Washington (State). Emergency Relief Administration

The Washington State Legislature passed the McDonald Act (House Bill 35) in Jan. 1933. Its purpose was to "relieve the people of the state from hardships and suffering caused by unemployment; creating and defining the duties of an emergency relief administration, and making an appropriation for such purpose; providing penalties, and declaring that this act shall take effect immediately" (Laws of Washington, 1933, Chapter 8). This act provided a five member commission (Emergency Relief Commission), to be appointed by the governor to head the administration. Serving under and chosen by the commission was the chief executive officer with the title of Director. The first and only director of the Washington Emergency Relief Administration (WERA) was Charles F. Ernst. The county administrative unit was also set up under this act.

WERA began operation in Apr. 1934. It was supported by federal funds which were placed in a trust account in Governor Martin's name. The governor released these funds in a lump sum to the WERA distributing officer. Applications for funds were made to the governor. WERA was the first centralized system of public welfare relief in the state. A number of federally instituted and financed programs were under its jurisdiction, such as: National Reemployment, Civil Works Administration, Civilian Conservation Corps, and Surplus Commodity Redistribution. There were nine divisions of WERA. They were: Relief, Works, Rural Relief, Surplus Commodities, Adult Education, Auditing, Purchasing, Disbursing and Injury Relief. Work centers, such as sewing rooms were operated also. Relief given consisted of home or direct relief and work relief. "Home Relief" was "shelter, food, clothing, water, light, necessary household supplies, medicine, medical supplies, and medical attendance furnished to persons or their dependents in their abode or habitation whenever possible and does not include relief to veterans under existing laws, old age relief, or allowance made to mothers for care of dependent children or hospital or institutional care." "Work Relief" meant "wages paid by a municipal corporation to persons who are unemployed or whose employment is inadequate to provide the necessities of life, and/or their dependents, from money specifically appropriated or contributed for that purpose during the emergency period, for the performance of services or labor connected with work undertaken by such corporation independent of work under a contract or for which an annual appropriation has been made." In addition to relief provided by the McDonald Act, an orderly method for dissolution of the administration was also set. Federal programs once again became the responsibility of the Federal government. WERA was dissolved and ceased to function as of 7 May 1935, and was replaced by the State Dept. of Public Welfare, the forerunner of the current Dept. of Social and Health Services. Charles F. Ernst became the head of this department, which continued many of the same services found in WERA. Division titles were changed in some instances but the purpose remained the same, to relieve the people of the state from the hardships and suffering caused by unemployment.

From the description of Records of the Washington Emergency Relief Administration, 1919-1940. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 154690257