Montana labor news., 1939-05-11
PUBLIC WEI ;ARE COUNCIL ORGANIZED
Organization Elects Permanent
Officers and Drafts Resolution
Finnegan and LeFever, Presi-
dent and Secretary; O'Donnell
Retained AS Attorney.

dELENA.-Ihe statewide relief
conference called for today by the
Silver Bow County Relief Confer
ence, set up a permanent organiza-
ton and adopted a program designed
to correct the present crisis in old
age assistance, aid to dependent chill
dren, ETC., and direct relief and took
steps to secure an increase in the
WPA employment quota for Mon
tana.
The new organization will inter
vene in the Dean case, a mandamus
suit brought by the Silver Bow group
in the Supreme Court of the state
to compel the State Welfare Board
to place the present emergency be-
fore the State Board of Examiners,
so that the examiners can take the
steps necessary to provide the money
needed. Phil O'Donnell of Butte
will represent the Montana Public
Welfare Council, as the new state
organization is called, before the
Supreme Court.
In April, old age pensions, aid to
dependent children, etc, were Dr.
dered cut an average of 20 per cent
over the state of Montana by the
Welfare Board and direct relief was
cut an average of so per cent. Since
May 1st, additional cuts, amounting
to approximately 80 per cent of the
April grants, have been ordered in
direct relief.
The State Council adopted as its
policy that it is the duty of the state
to provide each of its citizens, who
are in need, with a reasonable sub
sistence, compatible with decency
and health; that the distribution of
Public Welfare benefits shall be
based solely on need Of the appli-
cants and that the amount necessary
to provide for such needs shall be
paid in cash; that the state of Mon
tana is in duty bound to contribute
the common means Of decency and
health to its citizens, whether the
Federal government contributes or
not; that the money required for
such expenditures be secured by
appropriation of the legislature or
through emergency expenditures
authorized by the State Board of
Examiners; that no case worker or
other Welfare official shall make an
award for assistance in an amount
less than is necessary to guarantee
a subsistence compatible with de-
cency and health; that in determin-
ing the need of each applicant, not
maintained in a public institution,
no state or county Welfare Board or
official shall take in to consideration
the relatives or friends of the appli-
cant or the possibility of donations
from relatives, strangers or charit-
able institutions; that a committee
of three be named to inquire into
the administration of the State Pub
lie Welfare Department and submit
its reports back to the secretary and
president; the secretary to relay the
reports, in turn, to the County
Councils or groups. The policy is to
work for an increase in the WPA
quota for Montana to 10000; sup
port the Coffee bill, providing an
additional $4,000, 900 to carry WPA
till July LIST; backing the National
Work and Security bill, providing an
expanded Federal Works program;
and support of the National Fright
to Work" to be held in Washington,
D. c., May 9th.
A resolution was also adopted,
setting forth and protesting against
the present crisis in Public Welfare
administration and urging the Gov
eTnor and Welfare Board to secure
the needed money by any available
means and calling for a special ses-
sion of the legislature if no other
means of raising the money could be
found.
Steps were also taken to form
Continued on Page A.