Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1957-11-07
Letters
Vehement Protest

any given udy IOT any Single
issue, should you choose to do
so. However, whether it is good
or fair journalism to lash out,
in long editorials, at a segment
of the community which cannot
protect itself against such an
unfair attack is another matter.
/ hope, therefore, you will ac-
cept this rebuttal on the part
of the undersigned, who believes
that the social work profession
represents in a real sense a sig
nificant part of the conscience
of the community and therefore
is entitled at all times to the re-
spectful consideration of its
principles.
In the first place, we resent
your reference to the problem
of the unemployed employa-
bles" as "bits of fanciful talk"
We remind you the representa-
tives of the social work profess
sion, the faculty and students of
Maryland University and others
who are responsible for the ex-
cellent study never for a mo-
ment thought they were dealing
with fanciful subject. To them,
the story which was unfolded
in our county was tragic one
one which Is not new in Amer
lean cities and counties across
the nation. 1t dealt with the
facts of life, human life, of peo-
pie who were not elders" or
"bums." BY no stretch of the
imagination can we assume
your thesis about these people
is correct; therefore, we feel an
apology is due them for your
Incorporate language condemn
ing them and implying they re-
fuse to work.
Secondly, a review of the
study submitted by the Mont
gomery County Regional Health
and Welfare Council was unani-
mously adopted by it's member
ship after months of careful de-
alterations by its Social Plan
ming Council and after consider
able discussion by the full board
of the Council. AS one who was
part of this democratic process,
l vehemently protest your as
sertion that these unfortunateS
are not entitled to aid from our
Board Of Public Welfare. The
facts in the report speak for
themselves. They concern not
only the immediate financial
problems confronting these fam
lilies. Inherent in these concerns
is the welfare of the children of
these families, in terms of their
education, prevention of juve-
nile delinquency, etc. These
problems unless given the seri-
Gus consideration they deserve
can have serious financial as
well as social consequences for
the community.
Are you aware of the fact that
the total community, business as
well as labor, and the social
agencies who are represented on
the Council, condemns your idea
of forcing these families into a
migrant situation where they
would have to join millions of
others presently on the move,
seeking employment wherever
they can find it? Are you aware
of the starvation wages and ter
rible living conditions under
which migrants work? Are you
cognizant of the deplorable con-
ditions of migrant children as
they wander from camp to
camp? Are you saying this coun-
ty should forsake the implica-
ton inherent in the injunction,
"Am l My Brothers Keeper" in
order that the taxpayers may
save a few pennies on their tax
bills at the expense of these UNI
fortunates?
No, the answer to this problem
lies in an understanding by the
total community that it must
accept its responsibilities for
these unemployed employa-
bles" under a set of standards
which would guarantee the prop
er use of public funds on the
one hand and give some assur-
ance to these people that their
temporary financial plight will
be handled by the community
in a dignified manner.
May / suggest that you re-
study the historical reasons for
the great advances we have
made as a nation in solving
many great social and economic
problems. You will find the So
cial worker in the vanguard of
those forces whose main concern
is the welfare of all the people.
Social workers have proved for
generations their concern for re-
hn hilitnti,nr i,ndi,idnnlc AID fam