The Bismarck tribune., 1937-12-20
Mack Case Linns
Relief Dilemma
Officials, Taxpayers, stumpsd
by Influx Of persons on
Relief Lists !,
What to do with them7

What to do with them?
Where should they live? Who stould
take care Of them. pay their living
costs, see that they have medical
care?
Such are some Of the problems
county and state officials charged
with the difficult task of administer
ing relief to INDECENT families must
contend with and solve.
And such were some Of the problems
that faced Burleigh county authorities
when It came to deciding what to do
with I'd Mack, his wife and two small
children, whose removal to Kidder
county was stopped Saturday by an
executive order Of Gov. william
LANCER.
The Macks, contend Burleigh coun-
ty authorities, are legal residents Of
Kidder county and therefore the ex-
pense Of maintaining them should be
borne by Kidder county. Under the
present arrangement they are resid-
ing In Burleigh county and the Bur-
leigh county welfare office Il paying
the bill. And with relief funds rapid
" dwindltng under the heavy drain
caused by bona fide residents Of this
county who must get relief In order
b, live. Burleigh authorities don't feel
they can afford to support residents
Of another county. Hence the county
commissioners decision to ask court
order ordering the removal Of the
family to Kidder county.
Agreements Sometimes Made
Often residence agreements between
two counties are entered into. under
which the county Of which an INDECENT
family Is q legal resident agrees TO
remunerate the county In which that
family actually lives for paying its
living costs.
II such IN agreement were entered
into Ia this case the Macks might live
here Is they pleased, with Kidder
county paying for their care and no
additional burden placed upon Bur-
leigh's bandoll.
But there Is no such agreement
In the Mack case and therefore Bur-
leigh has borne the full responsibility
for their care. And Burleigh officials
don't feel that 1t Is right. They have
enough on their hands already, they
feel, and Whatever money they have
should be used to care for actual citt-
sens Of the county.
But IA Mack and his wife do not
feel that they should be forced to
leave Bismarck. Theirs Is the right
70 reside wherever they may wish IN
these United States as long as the
first amendment Of the constitution
holds good. they contend.
That, also, iS the stand taken BY
Workers' Alliance members who pro-
tested the enforced removal and who
stepped into the picture becsuse Mack
Is Z member Of their organisation.
They say he and his wife are not wei
enough to be moved.
A World War veteran who was In
jured while In service overseas with
Battery D Of the ssrd field artillery
Of the A. Z. r., Mack himself Is not
in the best Of health. Mrs. Mack Is
nervous, not strong. and should be
where she may receive expert and
constant doctors care. 1t was said. /
Bright Healthy Children
Their two children. about five and
seven years Old. are healthy, bright
locking forward to the
OF seuts Claus just like any
other little girls. And they don't want
to leave Bismarck. At least, thsy don't
think they do.
Monday. Mrs. Mack was sttll In the
10 which she was takan Set. |
(oontinuod a Iago TWO