The Wilmington Morning Star

STATE CHARITIES
WANT FUND RAISE
General Assembly Committee Asked For Extra Appropriation

RALEIGH, Jan. 18.-(P)-The State Board of Charities and Public Welfare today asked the Joint Appropriations committee to boost its 1943-45 biennial appropriation from the $4,315,899 recommended by the advisory budget commission to $5,033,971.

This, said Mrs. W. T. Bost, commissioner, would:

Allow adequate inspection of county homes and county and city jails;
Provide for distribution of commodities to relief families and school lunchrooms;
Give fairer subsistence to the aged and dependent children and provide care for dependent children; and
Allow more financial aid to county administration of welfare activities.

Mrs. Bost pointed out that only 18 jails in the state have been approved by the Federal Department of Justice for holding of prisoners. The Justice department allows use of 14 others for a limited time only and will not allow the use of 68 jails at all.

Last year 500 children were held in these jails. Mrs. Bost said, under conditions which were "deplorable, both from a sanitary standpoint and treatment and care of the prisoners."

At least one field agent (at a salary of $2,500, including mileage allowance) is needed to provide an adequate check on these institutions, she said.

A. E. Langston, director of commodity distribution, told the committee that more than $4,500,000 worth of food was distributed in the state last year at a cost to the state of approximately $1 for each $500 received. The major part of the administrative cost of this, he said, was paid by WPA, which has been done away with by presidential decree.

If the state is to receive some $3,700,000 in commodities each year during the next biennium, it must provide for an administrative staff, Langston said.

This is not provided for under the appropriation as recommended by the Advisory Budget commission, he said, and would cost $149,191 each year if the legislature desired to provide for distribution of commodities to school lunchrooms only.

Under the program, Langston said, relief families get grains and cereals and certain fruits and vegetables in season. The school lunchrooms get these foods and in addition receive tomatoes, dried eggs, canned milk and other foods to provide an adequate and balanced diet.