Imperial Valley press., 1939-02-22
Relief Worries
Olson Aides
Ru IOHN w. DUNLAP

fore the 53rd legislature IN the lace
of mounting state relief expense
agitation for increased old age
pensions and a demand for con-
solidation of overlapping reliel
agencies to slash costs.
Caring for the states needy and
aged is worrying the Olson admin
istration. State Relief Administra-
tor Fl. Dewey Anderson is appear
ing before legislators during inter-
i'm hearings this week TO explain
the policies of Gov. Culbert l..
Olson. Legislators are attentive be-
cause more than a million votes
were cast in November for the S30-
Every-Thursday pension plan; one
pension group from Los Angeles
.picketed" the Olson Inauguration
and another faction plans TO march
on Sacramento when the leglsla-
ture reconvenes March &.
Most legislators feel that pension
bills asking $50 and 500 and up
wards per month are unWorkable
at present. They are more inter-
ested in cutting costs of admins
tration, methods Of putting unem-
ployed back to work and eXamlna-
ton of suggestions to institute some
type of productive works and CO.
operative projects.
Self-Help Plans
Self-help cooperativeS are pro-
vided in an assembly bill by Ernest
Voigt, Ben Rosenthal and John
Pelletier, all of Los Angeles, giving
the state relief administrator power
to establish state exchange depotS
for exchange of surplus commodi-
ties produced by cooperative groups;
to provide factories, plants, facil1-
ties, tools, equipment and materials
for cooperative activity; and under
take public works projects.
Cooperative activities shall not
compete with private industry, the
bill says, except insofar as it shall
be necessary to relieve hardship
and destitution caused by unem-
ployment :"
Pelletier has another bill to ap-
propriate $15,000,000 to set up q
three : man employment security
commission to purchase lands, build
homes for unemployed, and provide
equipment necessary for large scale
farming.
Fight County Plan
The administration is strongly
opposed to an assembly bill by
Jeanette Daley, San Diego, and l6
others, transferring state relief
control to counties with state SUI
pervision, providing rs per cent of
relief costs to be borne by the state
and 25 per cent by the county, and
setting a 35 cents-per 500 assessed
valuation tax rate ceiling for
counties. The state relief adminis-
tration would be merged with the
social welfare department.
Sam Yorty, Los Angeles assem-
blyman, has several related bills,
including: relief may not be re-
fused if applicant refuses to work
with good cause; state pension in
crease in an amount equal to any
contribution increase voted by the
federal government; allow eligible
pension applicants to own personal
property up to $1,000; with Ver-
non Kilatrick, Los Angeles) give
preference to the goods of cooper
ative associations in public pur-
chasing.
Change Present Plan
The present $35 monthly pension
paid to persons over 65 years of
age would be changed in the fol-
lowing varied bills; $50 per month,
with $40 outside income instead of
$l5 and 60 years instead of 65;
vote at next election for $50 pen
sion over 60, without requirement
of pauper's oaths or liens on homes;
$50 per month to couples married
SO years or more; payment to those
over 60, when combined with out
side income, would give unmarried
individuals $57 monthly, married
couples $l00; $40 over 60 years;
federal aid for persons over 60;
permit pensioners to receive $25
from other sources; give pensions
to citizens in United States 25
years, regardless of citizenship.
The California youth commission
to aid young people would be set
up in bill by Senator John Shell
ley, San Francisco, Assemblyman
Maurice Atkinson, Long Beach. and
co-SponsorS. The seven member
commission would assist in educa-
tion, general welfare, vocational
guidance and job placement for
young people.
Consolidation
An important administrative move
Is consolidation of the social well
tare and state relief offices, sought
by the governor and approved in
principle by the voters in Novem-
Der. A bill by Assemblyman Yorty,
Atkinson and Jack Tenney. Holly
wood, would merge the social well
fare and state relief departments.
abolishing the present state relief
administrator and relief commits
sion. Assemblyman Paul Richie. San
Diego, has a similar bill to create
new slater department of public
welfare, with broad powers over
public and private care for aged.
blind, physically handicapped or
other dependents.
Tenney and Richie Joined in a
bill setting up a three-member eco
nomlc factual board to administer
issuance of goods certificates"
representing from $40 to 500 q
week to aged, memployables and
NEEDY unemployed. Financing calls
Z