Norwich bulletin., 1920-05-26
EATON SHOWS WHAT STATE
 AID FOR WIDOWS IS DOIN,

eff the state of Connecticut cannot
 trust to the honesty of local agents to
 make investigations and reports of wid-
 ows requiring state aid, why does not
 the state do it in the first place and thus
 save the town the trouble,'' inquired Se- lectman NJ J. Cheney of Milford of State Agent Robert O. Eaton at Tues days session of the state conference of charities and correction held at Center | Church house in Hartford. MT. Cheney
 resented the implication by Colonel Ea- | ton that selectmen of the towns were not | giving their best efforts to carrying out | the provisions of the law but were | looking out for the interests of the towns every minute.
 Colonel Eaton attempted to convince | Selectman Cheney that it was neces-
 sary to prote0 the interests of the state | by checking up some of the recommenda- | tions for aid made in the towns, and of fered to prove his statements if MT. Che | ney would call at his office in the capi- l tol MT. Cheney retorted that he had
 been at the capitol several times but could never find MT. Eaton there.
 The fact that several selectmen in the state had appointed themselves local agents for the administration of the widows aid law was brought out at the meeting and the allegation made that they were not capable of doing the work properly. The law provides that the ap-
 pointments must. be made by the mayors
 or selectmen of the municipalities ana
 must be accepted by the state as the in. 1 struments for Investigating and report
 ing on the cases as they are presented Five of the 16S local agents are women
 It has cost the state of Connection s72,000 for the administration of tn, Connecticut widows aid law for the ter , months it has been in operation in tn
 state, according to figures furnished b,
 Mir. Eaton telling of the progress O
 widows aid in Connecticut. Of this, s, , 051 was paid in the first three month f the law was in operation, s22,O00 fo ? the second quarter, S1,000 for the thir f quarter, and S13,S95 for the month o ! April alone.
 Colonel Eaton said that up to May s the number of applications had beel v All; number rejected, 35 alien cases d 56; aid not necessary, 45; rejected be q cause of lodgers, 3; legal settlements 3 f tuberculosis cases, 1 1; children not a d nome, 5; remarried, 3; not approved
 29o. MT. Eaton said he had written 3l - checks Monday, the checks being ser e out weekly rather than monthly, whic 1 e the work in the state A total of l .0I children have aid, and 1906 widows an d children, at cost of S225 a week, nuc less than could have been possible T. any of the state institutions.
 MT. Eaton said he knew that mn, - good was being accomplished in il .t state and that if it is possible to sho 2 the next legislature that favorable pro at ress has been made much larger a 70 propriation can be secured. The first a . propriation was S150O0O for two yeal af making total of but s75,O0O year d Ii voted to the work. The state, coun
 and municipality each pay third of f +o cost of widows aid. He said Z simiI nd laws were in effect in thirty-nine stat & and two territories in the country. a IT, ne thought the one in Connecticut W m the best of any of them. The del n into getting the widows aid mo ST " cessful operation was because of f he inability of some of the selectmen make appointments, in some instauc
 several letters being written before ii
 was done. '