The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1936-02-27
DOLE COBBLINC
UP TAX FUNDS,
STATES FIND
New Levies Necessary to
Pay for Mounting Cost
of Direct Relief.
Continued From Page One)


Continued From Page One)
stopped, There was a 30-day period
in which relief clients, although
certified to WPA, were maintained
by local funds. The result is reflected
in the reduced relief funds now
available locally.
Many forms of raising money for
direct relief are in vogue, ranging
from sales taxes to borrowing
against future state revenues.
State Taxes Employed
In Pennsylvania, amusement,
gasoline and cigaret taxes and a
one-mill addition to the personal
property tax are employed. The cost
in February will total S7,000,000,
leaving only SIT. 100000 in the till TO
cover March, April and May. Be-
yond then no plans have been made.
A special session of the Legislature
probably will be called.
Ohio recently adopted a seven
llOllbIi9 lEllCl Dllls plONlulil5 ~Ol
advances of s15,0o0,000 to counties.
Counties received "a per cent of
their total allotments in January
and % in February. In March they
will get 10 per cent, in April II per
cent, in May 10 per cent and in
June and July per cent each.
There is no provision for funds
after July 81.
Colorado has 2 per cent sales
tax In Indiana, counties have been
authorized to issue 10-year relief
bonds. New York voters last fall
authorized a state bond issue pro-
viding $35,000,O00 for direct relief,
to be Augmented by 100000 from
general state funds New York
probably can get through the year
without additional money.
Funds Expire April 1
Texas direct relief funds will ex-
pire April l. Already the state re-
lief commission is requiring local
communities to provide for all enl-
ployables on direct relief. To qualify
for state aid, applicants must take
physical examination and be pro-
nounced unfit for work.
Tennessee gives no aid whatso-
ever to direct relief. In Alabama,
Gov. Bibb Graves is talking about
luxury tax. Direct relief grants
to Alabama families average less
than $40 month. District of Co.
lUmbia relief funds will last only to
April l. Oklahoma, in a referen-
DUN election, approved only $780,
600 to last the year and care for
1885 families.
Little assistance Is being given
the dole families by community
chest or private charity funds. Only
extreme cases are accepted by such
organizations. Most of their money
goes to hospitals, Y. M. G. AS and
other semi charitable institutions.
Partisan Politics in Picture
The return of direct relief to state
or local administration is bringing
partisan politics into the picture.
Some states. such as California,
OOAOl QOO anu DuU bIlSlI
governors at the head of all relief
activities. Others let county COM
missioners or township trustees OPP
crate the purse strings.
Only where non-partiSan relief
organizations were firmly estab-
liShed prior to the Federal govern
ment's entrance into direct relief
thnU a OIO n of-n
The largest group of unemploy-
ables in New York City is that Of
the physically handicapped There
are $4,000 Of them. Deserted moth
ers with small children number $500.
State old-age pensions are being
paid out, but 5000 of the aged can
not qualify In all, the dole reaches
out to more than half million in
the nations largest city, paying the
average family $3439 a month.
In Pittsburgh and Philadelphia
more individuals are on direct re-
lief than are vorh.ns for WPA.
5000 boosters on Dole
About Sc per cent of Indiana's
10 VII QllCCu ItllSl. WIFI
township trustees handing out cash
and grocery orders. Three thou
sand Hoosier families now on the
dole are employable if jobs can be
found.
Knox County, Tennessee, mas dual
direct relief administration. The
American Red Gross looks after
needy families outside of Knoxville,
while family welfare bureau oper-
ateS in the city. The average bene-
fit per person is 81 a month.
Old age is the chief factor in
CALIFORNIA; unemployable rolls. Di-
rect state and local benefits are re-
ported adequate in both San Fran
cisco and San Diego. Thirty thou
sand new cases have been opened in
the state since Nov. /.
Payment of old-age pensions in
Houston, Tex. would reduce the tii-
rect relief load one-half, officials es-
innate, but the state has made 10
move to cooperate with the Federal
Social Security Act. FL PaSo. in the
same state, pays the dole at the rate
of $40 month a family, about so
per cent adequate.
$4,000 in Cleveland on Dole
In Birmingham 951 able-bodied
persons, mostly family heads, are ON
the dole because they got on relief
too late to qualify for WPA. Cleve-
lands direct relief rolls contain IA
600 of the same type, while in Mem
phis the number of employables de-
MED work is 1882.
In Akron. WPA eligibIes still
caught on direct relief are resentful
of their position. and the same SEN
timent Is expressed in Fort Worth.
Cincinnati relief officials conclude
that unless WPA regulations are
liberalized and quotas expanded the