From the pages of The Smyrna Times
May 24, 1934
Only $1,000 Left in State’s General Fund; Some Employees and Officials Won’t Be Paid
With the depletion of the general fund in which there is only $1,000, State Auditor J. Henry Hazel decided to suspend payment of all salaries and expenses which are drawn from this source until such time as a plan can be derived whereby the general fund will have been sufficiently replenished to make it possible for the state to meet the bills which are credited against it.
This means that for the time being at least, all state officials and employees whose salaries are taken from the general fund will have to go without their pay.
It also means that state institutions, boards, commissions and other agencies of the state government which draw from the general fund will be unable to meet these financial obligations….
There is a balance of $1,750,000 in the state school fund; a balance of $500,000 in the state highway fund; a balance of $120,000 in the state hospital fund, and a balance of $90,000 in the University of Delaware fund. The staff and employees of each of these departments will not have to worry over the state meeting their obligations, at least until sometime to come.
All other state employees and expenses must wait.
Just how this situation is going to be met has not been determined, but it is understood Governor C. Douglass Buck will call a conference in a few days of state officials as have charge of the financial affairs of the state such as the State Auditor, Treasurer, Secretary of State, and the Attorney General, on whom the others will have to depend for any opinion on the legality of any plan that may be undertaken.
In connection with the present financial crisis confronting the state, it was pointed out that the expenses incurred by the General Assembly for the special sessions it has held during the current fiscal year amounted to a sum that would have been sufficient to meet the present deficit….
Program for Memorial Day
The program for Memorial Day will start Sunday evening, May 27, at 7:30 o’clock when the David C. Harrison Post, No. 14, American Legion will hold a memorial service at the Como Theatre, Smyrna, as they have done for many years past. All the churches of Smyrna and Clayton are cooperating….
Chairman of Ceremonies will be William E. Matthews Jr., Past Department Commander. Shapley’s Orchestra will furnish the music throughout the entire program.
Wednesday will be Memorial Day, and Smyrna as usual will take a holiday. There will be the usual trend to the cemeteries to lay tributes of flowers on the graves of loved ones.
The main program for the day will be in charge of David C. Harrison Post, No. 14, American Legion.
There will be the usual Memorial Day parade which will take place at 10 o’clock, with those participating in the parade to meet at the Legion room. The route of the parade will be from the Legion room to Frazier Street to the Smyrna High School, to Delaware Street, to Commerce Street, to Main Street and on to Odd Fellows Cemetery.
The program at the cemetery will be similar to the programs rendered in former years but at this writing arrangements for a speaker and the complete program have not been made.
