The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-12-11
TRUSTEES MAP
STRATEGY FOR
M'NUTT CLASH
Organization Will Battle
Administration, Leaders
Announce.
RELIEF BOARD ASSAILED
Administrative Costs Too
High, Dawson Says
in Attack.

tration's moves in the 1888 and 1885,
sessions of the Legislature to CEN
tralize state government was the
keynote of the first annual Indiana
County and Township Officials
meeting here today.
About $500 officials gathered at
the Claypool and SEVERN for both
general and unit meetings.
Anticipating g special session OF
the Legislature after the first OF
the year to coordinate the Federal
and state social security programs
the officials are prepared to stage a
formidable fight against further GEN.
tralization of state government.
They are not prepared to offer a
counter program to that being
planned by the McNutt forces, but
will battle to hold what they al
ready have, number of officials de-
clared.
The largest group was composed
of the 1915 township trustees who
will be in session the remainder OF
the week, closing Friday.
Dawson Attacks Governor
The Indiana State Association of
Township Trustees is to call upon
Gov. McNutt to give them two rep
resentatives on the Governor Com
mission on Unemployment Relief, as
provided by an act of the 1885 Leg
islature, according to Charles M.
Dawson, Washington Township
marion County, trustee, the asso-
cations secretary treasurer.
Although this allotment was fixed
by law the Governor has made no
move to carry out it's provisions,
Mr.. Dawson said. A resolution is to
be introduced today to that effect
and will be acted upon Friday.
The trustees organization is to
further criticise the Governors re-
lief commission for what it charges
are high administrative costs, off,
Gals of the association added.
Since Federal aid has been with
the administrative power was CEN
drawn in Indiana" Mr.. Dawson
said poor relief costs have been
cut at least one-third. So long as
tered in indianapolis there was con-
siderable overlapping of duties and
most of the trustees duties were
taken from him"
Miller to Speak
Although the trustees organiza-
ton is the largest unit of the Off
Gals convention, the auditors,
sheriffs, assessors, recorders, survey
ors and clerks held large unit meet
ings also throughout the day.
A second joint meeting will be
held tomorrow afternoon with John
Under, Marion County attorney;
State Senator Leo x. Smith and a
representative from each of the IL
units as the speakers.
Today's speakers at the trustees
will include Charles B. Mar
shall, assistant to Wayne Coy, state
director of unemployment relief; K.
V. zimmerman, principal of Broad
Ripple High School; DR.. r. L. Sense
Mich, president of the Indiana Medi-
cal Society; and Otto Jensen, chief
deputy of the State Accounts Board.
QUESTIONABLE Sent Out
In recent QUESTIONABLE sent out
by Mr.. Slane, the following ques-
tions were asked:
will you be opposed to any meas
ure pertaining to poor relief, old age
pensions, school administration or
any other purely local function of
government which has its ultimate
aim transfer of administrative pow-
ers from locally elected officials to
supervisors or administrative ap-
pointees by the state?
Have you already or are YOU
about to pledge yourself TO support
any legislation without opportunity
to be heard by those affected?
DO you believe there should be
any plan for any purpose, supervised
by the state for county and town
ship employees, thus taking away
from local governmental units the
right of home rule?"
Fear that most of the legislation
undertaken at the contemplated
special session would be patterned
after the recommendations of the
State Committee on Governmental
economy was expressed in the ques-
tionnaire.
Gov. McNutt reached his deci-
sion on his policy in this matter
after the Indiana State Commits
sion on Governmental Economy
created by the 1888 Legislature, re-
ported early this year.
Urged Township Reduction
The commission recommended.
among other things, that the pres
ent 1016 townships in the state be
reduced to not more than four in
each county. but not less than one.
1t recommended also that boards
OF county commissioners be dis
solved and that county councils, as
they are now set up, be the civil adj
bodies of the counties.
The State Planning Board now is
at work on surveys that doyetail
into the general scheme as outlined
by the commission. Gov. McNutt
repeatedly has said the consolida-
ton OF governmental agencies can
come only after the public has been
educated to the advantages he says
it has.
The Indiana Sheriffs' Association
will meet this afternoon to discuss
cooperative efforts in criminal in