Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1961-10-16

blings over welfare. The Ken
needy administration was laying
groundwork for a broad new
attack on relief problems. Quiet
work Of welfare specialists
from all parts of the country
for Health, Education and Well
fare Secretary Ribicoff was set
on verbal fire by events in New
burgh, N. Y, in June.
Two months before the Byrd
hearings. Newburgh's City
Manager Joseph Mitchell pro-
posed a l3-point relief code.
Il limited eligibility for relief,
reduced payments to relief
clients and sought to prevent
cheating. 1t jeopardized the
States right to get more than
5000 million a year for public
assistance.
The New York State welfare
board fought enforcement of
the rules. Newburgh ordered
them into effect. The fate Of
the code rests in court.
Code Significant
Newburgh's code is signifi-
cant as a symbol. Newburgh
revolted against the long-term
trend of liberalized public as
sistance. Town leaders rejected
growing Federal dominance in
the welfare field.
AS revolutionaries, citizens
there we're roundly chastised
and championed by their coun-
trymen.
A week after the Byrd hear
ings and two weeks before his
committee report. Gov. Nelson
Rockefeller named investigators
to bring him a fresh perspec-
tive" on the New York State
welfare program.
The new look" ordered in
the District by Senator Byrd is
directed clearly toward elimi-
mating the possibility of cheat
ing. checking the case spiral
and gearing programs to facts,
not theories, of need. -.
In retrospect, Senator Byrd
thinks hearings raised real pos
sibilities of free-loading; Of
case loads disproportionate- 70
population and cost-of- living
figures; and of a kind of EN-
pire building" within the Dis
trict welfare department.
Cost Triple
In the District, the popula-
ton has decreased over the
past decade. Yet. welfare costs
have tripled," he observed:
In the District, the con-
sumner price index has risen 6
per cent in the District over
the past five years. Yet, wei
fare costs for dependent chill
dren have increased 81 per
cent.
The Senator said that con
its face" the Districts rise in
welfare spending seemed to re-
suit overwhelmingly from pro-
gram expansion.
When he looked at the pro-
grams. he said he was disturbed
to see what appeared to be
shifting of SURPRISES from pro-
grammed to unprogrammed
activities. This is a compli-
Gated, internal area of welfare
financing, but an important
factor in the view of the West
Virginian.
Congress fixes spending by
activities. If the sum allowed
is not spent for one activity in
one year, the Senator noted
that leftover money was used
for something else. He made a
point of two such shifts at
hearings:
Financed Plans
One shift financed plans to
enlarge Mr.. Shea's central
staff. The Senator revealed
these plans at hearings after
information that well
fare officials were planning to
keep them secret.
Another funded a bureau to
help people made homeless by
Government action. The Sena-
tor recommended continuing
this activity, after reprimand-
ing Mr.. Shea for starting it
without congressional clear
ance.
This administrative leeway
may amount to a kind of en-
pire building within our well
fare department" Senator
Byrd said. in a recent inter-
view. If it does, it should stop,
especially since our program
already is outdistancing our
and costs of living"
He is acutely aware that he
has tied his political future, in
part, to the welfare issue.
This could go either way
for me-" he said. "In the Dis
trict, I acted because 1 found
a set of facts which on their
face indicated to me that some
thing was wrong"
Some social workers see Sen
ator Byrd as a threat. His d.
rection is toward fast cost
not long-rsnge reha-
oilitation to clear relief rolls.
they claim. To counter the
worst effects they can see in
he Byrd emphasis. they must
come up with a better idea.
TOmOrrOw-Welfare Director
Shea's approach.