Evening star., 1939-10-30
kcNuH Opposes Plan
To Pay Ohio Funds
Withheld Year Ago
Security Administrator
Says Bill Would Make
Congress Appeal Court
BY the Associated Press,

BY the Associated Press.
A move in Congress to pay Ohio
more than million dollars of public
assistance money, withheld year
ago for lack of conformity" to Fed
eral standards. met opposition today
from Federal Security Administrator
Paul v. McNutt.
He said that bill offered by Rep
resentative Jenkins, Republican, of
Ohio, would make Congress "a court
of appeal" from the decisions of the
Social Security Board.
Instead. Mr.. McNutt suggested a
broadening of the boards power to
grant money to the States, so that
States which gave assurances they
were correcting administrative de-
fects could continue to receive some
Federal help.
Politics Was Charged.
The board had withheld ohio's
81 1888, l60 grant for October, 1898.
on the ground that the State secur-
ity setup had been used for politi-
cal purposes.
Jenkins assailed Mr.. McNutt's S DO
sition as typical of bureaucratic
arrogance"
Il would humbly inform the ad-
mlnistrator," the Ohioan said, that
the Social Security Board is a crea-
ture of the Congress and that the
Congress made the social security
law and still has the power to re-
make 1t II necessary. His statement
illustrates how readily these bureau
Gratis reach out for power that does
not belong to them and that Con-
gress has not given them.
"Mr. McNutt puts his finger right
on the point at issue where he ad-
mlts that the social security law
should be changed so as to do ex-
actly what We are trying to do In
my bill. In 1888 the people of Ohio
and the old age pensioners of Ohio
were unjustly deprived of $1,338,-
1922 by personal chickering's between
the Social Security Board and the
State administrator in Ohio at that
time.
Justice will never be done until
this amount of money is paid. The
people OF Ohio are asking for moth
ing more than simple justice and
they are determined to get it. The
House of Representative passed the
jenkins bill without dissent. The
bill is now before the Senate and
its merits will carry it through the
Senate.
Wants Aid in Move.
'McNutt should be willing to come
right along and help us do in the
Senate what he says in his state
ment should be done by a general
amendment to the law
For Congress to vote the money
now. Mr. McNutt declared, would
constitute an unfortunate precedent
which would seriously hamper the
board in administering the grants"
He said he opposed any legislation
which would tend to introduce par
usan politics into the administration
OF public assistance on the Federal
State or local level"
Calling it unfortunate that the
aged of State or its taxpayers
should suffer as result of improper
State administration of the law, he
said that under the present law, I
am convinced that the board does
not have authority to grant them
relief"
Proposes Amendment.
He proposed amending the social
security law to allow the board. dur
ing the period of non-conformity by
the State. to make grants matching
State funds which are properly ex-
pended.
Nevertheless, he added. the board
should be flee to stop the interim
grants if the State failed to make
agreed reforms in its setup.
If such law were passed, Mr..
McNutt said, he would have no OBJ
lection to making it retroactive to
cover the Ohio case.