Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1961-10-19
Study of Effect
Sought Before
Slushes Sturt
By SAM EASTMAN
Star staff Writer

first on the impact that the
relief check reductions would
have on these families, Mr..
Duncan said.
The city'S other two Com
missioners, Walter N. Tobriner
and Brig. Gen. Frederick ].
Clarke. said they have no OBJ
lection to Mr.. Duncan's plan.
But both emphasized that the
deferment would first have to
be approved by members of
the congressional appropria-
tons committees.
Mr.. Duncan said today that
he has not gotten in touch
with representatives of either
the Senate or House Appro-
priations committees. The
Commissioner added that he
did not want to discuss hisO
welfare announcement further.
The key figure is Senator
Byrd, Democrat of West vir-
ginia, who is chairman of
the Districts Senate Appro-
priations Subcommittee. One
result of a drive by Senator
Byrd for a new look at Wash
ington's welfare program, with
emphasis on economy meas
ures, was the Commissioners
recent order to cut the relief
checks.
Ordered Reduction
The action by the Commits
sioners. on october 3. was to
order reduction in public as
Sistance allowances to families
with four or more children.
The order was to be effective
November |.
The ordered reduction was
81 a month for the fourth
child and 81 more for each
additional child. These well
fare allowances go to children
whose father is absent, dead
or. in some cases, incapaci-
tated.
The Commissioners decisions
meant lower checks to about
2.450 families. and saving
Of about 100000 a year to the
District.
The relief check reductions
were proposed BY Welfare
Director Gerard Shea after
Senator Byrd had urged him
to see if he could economic.
The cutback was accepted by
Congress and is reflected in
the city's current budget.
Requests Delay
Mr.. Duncan announced his
plan to request suspension of
the order for the November l
cuts after a conference yester-
day afternoon with a special
welfare advisory committee.
Mr.. Duncan said he had asked
the committee to report back
before November l on the eff
fectS of the relief cuts. The
committee. headed by the Very
Rev. MSgr. Leo J. Coady, di-
rector of Catholic charities in
the Washington archdiocese.
agreed to the study. but said it
would take more time, he re-
ported.
Mr.. Duncan said he will Of
fer. his deferment proposal at
the next meeting of the Board
of Commissioners. now sched-
uled for next Tuesday.
Msgr. Coady said the commit
tee will move ahead promptly
on the project, and that he
hopes the study will be COM
pleted before December l relief
checks go out.
Mr.. Duncan had announced
earlier that a study of the i'm
pact of the relief check cuts
would be made by welfare
officials. In support for his re-
vised plan, he cited growing
concern over the ordered cut
back. and the fact that no such
study had been conducted be-
fore the Commissioners de-
cision to make these reductions.
Others Represented
Other organizations repre-
sented on the special advisory
committee include: Family and
Child Services. Jewish Social
Service Agency. Urban League,
League of Women Voters,
Health and Welfare Council,
and the Public Welfare Ad-
visory Council.
AS an example of what the
welfare check reduction would
a family with five chill
dren which now gets $2l5 a
would be cut back to
5000.
At the October 3 meeting of
the Commissioners. Mr.. Dun
can said the District had been
between conflicting well
fare viewpoints from the House
and Senate Appropriations
Committees, and added that
the relief cuts will meet the
in as harmless
fashion as possible. :"
Mr.. Tobriner asked Mr..
Shea whether the cl1tS would