Evening star., 1933-10-01
GETS
S,o)0,0)O FUND
FOR RELIEF WORK
Governor Wins Victory in
Washington, but Faces
Extra-Session Crisis.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch to The star.
MEMPHIS, Tenn, September So
Fresh from . victory In Washington by
which Tennessee will get 5000. 900 In
Government funds for relief work this
Winter by putting up only 100000,
Gov. McAlister now faces another crisis
because Of the public works program.
He is determined that there shall be
no extra session Of the legislature, and
50 stated to the public works board
this week in no uncertain terms. A
first rate lawyer himself and long famil-
lar with the operations Of the State
government, he cited provision Of the
Code Of Tennessee which permits cities
and towns to ISSUE Improvement bonds
up to 10 per cent Of their assessed
valuation without the consent Of the
Legislature.
But the code makes no provision for
counties. A result Is that Col. Harry
8. Berry. engineer of the public works
administration, declares that the Gov
ernor's decision leaves the counties out
In the cold. Nothing short Of . special
session, specifically authorizing counties
In his opinion, turn the trick.
Confers With Board.
Gov. McAuster conferred with the
State advisory board for more than two
hours. It was his opinion that the
necessity for and the fear Of an extra
session passed when the relief pro-
gram was satisfactorily arranged. For
two months this program has had the
Governor and the entire administra-
ton puzzled because Harry L. Hopkins,
the relief administrator at Washington,
insisted on Tennessee's raising $2,000,-
900 to match Federal allotment Of
$6,000,000. Gov. McAlister frankly
stated that it was not possible for
Tennessee to raise $4,000, 900. but that
it could scrape up 100000, and this
was agreed to-
The decision Of the Governor to
refuse a special session may bring on
an issue In State politics that will have
direct bearing on the Governors fight
for denomination and reelection next
year. The State public works board Is
planning a swing around the circle to
see II the counties are sufficiently inter-
ested IN public projects to demand a
renewal OF the special session requests.
The first of these addresses was made
early In the week in the middle section,
and they will be followed next week by
others in the eastern and western sec
tions.
Counties Lack Authority.
1t is argued by the public works
board that as the matter now stands,
conceding that the cities can act with
out legislative permission, only $l0,-
000, 900 Of the $4,000, 900 allotment can
be handled All projects must be ap-
proved by January under new regula-
tions from Secretary Ickes. and the
local unit must put up 80 per cent Of
the total cost. There Is no authority
in Tennessee for counties to issue bonds
without direct permission Of the Legis-
lature.
Gov. McAlister and his friends have
been staving of q special session for
more than two months. The main
reason is that Tennessee Legislatures
sometimes get out Of control
The worthwhile record made at the
regular session last Winter put the
State treasury on a sound basis and
enabled the State. for the first time in
five years, to balance its budget. This
was done by the issuance Of SIC, ,000, 600
in deficit bonds to take up all obliga-
tions up to July /, ad pairing down
Of State government costs Of around
So, 100000.