The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1935-12-05
WELFARE GROUP TALKS OF
RELIEF NEEDS OF COUNTY
State Aid Charities Officials Con-
fer With Local Board and COun-
ty Members of Assembly
RELIEF LOAD is REDUCED

Garrett county's relief situation and
the passage or adequate legislation to
raise funds necessary to conduct the
entire relief program Of Maryland,
were discussed at a meeting of the
members of the Board of State Aid
and Charities, the State Relief Admin
istrator, Garrett county welfare board,
and county members of the General
Assembly, held in the Court House
yesterday afternoon.
Harry Greenstein, State administra-
tor, discussed current conditions with
those present and listened to remarks
of Senator Clifford Friend, Delegates
Arthur G. Cullers, and Harry C. Ed
wards, and Blaine Giessman, county
commissioner.
Senator Friend considered the en-
tire relief program scandal and
disgrace and made a number of char
ges concerning the inefficiency of the
organizations in the county admins
tering the relief.
State workers more or less admit
ted that at one time the relief rolls
had a great number on them, but
pointed out that they were being
brought down rapidly through investi-
cation and that the case load at the
present time was almost half what it
was during the peak of April, 1884.
1t was the concensus of opinion that
since the relief business had now come
to the counties and the necessary
amount to support those on relief
would have to come in a large meas
ure from the county taxpayers, that
citizens would do more investigating
on their own accounts and would re-
port those on relief who were not en-
titled to it. Heretofore, it was stated,
it was almost impossible for anybody
making a complaint, to back it up
with naming those whom they were
complaining, as in most cases they
were neighbors.
The meeting was one of several held
in the State to obtain data on relief
needs and to explain the work now be-
ing carried out. State relief legislation
is to be submitted at the special session
of the legislature and the data obtain
ed will enable those charged with the
makeup of the bill to determine just
what shall go into it.
After Senator Friends remarks on
the abuse of relief here it was decided
that a non-partisan citizens committee
would be appointed to investigate a
number of those on relief, and that
Senator Friend would be one of that
committee.
Miss Ethel Miller, executive secre-
tary of the local welfare board, ex-
planned that the cases where there
We're no employable persons was PAT,
and that the total necessary to be
cared for after the WPA had taken all
employable persons, would be approx
mately $50 families, or less than 1000
within the county limits. She estimated
that costs for relief work would remain
about 81, 500 per month in the county
exclusive of WPA, portion of this
amount coming from the State and
Federal governments on old-age PEN
sions and other classifcations.
On old-age pensions the Federal gov
eminent is furnishing one-half, the
State two-sixths and the county one
sixth.
Those present from the State offices
We're Harry Greenstein, state admins
TRAITOR; Samuel E. Shannahan, chair
man, and Sidney Hollander and Thos.
B. Finan, of the Board of State Aid
and Charities.