Evening star., 1939-12-09
Ohio in Good Shape,
Gov. Bricker Informs,
Press and Nation
G. of G. Executive Declares
Advice From Washington,
New York Is Not Needed
~ the Associated Press.

Dy the Associated Press.
COLUMBUS, Ohio, Dec. 9.-Ohio
wants the Nation to know that the
State has hot been forced to get q
tin cup and peddle pencils In its re-
lief financing efforts.
You go back to New York and
tell them everything Is all right in
Ohio" Gov. John w. Bricker to-
day admonished one of several
newspapermen attracted here by re-
ports of near-starvation among re-
lief clients.
The Governor alluded to criticism
by Mayor Fiorello H. La Guardia
of New York City for Gov. Bricker' S
refusal to call a special Ohio legis-
lative session to deal with relief
financing.
"Ohio is in excellent shape" said
George B. Chandler, executive vice
president of the Ohio Chamber Of
Commerce. 1--WE are still able to
run our affairs without advice from
Washington or New York City"
Evidences of Prosperity.
Evidences of business industrial
prosperity and increasing employ
ment contrasted sharply with ac-
counts of suffering among the in
digent which have precipitated a
controversy between Gov. Bricker
and President Roosevelt and focused
national attention on Ohio.
The President yesterday declared
that Ohio had failed to carry out
what the administration considered
to be States obligation as he re-
affirmed a policy of placing respon-
sibility on the States for caring for
needy unemployable persons.
The Ohio Council of Retail Mer-
chants reported Christmas business
10 to Is per cent better than last
year and predicted the greatest
Yuletide trade since the halcyon
days of 1929. Cities all over the
State reported better times.
Meanwhile, several large cities,
notably Cleveland and Toledo,
found their relief situation still
critical.
Cleveland, with about 10000 de-
pending almost solely on Federal
surplus commodities for their food
supply and more than 10000 others
living on two-thirds rations, was
presented with another problems as
landlords began to evict relief clients
for non-payment of rent.
Rent is on moral obligation
basis, the Cleveland City Council
having assured landlords that pay
ments would be met later.
Poverty Amidst Plenty.
Ohio thus presented a paradox
OF poverty amidst plenty,
The States poor relief load is
100,5O0 cases, as compared with
S2.7OO a year ago, welfare leaders
said, attributing the increase to
curtailment of W. P. A. The w.
P. A. trimmed its pay roll from
267,900 persons a year ago to 1877
200, and thousands were forced
upon relief.
Gov. Bricker, assailed as heart
less by Secretary of the Interior
Ickes, has demanded that munich
palities exhaust all their resources
before asking the State for further
help. He reflected the sentiment
of a large number Of legislators,
particularly those from the rural
districts without relief financing
troubles.
The Legislature appropriated $10,-
100000 for relief this year and a
similar amount for 1910 and re-
quired the local governments to
match the State aid, dollar for
dollar.
State officials and business lead
ers insisted the extreme cases Of
want existed in a few scattered
areas, notably Cleveland and To-
ledo. But even in these sectors the
business view was bright.
Cleveland reported 24,000 more
persons at work than year ago,
an increase of 100000 a week in
pay rolls, department store sales up
to 8 per cent and anticipation of
q Is per cent Christmas trade boost.
Toledo reported department store
sales up Is per cent and employ
ment of 81 major plants at the
years peak.