Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1957-04-25
Frauds +.


The resigning member said the
trouble" with Welfare was not
merely but county issue, but
Statewide and Nationwide.
He said welfare director gains
esteem in direct ratio to the sums
he is able to give away. He at
tackled the "tranquilizer pill" of
the argument that Welfare out
lays are in large part supported
by State or Federal funds. 1.-THE
State and Federal governments
have no money tree" he said.
Their money comes from our
pockets, from John @. Public"
Mr.. Janney said the county
needs an improved system of re-
checking on grants to dependent
children, and better check on
the physical capabilities of those
receiving aid from the funds for
physically handicapped.
Council President Chares jam
ison sided with him emphatically.
Mr.. Jamison said he knows of
widow operating a farm in the
Poolesville Election District who
has some bum on her place"
This man has a woman living
with him, the Council head con-
tinued. The woman is pregnant
and plans to have her baby in
Suburban Hospital, with county
tax funds paying her bill. The
Welfare Board is responsible for
certifying her case as worthy, he
said.
Although she is scheming to
have her baby free, the bum"
is working steadily. "He won't
pay a dollar" Mr.. Jamison thun-
dered angrily. "When my wife has
baby pay a dollar-3O0 of
them. And I've done it six times"
Mr.. Jamison said the widow who
owns the farm was afraid to re-
port the case to the Welfare
Board, for fear the man would
burn her barn.
Mr.. Janney said he knows of a
similar case-an employed man
who plans to put his wife in a
maternity ward at county expense
although he is able to pay the
bill.
That's what some of these hill
billies are doing up my way" Mr.
Jamison told him, "and some of
them are getting the job done"
Obviously furious, the Council
president said that Welfare swind-
lerS spend all their time figuring
ways to cheat the public. And
they often do it, he added. He
sal dhe personally has been fooled
by them. "They throw this poor
old mountain boy for loss" he
conceded. II throw some of them
for a loss, though"
Mr.. Janney said he wanted it
understood he thinks the Welfare
Board docs a tremendous amount
of good" He said he has no ami
mostly towards any Welfare
Board or staff member.
THE real evil is that it is too
easy to receive welfare" he said.
There is no worse habit-forming
drug in the world. It's worse than
alcohol. It's worse than heroin.
1t will make a bum out of a man
quicker than any other thing"
Mr.. Janney called some other
witnesses before the Council. He
said each had volunteered to APP
pear.
James H. Austin, Brinklow,
charged that ANYONE can see
abuses" in handling OF Welfare
cases.
Donald Hobb of Sandy Spring
SAID ne THINKS more stringent IN
vestigation of cases is needed.
Frederick Fry, Gaithersburg,
cited "one whole clan" of Wei
fare spongers. "One stays on well
fare for a while, then gets off to
let another one of the clan get
on"
Council Member J. Grahame
Walker broke into the discussion
with the observation he had been
Withholding comment with great
constraint. II think this whole
procedure has been outrageously
unfair" he said. He said it con-
sisted of discussing "nameless
people" and without giving the
Welfare Board a chance to reply.
William Roger, Director of Wei
fare, then took the stand.