Evening star., 1934-08-05
LEGISLATORS FEAR
spot AS P|NCHOT
TALKS OF SESSION
Spectre OF Special Meeting
HauntS Worried Law.
makers.
NEED OF RELIEF FUNDS
MAY COMPEL ACTION
Would Be Fourth Extra" Since
Governors Present Term
Began.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
PHILADELPHIA, August 4.--Penn-
sylvania's legislators are an uncom-
Portable lot these days-and the heat
has little TO do with 1t.
The grim political spectre OF spe-
cial session-just In advance Of =
general election--is haunting them.
They've been haunted by specials"
before-three times since Gov. Gif-
ford Pinchot's present term began
but now they have genuine cause for
discomfort.
Time was when the Governor said,
and repeated, II am doing all In
my power TO prevent" a special ses-
sion. He hasn't said he quit trying.
But now it appears it's his feeling
that II one Is necessary 1t should be
wide open" so the taxpayers viii
get their moneys worth"
Snarls Political Scene.
To q lot Of legislators that means
getting put on the spot" Likewise,
It admittedly would be another snarl
IN q political situation that has been
muddled to some degree ever since
Clifford Pinchot asserted his right 10
run for Office, militantiy independ-
ent of the Republican State organi-
zation.
A call for a special session would
be based on the need for unemploy-
ment relief funds. The Governor lin-
der the law Is an absolute car In
such matters. He may or may not
order q session. Me may confine
legislation to the question Of relief
needs or he may make II limitless--
wide open," Pinchot calls It.
Senator'S and Representatives, the
majority OF them seeking reelection,
say they know full wen what Gov.
Pinchot means by wide open" and
moneys worth" for the taxpayers.
They feel It means another admin
istration drive (and here's where the
discomfort comes in) TO enact social
legislation and other bills which time
and again have wrecked the calm Of
legislative halls and made the mo"
voters targets for the bristling IRE OF
Pinchot statements.
Expected This Month.
Those who speculate in politics ex-
pect the session win be called for
mid August. It would mean "spe-
cial" for each year Of the Pinchot
administration, now In its sunset.
The last three spoiled Summer and
Winter programs of the legislators
and not q few Of them lost their
political heads. A special session
costs the State about quarter Of
q million dollars. Each legislator
gets $500 for q Special" regardless
Of its length.
The States own relief fund has
been depleted since last Spring. The
Federal Government has been doing
out enough TO keep food orders roll
ing, but contributions from that
source end with August unless and
until Pennsylvania can show Harry
Hopkins, United States relief admin
istrator, where 1t Is going to get the
''wherewith" to turn back its share.
The fact that regular session is
scheduled for January apparently
does not help much.
The State had depended In great
measure on the liquor store SYSTEM
to tide It over. The Legislature ear
marked $20,000,000 from liquor pro-
fits for relief purposes. but liquor
profits so far are still theoretical.
Borrowing Is impossible without
constitutional amendment, so unless
washington relents, Pennsylvania
may have another of those meetings
the Constitution 50 accurately calls
an extraordinary session.