Evening star., 1935-03-17
ROOSEVELT BACKS
HOPKINS IN TAKING
.OH|O RELIEF RE|NS
Gov. Davey's Campaign
Committee Accused of
"Corruption."
F.E.R.A. CHIEF CHARGES
MEET THREAT OF LIBEL
President Declares States Needy
Must Not Suffer From "Po-
litical Chicanery."
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press
Backing the relief administrator
charges of corruption" in the Ohio
Relief Administration, President Roose-
velt yesterday directed Harry L. Hop
klnS to assume entire control" OF
spending Federal relief funds there.
The action struck directly at Ohios
Democratic Governor, Martin L. Davey,
whose Campaign Committee, Hopkins
contended, had conducted a shake
down" from firms doing business with
the State Relief Administration.
Sharply Davey replied with a denial
of Hopkins charges and a dare that
he come to Ohio and face prose-
cution for criminal libel"
Doubts Farley Notified.
1T must be that he has completely
lost his head" Davey added.
Hopkins left his Office before hear
ing of the Ohioan's dare" and thus
had no immediate reply.
Questioned by newspaper men
earlier, the F. E. R. A. chief was non
committal regarding possibly far
reaching political implications.
"How's Postmaster General Farley
feeling" he was asked.
Il don't know" Hopkins replied,
asserting that he doubted" whether
the Democratic national chairman
had been given advance notice of the
action.
There's no reason why he should
have been,' he added.
Both Republican and Democratic
members of the Ohio congressional
delegation preserved guarded silence.
Senator Donahey, Democrat, said il
was the first he had heard of it,"
Prosecution Possible.
In making public his letter 10 Davey.
written in the sharpest of tones, Hop
kins said the evidence" collected by
his investigators would be presented
Immediately to the attorney general
of Ohio and to county prosecutors.
Behind him he had the Presidents
letter, asserting that the adminiStra-
ton would not permit the relief popu-
lation of Ohio to become "the inno-
cent victims of either corruption or
political chicanery." and ordering
Hopkins to go into the whole situa-
ton and let the chips fall where
In his letter the relief chief told
Davey there was "incontrovertible"
evidence that his Campaign Com
mittee had solicited in excess OF
$1,000" from firms doing business with
the relief administration.
The frank purpose of this shake
down. because it can be termed fairly
by no other name Hopkins said.
was to help pay of the deficit of
your campaign and the expenses OF
your inaugural.
Ohio Is Third Case.
THE further apparent purpose was
to make some of the officers of the
relief administration solicit these
funds in order TO retain their jobs"
Ohio was the third State, and the
second with Democratic Governor.
in which Hopkins has intervened. AS
evidence OF the Importance he at
tached to his action, he consulted the
President earlier in the day although
he already had authority to take over
relief in any State where ~ con-
sidered administration unsatisfactory.
Oklahoma relief was taken over to
stop Gov. William Murray from issu-
ing relief checks bearing his name.
but State administration later was
restored.
Two weeks ago Davey said the Ohio
State Relief Administration was in
efficient" and asked that Hopkins
step in. At the same time he said
Ohio could not put up the S2,O0O,0OO
a month Hopkins required as its re-
lief contribution.
100000 Due Next Week.
Sarcastically, Hopkins retorted that
Davey wanted him to pay the whole
bill" refused to take over Ohio relief.
and reiterated that Ohio would not
even get money for the last half of
March If an additional 81 900 900 was
not supplied.
When Ohio made available the
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