee in an attempt to work
out charges by the Welfare De-
partment that the courts Sc
crecy is preventing needy
mothers from obtaining their
authorized public assistance
funds in non-support cases.
Judge Cockrill told the COM
mittee, during a heated discus
sion. that Mr.. Shea had made
a public statement to the effect
that payments by the Welfare
Department to mothers in de-
tendency cases often are held
up because the department can
not obtain information from the
court regarding the compliance
Of the father with court orders of
support. When a father does not
comply with the court order,
public assistance may be granted
If the Welfare Department can
confirm the fathers negligence.
Would Erase Statement.
Judge Cockrill demanded that
the public statement be refuted
by MIR. Shea and charged that it
is an untruth.
She declared her social workers
have been cooperating with the
in the last month.
The question of bastardy
cases was brought up. with the
Welfare Department members
declaring that information as to
the fathers relationship with the
mother and child is necessary.
MIR. Gray asserted that the
fact a couple is unwed does not
mean that they will continue
that way. "We are concerned, ("
he declared, about the future of
the woman and the child. and
the man may well be q part of
that future"
Judge Cockrill, who has zeal
ously preserved complete secrecy
about cases involving illegiti-
macy, declared:
"I do not intend to pull them
together or encourage any such
relationship. It is illegal and
1t is immoral"
The judge said the Welfare
Department could check the
court docket at any time to see
the amount of support ordered
by the court in ron-support
cases. but that it would be an
undue burden on her already
"overworked staff" to give out
information over the phone.
Suggests Practical Method.
Declaring that that practice
''is purely a practical matter be-
cause we don't have the staff to
handle it," she suggested that
''if an orderly and practical way
can be worked out. it would be
q different situation"
Mr.. Shea urged the judge and
the committee to help set up a
working committee on a high
level to meet regularly to solve
problems arising between the
Juvenile Court, the Welfare De-
partment and all other agencies
involved.
Judge Cockrill. however. termed
that impractical and declared
that my own feeling is that I'm
just being met with to death and
my staff is, too" She added that
she would be glad to meet occa-
sionally with anybody whenever
any particular problems arose
After Mr.. Shea and his aides
left, the advisory committee de-
cided to vote that it recommends
exploring the possibilities OF q
permanent committee" and then
LAT r,idna Cockrill maize her. de-