The Waterbury Democrat., 1936-08-29
c0v0rs Rlkht Rages

COvoEs Eight Fake9
 Commissioner kynchN finding % the importance case covers elgnt
 pages. Tn addition, no wrote O three
 nagN memorandum ok 0eoMlon, ss The oommlaslonor gives Q lengthy sa account og the depression cflslB and of the bekinninR oe tho EZRA, and
 of the Oenofnl AsBemniyS creation
 of thO FRO to handle Che govern ,a ment funds in this state. When Che
 warehouse project began in New .ps.s Britain, Manning was given employs '' naent and received 0 hudgotAFy AlA ,q iotment Of on weekly. Tho city was
 anxious Go complete the Job, and
 Manning worked overtime, with Che
 City os New Britain voluntarily pay.
 ing him eBa6O for this work. The !" commissioner emphasizes that this
 extra payment was purely Voluns
 tAry" and does not indicate Q con-
 tract of employment with the city. Injured In 1884
 Manning was injured June 10, iO3a, ige flied 0 claim against the ntor City of New Britain, which ConaInls. n sloner Noonan dismissed after Q
 hearing. No appeal was taken, He
 lated filed claim against the Enaers gency Relief Commission. Attorney.
 General Daly, asked for an opinion . by the statA boarN of finance and
 control, that EZRA employees were
 not state employees, and not entitled ., to state compensation. Neither the ?, state nor tho city had compensation ,,, insurance covering Manning's claim. Tho sole function of the FRO, says
 Commissioner Lynch, was Co see "thAt federal funds were properly ,us administered" The claimant had no : contract with the state, he says, and
 hence the claim must bo dismissed. %. Memorandum eR Decision Commissioner Lynch follows hls , finding with the following memo. IA, fandum of decision:
 s Judicial notice may Do taken of . ,,. fact universally admitted. ft b
 borne out that . depression of exs n trAordlnarlly intensity afflicted tho .o world in iO30 and tho years subses ., QuOnt thereto, Tho unemployment ,s problem became acute, and it was . incumbent upon government Agon~
 cles to render assistance t1 worthy
 citizens in need.
 ,ps0 Tho federal government, recog.
 mixing thIs obligation, organized sev. , ,, eral agencies to relieve want Among
 these agencies was the EZRA. Un- S,, der this Act of Congress, it was
 definitely stated that those Feceiv- @. ing relief under It's terms were not to be chased aS employeJ of the ," federal government
 The present claim Is against the ,no State of Connecticut and the only
 AtNAahta0a AAfANA VIAA Ia Wl13 AkAAR AR VAAk ,,, the relation of master and servant existed between the State of Con. 7, nectlcut and the claimant ct tho tine ho was admittedly seriously in- e,f jvged. A contract of employment,
 to Do effective as such, must Do ons .nn tered into either by exproFS agree.
 ment or by implication of law. it is
 impossible to reconcile these Tos
 qniromentB with tho conditions uns
 dDr which the claimant was injured, K0 was definitely on tho relief roll
 and Q worthy object of the foresight
 of tho government in caring for the
 needy. Indeed, since ho has been
 injured no has been receiving aid
 from the same sources from which
 h0 was receiving benefits before and
 At tho time cf his injury.
 It was practically impossible for
 tho federal government to BihultA.
 neouSly set up machinery in every
 Btrto and municipality in tho coun.
 try, and at tho same time render aid
 eEiclently and promptly in time Of
 need, To obViate this dificulty it
 waB stipulated in the federal regulas
 tons that each state should coops
 crate by establishing an agency
 known aS the Emergency Relief Ad.
 IniniBtration, (ERA). Connecticut '---- established such an agency and
 functioned during ell tho time EZRA '"a was in effect and S still 50 fune.
 tioning. Tho state agency employed
 none but non.relieG workers. The , relief heneiiciarieB were selected by 70" local welfare organizations and the
 money paid to them wAs diBbursed ,, through tho ERA solely aS an Aid to l,a tho federal government. Tho money '| paid to persons on tho relief rolls " was not based on tho value Of tho .so services rendered but upon the needs , of their respective families, aseefs ss tained and determined after inves" 2 tigation and recommendation by lo'
 col welfare agencies.