Evening star., 1962-05-11

I eaGeQ nave peen 1oun0 nlen-
gible.
Vigorous committee discus
sion yesterday centered around
the msn-in-the-home rule and
the question of adequate day
care plans for children of for
mer relief mothers.
Racul Blumberg asked that
the record show he voted
against the recommendation
that the District support the
children while finding ways
to deal with the paramour.
Mr.. Blumberg, assistant to
the publisher of the Washing
ton Post, said, 1T seems to me
this is the woman's decision.
If she would rather have the
man in the house and not get
the money. that's her decision.
We haven't made it, she has.
ITS a question of RESPONSE
bility. The women are splitting
in the face of the community.
They're saying, I've got all
these children to support but
I'm not going to live in the
normal way. I'm going to have
a lover in the house,"
Other committee members
contended the rule punished
the children, while need was
the matter at issue. John G.
Theban, executive director of
Family and Child Services of
Washington, a private welfare
agency, said the basic question:
was society's responsibility for
the children. Very little atten-
ton is paid to the moral issue
until the mothers ask for money
to feed them, he said. It ap-
pears they can live any way they
like "as long as they do it
quietly and at their own ex-
pense."
Mr.. Blumberg countered,
There is no need for us to be
more tender-hearted about the
children than the mother is.
All she has to do is send the
man away. For the sake Of a
few involved in this thing, we're
endangering the entire welfare
program"
The committee is composed
Of representatives Of many
agencies and organizations in !
the community, as well as the 6
press. The members were
named by their groups, but
serve as individuals. {
Training Urged
Another recommendation
asks that mothers be prepared l
for employment months before I
they are taken off relief, either
at the training center or else {
where. The Recommendation Ii
is related to expansion Of the {
training center. 1f; 4af tNa :
Isadofe Seen1an, executive
director Of the Health and
Welfare Council Of the Ma
tional Capital Area, proposed
that any action relative to ex-
pansion be deferred until
study could be made Of the
kind of day care mothers al
ready trained are providing for
their children. The motion was
lost by d close vote.
Mr.. Seeman stressed he be-
lieves the training program Is
a sound thing"
I'm not challenging the pro-
gram. I'm saying it may be In.
complete" he noted. Good care
for the children should be guar
anLeeo, ne SAID.
Mrs. Ezekial Stoddard said a
check by HWC's Neighborhood !
Services Committee has shown
day care plans made by moth !;
ers who live at the Arthur Cap
per Dwellings are "haphazard." 9
Speedy Action Asked
Another committee recon- /
asks the Commits
Sioners with the greatest pos
sible dispatch" to seek money
to take part in the aid to de-
pendent children extension COW
ering youngsters of unem-
ployed fathers. The ADO pro-
gram is financed with match
ing Federal and local funds.
Congress extended it to include
these children last year. The
House already has enacted
another five-year extension.
The administration has asked
that this coverage be made per-
manent.
Still another recommends
tion is aimed at job discrimina-
tion because Of race. It asks
the Commissioners to take steps
to insure a merit hiring pro-
gram here.
The committee acted yester-
day on recommendations Of
four of its five subcommittees.
The only major item still to be
considered is the removal of the
one-year residence requirement
for relief.
j. E. Bindeman, chairman,
told the committee that after
the last subcommittee report is
acted upon he will propose that
the committee be discharged,
since it will have completed its
assignment.