Imperial Valley press., 1933-03-23
RELIEF CAR
APPOINTED To
ACT IN ST ATE
Governor ROlph Makes Surprise
Move Following Legislature S
Delay In Authorization.
BRANDON GETS NEW PLACE
Santa Barbara Man Has
Lengthy Experience In Con-
nection With Red Cross Work.
BY THOMAS B. MALARKEY
United Press Staff Correspondent


United Press Staff Correspondent
SACRAMENTO March %. -
Calfornia's "Relief Gear" appoint
ed suddenly by a governor unwill-
ing to wait while the legislature
pondered his request, set forth to-
day on an uncnarted course of re-
spcnsibility involving disbursement
and administering of many mil
lions of dollars.
Governor Rolph appointed r. C.
Branion, Santa Barbara, man of
wide relief experience to the post
of emergency relief administrator
BranionS main job will be to
handle state and federal relief
funds and see to it they are used
for what they are intended.
Last Friday the governors bill
asking for creation of the new re-
lief job, under the social welfare
department, and a $4,000 support
ing appropriation, was introduced
The legislature declined to act
speedily. Eventually the measure
worked back into a sub b-committee.
Empowered to create and finance
the job himself, the governor de-
cided to take matters into his own
hands He did not, however, take
action before consulting a group of
legislative leaders.
Finances for the new department
will be drawn from the state emer-
gency fund.
Branion's experience includes
many years with the American Red
Cross. During the past two years
he has been handling Santa Bar
bara's relief work.
"The appointment of Mr. Branion
which is purely non-political, and
which is satisfactory to the r. F.
G. representative, will give asSur-
ance the work will be done effi-
cientIy and without waste,T the
governor said.
The measure placing public util-
ity holding companies under juris-
diction of the state railroad COM
mission-designed to prevent ano-
ther "Insull collapse"-was far clo-
ser to passage today.
Offending clauses in the act, in
troduced by Senator Herbert G.
Jones, San Jose, were removed
These features included conferring
railroad commission jurisdiction
over interlocking directorates and
over transactions between public
utilities and persons or companies
holding 10 per cent or more stock.
Dodge Chain Store Tax
The assembly judiciary commit
tee tabled bill providing for tax
alton of chain stores from 500 to
$250O per store. Two stores would
have been taxed 500 apiece. In
cases of 20 or more, the tax would
have been $500 apiece.
Secret rebates between manu-
facturer and retailer which are de-
signed to put competitor out of
business, would be punishable by
$4,000 fine or one years impriSon-
ment under terms of another bill
passed out by committee. The mea-
sure seeks to defeat conspiracies to
u uoll COLilECVltlOli'
The legislature called whoa" ON
moratoriums. An attempt was made
to push through an urgency bill
empowering the state insurance
commissioner to declare a 60-day
insurance holiday during which
payments by insurance companies
and Withdrawals by depositors
would be limited. Death, disability
claims and annuities would be ex-
empted.
The measure failed of immediate
passage and was referred to COM
mittee. Assemblymen frankly said
it was time to call halt.
Information concerning Ralph
B. Lloyd, Los Angeles, and w. H.
Cooley, Visalia, the governors rep
resentatives at the federal Oil con-
ference in Washington tomorrow
was sought by resolution propos-
ed by Assemblyman James O'Con-
nor, North Hollywood.
O'Connor said he desired to de-
termine whether the state was
"impartially and adequately rep
resented at the conference"