Evening star., 1934-06-09
.R|TCH|E OPPOSES
7. STATE BOND ISSUE
Terms Relief Problem in
Maryland Barely
Short of War.
By a staf1 Correspondent of The Star.

BALTIMORE, Md, June s.-De-
claring the problem presented by the
Federal Governments new policy Of
financing relief in Maryland to be
the most serious that has arisen dur
ing his administration, Gov. Ritchie
yesterday sought the aid of a group
of representative citizens" and all
other interested organizations In
reaching a solution"
Speaking at the first session Of a
special committee named by him, the
Governor expressed determined op-
position to meeting the problem
through a bond issue.
He further assailed the whole
philosophy" Of the present relief
system, expressed the opinion that
the people Of the State have not yet
grasped the implications Of the crisis,
and indicated he favored a method
of relief financed through local re-
Sponsibility."
Counties Should Take Burden.
Although the executive declined to
enlarge on the term local respon-
sibility." those attending the confer
ence said they interpreted 1t to mean
that the counties should be respon-
sible for their own relief burden. and
the cities for theirs, or that any
method Of financing adopted should
be based on that principle.
Neither Gov. Ritchie nor any Of
I.l
yesterday discussed details involved
in the situation, but dealt for the
time in generalities.
Members of the committee, which
includes T. Howard Duckett OF
Hyattsville. are to study the problem
over the week end, determine senti-
ment in their local communities, and,
If possible, make specific recommen-
dations at a second meeting Of the
committee in the executive Offices
here Monday afternoon.
Bruce Is Made Chairman.
Howard Bruce, Democratic nation
al committeeman for Maryland. was
selected chairman OF the committee
yesterday.
In his discussion the Governor
said:
When the people once begin feed
ing at the public trough it's a hard
! matter to get them away from it. But
I dare say there is not a man nor
woman in this room whose attention
hasn't been called to any number Of
cases of people being on the relief
J rolls who ought not to be there.
The whole philosophy Of the re-
lief system has got to be changed"
he declared Most of the people of
the State haven't any idea OF what
this $4,000, ,000-and until We make
it otherwise. I'll use the Washington
figure-means, nor of what Mary
lands half OF that $4,000, 900. means
to every one of them. / think that
all OF you here know it, but I am
glad to have the opportunity of i'm
pressing 1t upon you, in the hope that
you can 60 out and impress it on
those around you.
ITO my mind, 1t offers one Of the
toughest tasks ever presented to the
people of Maryland. won't compare
it to war, but to anything short
of it!''
Referring to the question OF
whether the money should be raised
by the subdivisions in proportion to
their needs, by the State, or from
other sources, he said:
Il have my own opinion about that,
but I'm not stating it. I do want to
say. though, that don't think it's
advisable to consider q State bond is
sue at ALL"
Later in his discussion he said:
my feeling is that, If the money
has got to be raised. the way to do
it Is to provide some local form OF
responsibility. I know that will be
difiicult and unpopular-but l feel
that it Is the only way to make the
people pay for it straight out OF their
own pockets in such a way that they'll
know it and feel it themselves. That
way, we might find ourselves with an
army of investigators who will make
it their business to see that We are
not paying out anything that we
shouldn't"
The trouble Is" he added. that
when people see q great big pool OF
money within their reach, they're 60
ing to 60 after it and get it. It's easy
money and it's hard to keep them
from getting it. If the fact that
they're getting it is brought more
closely home, however. the public Is
apt to be much more watchful.'