The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1935-02-21
RURAL REHABILITATION
TO BE FINANCED BY FERA
Government Aims To Put Mary
land Farmers On Their
Feet Again
WILL BEGIN IN GARRETT

Formal Inauguration of a rural re-
Mobilization program in Maryland, un-
der the direction of E. l. Oswald, on
leave from the extension service of
the University of Maryland, has been
announced by Harry Greenstein, State
Relief Administrator.
The move followed prolonged nego-
tiations between Mr.. Greenstein and
the Federal Emergency Relief Ad-
ministration, which will finance the
program in its entirety. No contribu-
ton by the State is required.
Staff To Be Organized
Immediate efforts, Mr.. Greenstein
said, would be concentrated on the or
ganization of State staff to function
under Mr.. Oswald, and budget of
$1,225 for the current month-merely
for the setting up of the personnel
already has been approved at Wash
ington.
Actual rehabilitation work will be
started in Western Maryland, accord
ing to Mr.. Greenstein, and the pro-
gram will be carried forward on a
comparatively modest scale until all
details have been worked out to the
satisfaction of State and Federal off
cials.
Thereafter, as the needs are devel-
oped, it is expected to be expanded
throughout the State.
Legislation Required
A special act of the General As
sembly will be required, the relief adj
ministrator added, in order to estab-
lish a rural rehabilitation corporation
for the State-empowering it to pur-
chase land, farm equipment and nego-
tiate other legal transactions incident
to the program.
The personnel of the corporations
board of directors has not been an
nounced, but Mr.. Greenstein said it
would include representatives, of agri-
cultural interests as well as mem
bers representing the MERA and the
FERA.
To Start In Limited Area
"For the time being" Mr.. Green
stein explained, "the program will be
conducted only in limited area and
will be confined to efforts toward help
ing farmers already on the land and
now dependent upon relief. There will
be no effort to promote 'back-to-the-
farm movement and we don't expect
to try to shift population from any
part of the State to another"
The service to be rendered to farm
ers, in addition to endeavoring to set
them on a self-supporting basis wher-
ever possible and thereby take them
off the relief rolls, will include helping
those in financial difficulties by debt
Cancellation. The corporation is not
expected, however, to make any loans
Served AS Agent Leader
Mr.. Oswald is a native Of Washing
ton county, Md, and since 1880 has
served as county agent leader for the
University of Maryland extension SER
vice. He is a graduate of the univer-
sity, having completed two courses
there, one in agriculture and the other
in horticulture.
Part of his college career he was
librarian of the Maryland Experiment
Station, thereafter engaging in fruit
poultry and general farming for about
ten years. During this period he
served as Farmers Institute lecturer
for Maryland, Delaware and Virginia
in the winter seasons and was associ.
ated with various farmers organi.
cations.
From 1918 to 1927 he was county
agent for Worcester county. He be-
came district agent for the University
of Maryland extension service in 1927
and was promoted to county agent
leader in 1880.