Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-03-29
Morse Assai|s
Food WASTE
Wants D. c. Hungry
To Get SurpIuses

S%HHANCA AfAOA ~ A(NAtAO1l az vi
Oregon, today aSsailed what hi
referred to as THE wastage OF
food in Government bins while
children in Washington and else
where are going hungry.
The Oregon legislator said
both the Federal and District
Governments should cut red tape
to make surplus food available
promptly to those who need it
Senator Case, Republican OF
New Jersey, agreed with Senator
Morse that surplus food should
be used for relief purposes and
its distribution speeded.
The New Jersey senator. at a
Hearing on District welfare prob
lens, asserted that the whole
level of District welfare aid to
the needy should be raised.
Sees Problem Unmet
He said that neither an emer-
gency food distribution plan nor
a school lunch program would
really meet the problems of the
clty's poor.
Senator Morses complaint
about the failure of the Govern
ment TO make adequate use of
It's iood stocks for relief purposes
followed testimony by James w
Lewis of the Southwest Com
'munlty House. about delays in
provision of emergency help to
a Southwest family in distress.
Mr.. Lewis read a letter which
he said he received March !
from a mother of seven SAYING
that some Of her children were
unable to go to school because of
lack OF clothing and that she
was feeding her baby sugar
water because of lack of milk.
Mr.. Lewis said he spent an
afternoon unsuccessfully trying
to find help for the family by
calling a number of social agen-
cies. Eventually, the family was
helped. but he said it was not
eligible for any Government aid
because it had a breadwinner.
The breadwinner. however.
had become sick and wasn't able
to work. he said.
The family was among those
who were given emergency food
orders under the Districts emer-
gency program launched last
week.
Mr.. Lewis said the District
urgently needs to have some
governmental provision for en-.
Urgency relief He also appealed
for an increase in the size of
public assistance payments and
financial help for marginal"
families not now eligible for re-
lief payments.
Mr.. Lewis also described to the
Senators the plight of large
number of other families who,
he said. are in need of both
food and other help.
Senator Morse, who described
the situation being painted at
current hearings, as "a de-
plorable picture, said he plans
next week to conduct a personal
inspection trip into the South
west. He asked James Guinan
of the st. Peter Claver Center
another Southwest settlement
agency, to accompany him.
Mr.. Guinan told the Senators
today that many poor South
west residents are being gouged
on their rents.
Senator Morse Shocked
He said many a Southwest
dwelling doesn't deserve a
rent" He also asserted that the
District is not enforcing the
building code.
Senator Morse declared he had
been shocked on a visit to some
of the city'S housing at the rents
being charged.
Senator Clark, Democrat Of
Pennsylvania, declared We've
Just got to do something at the
Federal level" TO provide better
housing for low and moderate
income families. He also said
he hoped the District could get
some more housing inspectors.
Senator Morse. asserting that
he would not tolerate buck
passing" by Government agen-
cies on the provision of emer-
gency relief. said Congress
should cut red tape on the sur
plus food if administrators can't