Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-03-30
Senate Action
Seen in 0ffing
On D. {. Needy
Morse, Humphrey
Seek Steps. to Boost
Free Food, Grants

ping up the Districts aid to the
needy may be in the offing.
Legislative steps may include
an increase in the city's public
relief grants. as we'll as a pro-
gram for feeding hungry chill
dren. "
Senator Morse. Democrat of
Oregon. yesterday told the
Senate his current investigation
Of welfare needs is disclosing
most serious and shocking
conditions"
He said some District children
"are getting their food out of
garbage cans"
Senator Humphrey. Democrat
of Minnesota. also speaking on
the floor, declared:
THE conditions are unpar-
donable. They can be cleaned
up and ought to be-"
Later, Senate sources said
Senator Morse has ordered quick
completion of staff studies with
the purpose Of proposing specific
legislation.
Aides See Lowe
Drafting of the legislation may
start next week. Staff aides con-
ferred at length late yesterday
with Schuyler Lowe, District
general administration director,
about welfare questions. AS an
other preliminary Senator Morse
scheduled an all-day personal
inspection tour next Tuesday
into low-income neighborhoods.
City officials also will be sum-
moned to another hearing, staff
members said, but the time has
yet to be set.
During his remarks to the Sem
ate. Senator Morse was asked by
Senator Ellender, Democrat of
Louisiana. whether most of the
city's hungry children are
Negroes.
The Senator replied he would
guess Negro youngsters con-
stituted IS per cent of the total.
Later. representatives of several
settlement houses agreed that
this was probably close to &C.
tuality.
Senator Morse said this
doesn't make any difference"
however. adding:
MY point is they've all got to
be fed"
Driven to Crime
Senator Morse heard testimony
that hunger is playing part
in leading Washington children
into crime and sex delinquency.
Mrs. Nina B. Trevvett, execu-
tive director of the Commission
ers' Youth Council. told of an
11-year-old girl who practiced
prostitution and 9-year-old
boy victimized by a man, both
partly because Of hunger. The
boy. she said, was lured with
bacon and eggs.
Another girl. 10 years old, begs
food on the street for her whole
family, Mrs. Trevvett testified.
The Youth Council director
said other children had been re-
ferred to the council because of
habitual stealing which began
with hunger.
She associated hunger with 81
of $50 delinquency cases studied
by the council in connection with
a special welfare project at two
downtown elementary schools,
Walker-Jones and Thomson.
Urges Higher Payments
Mrs. Trevvett urged increasing
the size Of public assistance pay
ments. She also urged more
f1exibility in relief rules and the
provision Of social workers in the
schools.
Other witnesses too. urged a
broader city welfare program.
Several also backed proposal
for giving additional needy
school pupils free lunches.
A proposed bill permitting use
Of city revenues for free school
lunches was sent to Congress
yesterday by the Commissioners
Mr.. Lowe said the bill was in
tended merely to cover the
lunches already being handed
out to needy students in junior
and senior high schools. They
are now charged to general
cafeteria receipts.
But Senator Morse said ne ex-
pected to have the bill amended
before it is acted on. He called
1t a "scaffold" for further en-
largement. One of the ideas the
Senator is considering is extend
Inc tho froo -1ttt1nh r1rnoraY,a inf0