Box 5, Folder 1, Document 37

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JOMMUNITY RELATIONS COMMISSION
ESTABLISHED BY THE MAYOR AND THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN, NOVEMBER, 1966

1208 CITY HALL, ATLANTA GEORGIA sosos TELEPHONE 522-4468 EXT. 483
DR. SAMUEL W. WILLIAMS, Qigirman

THE HONORABLE SAM MASSELL, JR., Ex-Officio
President, Bourd of Aldermen

COMMISSION MEMBERS

MR. T. M. ALEXANDER, SR.
MR. R. BYRON ATTRIDGE

MRS. SARA BAKER TO: Commission Members
MISS HELEN BULLARD

MR. R. J. BUTLER
REP. JAMES E. DEAN -

NAY
MR. ROBERT DODES FROM: Nat Welch MV '

REP. C. G. EZZARD
MR. L. L. GELLERSTEDT, JR.
MR. CHARLES HART

DR. ROBERT E. LEE SUBJECT: Report On Washington Trip on 'Welfare Freeze"
MRS. F. W. PATTERSON

RABBI JACOB M. ROTHSCHILD -

MR. M. O. RYAN

MR. JACK SELLS DATE: March 24, 1969

MR. PAUL SHIELDS

MR. L. D. SIMON

MRS. MARY STEPHENS

DR. J. RANDOLPH TAYLOR

MR. NAT WELCH
Executive Director

On March 20, I took four very carefully selected welfare mothers to
Washington so that they could tell their stories directly to their
representatives. Here are the comments made by each:

A. Senator Talmadge

1. "I don't think the Congress or the state is going to let people
go hungry. "!
He said that he had voted last year to delay the ''freeze" and ''I1
see no reason why I should not do so this year,"
Talmadge was disturbed that approximately 50% of welfare cases
involved husbands who deserted their families. He strongly feels
that State and Federal laws on this should be "tightened up."

Senator Russell. He was ill. We talked with Charles Campbell a

top aid who had these comments:

l. Russell had received more mail this year on the freeze than on
practically any other subject.

2. Russell believes in:
a. Increasing Day-Care Center programs (''we have many good

federal programs that are inadequately funded").

b. Extending aid to help: people find jobs.
"Those who are able to work should work; those who are unable
to work should receive welfare benefits. The difficulty is to
separate those in need from those who should not be on the
welfare rolls."
If it came up for a vote, Campbell predicted that Russell would
vote to extend the freeze another year.

Congressman Ben Blackburn
1, We talked with him for a solid hour. He described our visit as
"helpful, ''




2 JOMMUNITY RELATIONS COMMISSION
> ESTABLISHED BY THE MAYOR AND THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN, NOVEMBER, 1966
1203 CITY HALL, ATLANTA GEORGIA $0303 TELEPHONE 522-4468 EXT. 438

DR. SAMUEL W. WILLIAMS, Gieirman

THE HONORABLE SAM MASSELL, JR., Ex-Officio
President, Board of Aldermen

COMMISSION MEMBERS

MR. T. M. ALEXANDER, 52.
MR. R. BYRON ATTRIDGE
MRS. SARA BAKER

MISS HELEN BULLARD PAGE 2

MR. R. J. BUTLER

REP. JAMES E. DEAN . . 2
Ack RORERE HOMES TO: Commission Members

REP. C. G. EZZARD FROM: Nat Welch

MR. L, L. GELLERSTEDT, JR.
MR. CHARLES HART

DR. ROBERT E. LEE

MRS. F. W. PATTERSON

RABBI JACOB M. ROTHSCHILD
MR. M. O. RYAN

MR. JACK SELLS

ee eon C. Congressman Ben Blackburn
BR i. RANDOLPH TAYLOR Although he is rfot prepared to vote ''yes' now, he predicted that
sre a Weds the freeze would be extended.
Rescues Dixeciey He is concerned that the situation is getting worse and the present
program is not working.
Although he believes ina balanced budget, he said he advocates
training programs strongly enough to go into debt to pay for them.
He asked for detailed information about children on welfare in
Fulton and DeKalb County.
a. Total number of children receiving benefits ages 0 to 5,
5 to 10, '10 to 15 and so forth.
b. Number of one child families, two child families, 5 and above,
etc.
c. Families with fathers who have deserted them,
d. Percentage of illegitimate children involved.
e. Federal and State statues on fathers who desert,

Congressman Fletcher Thompson

1, Concerned that the Federal Government is spending more money
than it is taking in.

2. "There is practically nothing Icando. This matter is in the
hands of Wilbur Mills (Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee).
He rules this Committee with an iron hand."
Thompson did practically all the talking and we had a chance to say
very little. He spent a great deal of time talking about the welfare
situation in New York City. We told him, 'We had come to discuss
the hungry people in Fulton County, Georgia."
"This is not just an Atlanta or Georgia problem but a national
problem"
"The tax Reger e are sereaming about high taxes and reducing
expenditures, '
I asked him was there anything else I should tell the press on our
visit other than his concerns. Thompson said, "I can't think of

anything else."

Our visit was well reported in the Journal, (Gonetution, WSB-TV, WAGA-TV,
and five radio stations.


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