Smyrna times., 1931-06-17
OLD AGE WELFARE LEADERS
PASS ON 100 APPLICATIONS
COMMISSIONER WV. HYNSON
OF THIS TOWN, PRESIDES
Aged Persons, With Possible Sup
port From Their Children, Are
Deemed Not Eligible

Deemed Not Eligible
The State Old Age Welfare Com
mission met at the offices OF the
commission in the Equitable Build
ing on Thursday and officially
passed on the first applications for
State aid to come before that body.
The president, DR.. c. L. Candee,
was absent, because of illness.
Commissioner w. w. Hynson, of
Smyrna, presided. Routine bust
ness was transacted before the
commission proceeded to pass on
the first pension claims. George
R. Bennett, of Milford, was ap-
pointed an investigator, in addi-
tion to those already announced.
It was learned that the staff of in
vestigators is making good pro-
gress, and is securing excellent CO.
operation in every direction. The
final and complete record of the
individual claimant requires con-
siderable information for the State
records, and all of this necessarily
consumes quite little time. The
method of procedure by the COM
mission is that each and every
case is passed upon separately, af-
ter the complete record is brought
out and the merits of the applica-
cation discussed. Thursdays meet
ing proved especially interesting
for the reason that it was the first
time the commission had formally
passed upon claims for State aid.
The first case was that of woman
at Dover, who incidentally proved
entirely worthy from the record
offered. She had, like other cases
acted upon, been receiving pension
from A. I. dupont. AS stated some
time ago, it is the purpose of the
State Commission to take over
Mr.. duPont's list complete, but
each individual case will be passed
upon only after careful investi-
cation has been made, based upon
the act defining the powers and
duuties of the commission, and the
limitations and restrictions under
which State aid may be allowed.
From the first 100 or more appli-
cations passed upon by the com
mission, it developed that in a
number of cases the Investigators
reported children or other relatives
who might contribute support to
the applicant, and in such cases
under the State law unless it can
be shown that relatives are unable
to give such support, the claim
would necessarily be denied or dis
approved. In other words the linn
itations defined in the State law
may result in certain applications
being denied, whereas they might
have been entirely in order under
the plan in effect heretofore. The
commission ascertained this early
in its Investigations and number
of applications were laid aside for
a further investigation. All OF
these will be finally acted upon
later. Section of the act Great
ing the commission states that ian
old age person, within the mean
ing and for the purposes of this
act, and under its limitations and
restrictions, is hereby defined to be
a person, man or woman, 65 years
of age or over, who has been g
resident of the United States fol
Is years and who has resided in
the State of Delaware not less thar
five years Temporary absence from
the State not being considered
who has no child or any other per
son capable and responsible for the
support of such old age person
without undue sacrifice on the part
of such child or other person, ol
! his or her wife or husband, or hi:
|, or her children, &c. &C." One Of
the commissioners stated that from
a formal examination of the frs
hundred or more applications, the
} members were inclined to the opin
J ion that this section of the bill
might prevent a favorable actor
on some cases where pensions hac
been allowed heretofore. What th'
| sum total of such cases viii
: amount to remains to be seen, anC
can only be determined after the
: commission has acted upon all ap
plications in hand. There seems
to be an impression" said the com
: missioner, that because the pen
: sion allowed comes from the Stat,
treasury, the obligations of chill
: dren or relatives are relieved tt
some extent. This, however, is no
the case, as any one can see wht
reads Section six of the State law
State aid can only be granted un
: der the law in cases where the ap
; plicant has no child or other rela
tive capable and responsible for the
support of such old age person
without undue sacrifice"