The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1933-08-10
RELIEF TO Be CONTINUED
IN GARRETT THIS WINTER
State Relief Workers Explain
Existing Conditions at Pub
lie Meeting Last Thursday
LARGE NUMBERS ATTEND

In spite of torrential rain, large
group greeted Richard F. Cleveland
and Harry Greenstein, of Baltimore,
in the public relief meeting Thursday
evening at the High School auditor
ium, Oakland. More than half OF
those assembled were clients of the
Garrett County Welfare Board who
were eager to hear what the speakers
from the State and Emergency Relief
Headquarters might have to say.
A family" dinner preceded the pub
lie meeting. Members of the Welfare
Board, their wives, the clerical staff
and the social aides were asked to
meet Mr.. Cleveland and Mr.. Green
stein informally at the William-James
Hotel. A round table discussion fol-
lowed the dinner and was continued
after the public meeting.
The Oakland Band, scheduled to
play on the Court House terrace prior
to the meeting, was forced to take
shelter from the rain in the school
building and entertain the crowd
there. Mayor Grover c. Stemple made
an address of welcome and spoke with
pride of having been named for
Mr. Cleveland's distinguished father.
Mr.. Cleveland presented compre-
hensive picture of Federal and State
Relief organization. He stated that
r. F. C. funds became exhausted July
1 and that since relief funds were be-
ing drawn from the Federal Emer-
gency Relief Administration for the
States and counties unable to meet
their own relief needs. Mr.. Cleve-
land stated that almost $500,000,000
had been set aside by the Federal
Government for such purpose. This
fund is being drawn upon so heavily
by the forty-eight states that even
such an amount would not meet exist
ing needs unless states and counties
of the states do their part in helping
for themselves. The first half of this
sum is supposed to be granted on a
matching basis, Mr.. Cleveland ad-
vised, or $1.00 for every $500 spent
in relief measures. Maryland is ben
citing through a bond issue voted by
Baltimore City to care for this unem-
ployment relief problem and though
Garrett county has been unable to
qualify for a portion of the Federal
money granted the state, its relief
needs have been carried by the state.
The most heartening information
given by Mr.. Cleveland was the fact
that this relief started in April among
the distressed people in the county
would be continued through the win
ter months. A loud applause fol-
lowed this statement.
Mr.. Greenstein spoke of existing
conditions in the other three western
counties visited on the trip-Freder-
lex, Washington and Allegany-but
stated that because Garrett county
lacked other industries than mining
the situation appeared to be more
acute here. He paid a tribute to the
local board for it's efficient set-up and
stated that more than $4,000 had
been disbursed through the county re-
lief program since the first payroll,
May 6, and that of this amount more
than 80 per cent had gone for work
relief and per cent for direct relief.
Mr.. Greenstein spoke with enthusi-
asm of the great scenic beauty of the
county and expressed the hope that at
some time in the near future the nat
ural beauties of Garrett county might
be publicized and the people of Mary
land, as we'll as of other states, made
to know of the county's natural beauty
spots and the western portion OF the
state transformed into a mecca for
beauty-loving people.
Mr.. Charles w. Ream, chairman of
the County Welfare Board, gave re-
port of the work accomplished in the
county and it's status to date. He
stated the relief peak had been
reached when l, 131 heads of families
in need had been at work. Mr.. Ream
further stated that because some
other employment had opened up, he
was gratified to say the last payroll
had contained the names of only 819
men. Mr.. Ream also called attention
to the fact that only 5 per cent of the
total relief funds spent had been for
overhead expenses and that this in
cludes the social aides who are going
regularly into the homes of the clients
as friendly visitors. These aides who
were recently named by the Relief
Administrator, Miss Charlotte Will
cox, include Miss Ida V. Engle, near
Grantsville; Mrs. Jeanette Statler,
Friendsville; Miss Helen Townshend,
Oakland; Mrs. Myrtle Sollars, Deer
Park; Miss Catherine O'Donnell, Loeb
Lynn Heights; Miss Vera Ream, of
Crellin, and Mrs. Wade H. Lohr, of
Swanton. Miss Wilcox is meeting
weekly with the social aides in the
Bar Library, Court House, Oakland,
for a short intensive training course.
Following the public relief meet
ing last Thursday evening, Mr.. Ream,
Chairman of the Welfare Board, stat
ed that authority had been granted
the county board to increase the hour
ly rate for work relief from 20 cents
to 80 cents. This increased rate will
become effective August IA.