The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1962-01-19

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worry apu.. ng we will have to wait in the cold
until our car starts, or whether water pipes will
freeze.
There are those among us, however, who have
more basic anXietieS.
THEY MUST worry whether they will have to
sleep in the cold inside, or whether they will have
to sleep in the cold outside, or whether they will have
enough food to nourish their children.
These are the poor who must look to their neigh
Dor for help, who must depend on the public relief
agency for their food and shelter.
The County Welfare Department has just an
nounced a new schedule of grants for families on
what is called General relief. This must be followed
in order to spend no more than the amount OF money
allotted to the Department.
AN INADEQUATE allotment was made necessary
by the failure of the Welfare Levy last November.
According to this new schedule of grants, a fam
ily of five people will receive $50 per month, and
nothing more. To take a living example, the &c" fam
lily, of five people, after paying rent and utilities, will
have $35 left for food, clothing, and all other needs,
which amounts to seven dollars per person per month,
or % cents per person per day.
The lack of funds for the public agencies means
greater demands on voluntary sources of help. Already
added requests for help are being received by the
Catholic Welfare Bureau, the st. Vincent de Paul
Society, the Dominican Sisters of the Sick Poor, and
st. Stephens Community House. Some of the cloth
ing collected in the Thanksgiving Clothing Drive
had to be used here at home, insted of being sent to
the needy overseas.
THE EXTRA EFFORT of private organizations
VIII UG lI0uIllClCllL u IICCI JIG WllINH II NV
being met through the officially established channels
whereby our community discharges its obligation
towards the poor. All of this raises serious questions
about our attitude toward the poor and prompts us to
wonder whether the conscience of our community is
truly Christian.
True, Our Divine Lord said that "The poor you
will have with you always" He did not mean, however,
that we should make them %starve, and live as less than
human beings.
1T is AID THAT there are abuses in the well
fare program, that there are "Chiselers." Funds indeed
must be we'll spent, but the citation of a few abuses
cannot be used to obscure the true need. These GER
tainly cannot be used as an excuse to deny help to
those truly in need, or as an excuse to shlrk our re-
sponsibility towards the poor.
The hardearned money of the taxpayers must
be we'll spent. If there are administrative problems,
these must be solved. We cannot wait some weeks or
months until this is done before we feed the poor and
provide them shelter from the icy elements. The need
is NOW
ONE BRIGHT RAY OF HoP shines through this
bleak picture. People are ware of the plight of the
needy today who never gave a thought to the well
fare problem before. Many more people are talking
about this problem today. we can hope that from this
will come a better informed citizenry. And being
better informed, we can hope that they will become
aroused to demand that our obligations toward the
poor will be met.
Monsignor Lawrence coreoran
Diocesan Charities Director