Show Put Relief Clients to Work nr THE HE second half of the letter from David R. R chairman of the Utah public welfare commission detailing changes in the state welfare state welfare laws he proposes is published on this page today Again we call it to readers' readers attention as worthy of their consideration and study Yesterday in discussing some of the proposed proposed proposed pro pro- posed changes and the general need for constant constant constant con con- stant study and criticism and revision of the states state's welfare program we did not stress sufficiently sufficiently sufficiently suf suf- perhaps one of the most important immediate problems in the administration of public welfare in Utah That is the problem of reducing the relief load both as to number of clients and total financial burden T This state and this nation are facing an increasingly serious shortage of man power for our out all war effort Hiort Already that shortage shortage shortage short short- age has become a major problem in many areas It will become more so It is of the greatest importance that every person capable capable capable capa capa- ble of contributing in large or small measure to the war effort shall play his full part That means recipients of relief who could in any way perform useful service and fail todo todo to todo do so are not only robbing the taxpayers by continuing to live on state doles but they are robbing the nation of work Idleness during this war unless absolutely necessary is as unpatriotic as draft dodging It is a form of desertion in the face of ot the enemy That this matter of getting persons on relief into war jobs isn't j justa st a personal matter matter matter mat mat- ter affecting the clients themselves but calls for action by welfare officials is proved by Connecticut's experience in getting crippled persons into jobs Through a carefully planned program of rehabilitation and special employer employer em- em f cooperation they are finding jobs for disabled persons formerly receiving relief relief relief re re- re- re lief each month They have found that approximately approximately approximately ap ap- ap- ap proximately 80 per cent of crippled persons can be placed under their system This isn't of course the only answer to the problem of getting those on relief into jobs but it Is ts a big phase of it because records records records rec rec- in Connecticut and for the nation as a whole show that approximately one third one third of those registered as unemployed most of whom are relief clients are crippled or disabled disabled disabled dis dis- dis- dis in some way What Connecticut has done is a challenge to Utah and every other state We are going to need the services of the lame the halt the blind the aged and the habitually unemployed to win this war war Putting them to work will not only cut the states state's heavy relief burden but it will be a patriotic step toward victory |