Smyrna times., 1931-04-15
STATE WELFARE HOME" IN
PLACE COUNTY AlMSHOUSES
HOUSE CONCURS IN SENATE
MEASURE FOR $500, 900 HOME
Effort Will be Made to Have Build
ing Erected in Kent County at
Either SmYrna, Dover or Milford

Effort Will be Made to Have Build
ing Erected in Kent County at
Either Smyrna, Dover or Milford
Following a bitter fight that has
lasted many days, Senator Keith's
bill to abolish the almshouses in
the three counties and establish
State Welfare Home under the
control of the Old Age Welfare
Commission created under another
bill passed this session, was passed
by the House Friday afternoon by
a vote of 26 to 8. Those voting
against the bill were Representa-
tives Carey, Johnson, Lingo, Mes
sick, Nickle, Rupp, Scheifie and
Virden. This is the bill that after
abolishing the almshouses in each
county will establish State Wei
fare Home to take the place of the
three almshouses and appropriates
S500,O00 for the building of this
home This is another of the
measures advocated by Governor
Buck and there have been a num-
Der of bitter legislative fights over
the bill before it finally got
through. 1t is now up to the Gov
ernor for his consideration. 1t is
believed he will sign it. When it
becomes a law, the question of a
site will have to ge given serious
consideration the opinion being it
should be in Kent County, the cen
ter county Of the State. Smyrna.
Dover and Milford have already
been suggested. Before passing the
bill the House voted down an
amendment offered by Representa-
tive Clark to not have the bill take
effect until 1886. The administra-
ton of the State Welfare Home is
to be under the Old Age Welfare
Commission and Mr.. Clark in ad-
vocating his amendment argued
that the old aged pension plan is
only an experiment and that it
would be best to wait for several
years to see if it is going to work
out before abolishing the aims
houses.
Strong Appeal BY John 5. Rossell
Representative VanSciver called
the bill up and secured the priv
ilege of the floor for John S. Ros-
sell, of Wilmington, to talk on the
measure. Mr.. Rossell was a mem
ber of a special commission ap
pointed by Governor Buck to study
the matter of an old age pension
system for the State and which
commission made recommendation
to the Governor leading to the pre-
pairing and passing Of the bill
which provides for an old age pen
sion in Delaware. Mr.. Rossell dur
ing one of the strongest appeals
that has been heard on the legisla-
tive floor this session for or
against bill, pointed out what
great step forward a bill of this
character would be for the State.
He told the members that a survey
that had been made recently show
ed such conditions in the almshous-
es of the State that could and
would not be condoned by any resi-
dent of the State and that the es-
tablishment of this State Welfare
Home would eliminate these condi-
tions. The speaker commended the
House for voting down the resolu-
tion which would have continued
these conditions until 1886 and said
the care of the class of people who
go to the almshouses is one of the
most important matters of State
government. This bill after first
being passed by the Senate was
recalled from the House, but later
again repassed by the Senate and
again sent to the House.
State to Pay Half of Maintenance
The Old Age Welfare Commits
sion will decide where the proposed
new State Welfare Home is to be
built. Under the provisions of the
bill the Levy Court of each county
is to pay for the maintenance of
the persons in the home from that
county and State semi-annually
will repay to the counties so per
cent of the amount they have paid.
Under this agreement, in addition
to building the home the State will
also pay so per cent of the cost of
maintenance, which in the long run
it is thought will reduce the pres
ent cost to each county for caring
for its poor in almshouses. The
passage of a bill of this kind was
a natural follow-up of the passage
of the Old Age Pension bill.