The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1936-01-09
100000 FOR RELIEF in
MARYLAND is AVAILABLE
Attorney General Tells Governor
Nice He May Disburse Amount
From Gross Sales Tax
FUND is REQUESTED

governor Harry ". Nice ana SAM
uel ]. Shanahan, chairman of the
Board of State Aid and Charity, have
asked Comptroller William S. Gordy,
Jr., to release $1OO,OOO Immediately for
relief.
The requests were made after At
torney General Herbert R. O'Conor an
nounced an opinion giving the Cover
nor authority to use the $4,000 avail
able from the gross receipts tax for
emergency relief needs.
With the cutting off of the federal
aid to Maryland last month, state off
Gals have been seeking sources of
available funds for relief purposes.
Relief checks from the state organiza-
ton were discontinued the first of the
month.
Shanahan Asks For Funds
Shanahan, on being informed of the
opinion, wired Gordy:
CAT the request of Governor Nice
and because of the opinion of the At
torney General legalizing the payment
by you of 100000 for immediate re-
lief, will you please turn over to the
board of state aid and charity that
amount"
Governor Nice, in his telegram to
the comptroller, repeated a telegram
he sent to Shanahan concerning the
opinion and then added:
IT feel that the emergency is of such
a serious nature that the sum men
toned should be at once placed at the
disposal of the State Board of Aid and
Charities and will appreciate your so
acting upon the request of that board
providing you agree with me that I'M
der the opinion of the attorney general
this can be legally DONE"
To Relief Emergency
Shanahan at his home in Eastop
said that the money would be used to
alleviate the emergency existing thru
out the state, to be distributed among
the counties and the city of Baltimore.
Governor Nice asserted that the
state sis straining every effort to ease
the situation and has and is doing
everything within its legal power to
bring about an easing of the con-
dition."
He pointed out that the Attorney
General has ruled that Baltimore and
the counties are authorized to borrow
against their credit for relief purposes
in cases of emergency within the limit
of each political subdivision.
"The emergency now exists, the
Governor said, "and, in my opinion, it
becomes the imperative duty Of these
various units to exercise their right
under the law, and to see to it that dis
tress be alleviated and that no one be
permitted to suffer.
Emergency Justifies Spending
The Attorney General pointed out
there was nothing in existing legis-
lation to prevent the city or the coun-
ties from providing additional sums
to augment revenue from the receipts
tax.
eff it is determined that the dire
emergency described to you as ex-
listing warrants the expenditure of
additional amount, it can be legally
made" the ruling said.
The Governor had asked O'Conor
for the opinion after the possibility
of using Immediately funds from the
tax had been discussed with James
M. Hepbron, director of the Baltimore
Community Fund, and Robert o. Bon
nell, head of the family welfare Asso-
citation.
No Time Limit On Spending
Reviewing the emergency grossSre
ceipts tax act, O'Conor noted that it
expires March 81. He pointed out the
act does not stipulate the time within
which the $3,5OO,OOO to be raised for
relief by the tax must be disbursed.
He said he understood the collec-
tions-more than $3,OOO,OOO within
nine months-would enable the comp
troller to disburse the entire sum.