Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-08-26


tician who risks hamperirg the admin
istration of necessary military laws for
the sake OF gaining possible advantage
over a political opponent.
Precedent for Aid Law
These political profiteers' have also
been trying to trade upon the tender
ness with which we all regard the rela-
tives of men in the service by spread
ing false reports about the attitude or
the Governor and Council toward de-
pendents of soldiers and sailors. The
law covering this subject. Chapter 21G
of the Public Laws OF 1917, was one of
the war emergency measures passed by
the Legislature during the time be-
tween President Wilson's message 10
Congress the evening Of April second,
1917, and the adjournment OF the Legis-
lature April 7th. 1t was one Of the few
problems which we have had to deal
with where there was precedent to
go by. Looking back to the records at
the time of the Civil war, We found that
law providing aid for dependents Of
soldiers and sailors was passed by the
Maine Legislature in 1861, amended in
1862 and again in 1853. and again
passed in rev form N 1864 The
changes made were evidently those
that grew out of experience and
we took the act of 1864 as our model
except that the minimum amount Of
aid required to be furnished by cities
and towns was made more than FIVE
times as great as in the law OF 1864
This act is generally known as the
State id Law from the fact that Il
certain amount OF money furnished by
cities and towns to dependents Of SOL
diers and sailors is reimbursed to them
by the State under the provisions of the
act. But in view of the persistent mis-
representation lately upon this point.
you should carefully note hat il
IS strictly an act providing that cities
and towns shall aid dependents OF sd
diers and sailors. Certain minimum
amounts are required TO be furnished
by the city or town and no maximum
limit is imposed upon the amount to be
furnished and no restrictions are speci-
fed as to the age or condition of the de-
pendent OF the soldiers family In
other words, the statute lays upon tie
towns and cities the duty of providing
for any needs that may arise in the de-
pendent family of a soldier or sailor In
the service of the United States. The
only condition is the existence of need
in the judgment of the municipal Off
GERS. and furthermore it is expressly
a /,
dents OF soldiers and sailors shall not be
furnished out Of pauper funds and shall
not create any rauper status on the
part Of those receiving it.
Governor and Council Do Not Decide
Cases
The Governor and Council have moth
ing whatever TO do with deciding who
shall or shall not receive financial aid
under this act. The decision rests
wholly with the municipal officers and
any failure to provide for the necess
ties of dependents of soldiers or any
payments paid for that purpose out o.
pauper funds are violations of the law
on the Tart Of the municipal officers and
Indicate either ignorance ~ carcass
ness on their part
I'm the interests o. certain candidates
for office and in some instances BY the
candidates themselves. 1t has been e.
peatedly stated that the Governor and
Council had given aid or refused to give
aid in certain cases and that towns could
not furnish aid except under the pau
per law. These statements are abso
lutely untrue and indicate either gross
crate intention TO deceive.
The function OF the Governor and
Council is solely to determine how much
of the aid paid to the dependents of SOL
diers and sailors by the cities and towns
under this act shall be Reimbursed 10
them by the State The question with
which we deal is wholly a question OF
the State on one hand and the city or
town on the other. In discharging this
duty We have done what any Governor
and Council must do under the Consti-
tuition; that is, we have administered
the law as we found it and have COM
Piled strictly with its provisions as in
terpreted TO us by the attorney gen
eral.
Limits Of State Aid
There are various limitations as to
the amount which We may legally au-
thorize to be paid by the State to the
city or town. In the first place we
cannot pay more than SO a week to any