Evening star., 1949-09-25
Spending Up
In Most States

In Most States
State Legislatures set a record
this year for spending money.
A good deal of the history Of
the long 1949 lawmaking season.
now over in all but two States.
was written in dollar signs.
Appropriations for the next year
or two were made in 43 States
and reached new highs in 40 of
them. The total came to $12.-
355, 5,7s9.0 900.
There are many reasons for the
heavy outlays. There were de-
mands for more financial aid to
education. Roads must be built
and repaired. New and larger
mental hospitals and schools are
needed.
Millions of dollars were added
to State payrolls. Raises were
voted in "a States. They varied
greatly in the number of people
covered, ranging all the way from
a few key officials in some States
to all employees in others. The
overall result is more take-home
pay for thousands.
iOld.Age Fund Grows
More cash was placed in old
age assistance funds in 18 States.
The money goes to needy folks
IS or older. In some States the
added cash will be used to take
care Of more oldsters without any
boosts In the amounts any Of them
will get. - '--'-'', <, - -
Eleven States provided for high
er payments to individuals. Av-
erage monthly grants went up
from about $21 to $25 in North
Carolina, from SAL to $48 in Kan
sas and from $45 to about $50
in Montana.
Maximum payments were hiked
to $50 month in South Dakota,
Maine and Tennessee; to SIS in
Minnesota and Nebraska and to
$50 in Michigan.
The $50 limit was removed in
Connecticut. Future payments
there will be based on need. 1lli-
nois raised the ceiling to $65. with
the provision that it would be ad-
justed up or down as the cost OF
living rose or fell.
New proposals to pay bonuses to
men and women who served in
World War II came up in II
States, but they failed to win ap-
proval in 13 of them.
Legislatures in three states
West Virginia, Delaware and New
Jersey-agreed to put the bonus
proposition before the voters at
elections this fall or next year.
Washington State made arrange
ments to float a bond issue to
finance awards to ex-GIs. The le-
galty of that plan now is being
tested in court.
Bonus bills are rejected or side
tracked in Arkansas. Kansas,
North Carolina. Oregon, Tennes-
see, Maryland, South Carolina,
Maine, California, Montana, Okla
homa, Florida and Texas.
This is how the boxscore stands
to date:
Fifteen States are paying, or
setting up machinery to pay, ST.
952, 900 900 to 6,102, 900 vets.
That total will be raised to $2.-
TIT ,000, 900 for 8,412.000 vets in 20
States If bonus programs clear
hurdles ahead in West Virginia,
Delaware, New Jersey and Wash
ington. and pass a referendum in
Pennsylvania In November.
New Curbs on Reds
Bills that dealt with important
points of policy also earned wide
attention.
Laws curbing Communists were
enacted in IL States. The main
aim Of most of them is to keep
Communists of public payrolls.
Persons who advocate overthrow
of the Government by force are
barred from State jobs in Oregon,
New Mexico and Massachusetts,.
Loyalty oaths now are required
In seven States. The statutes COW
er all new government workers in
Massachusetts, all public EN-
Iployes. including school teachers
and candidates for public office in
New Jersey; teachers in New
Hampshire; teachers. students and
employees Of State colleges in
Texas.
i Payrollers in Kansas, Florida
and Georgia must sign oaths that
they are not members of the Com
munist Party. The laws cover all
State employees, including teach
ers. in Georgia and Kansas, and
i everybody who draws money from
public funds and candidates for
office In Florida.
i Texas denied Communists .
place on the ballot.
/ The Board Of Regents. govern
ling body on New York's educa-
tionai system, was directed to take
steps to bar members Of subversive
1 (See SPENDING, Page C-5.)