El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1915-10-19
By HUBERT HUNTER HERALD
STAFF REPRESENTATIVE

EALF hEEAAEa1E "
0LIFTON. Ariz, Oct. 19.-Taking
care Of the almost INDECENT miners
and their families Of the Clifton
Morenci-Metcaif district is one OF the
many problems with which the eNecu
tive committee in charge Of the copper
strike has been dealing efficiently.
Relief is being furnished 1890 fami-
lies and $50 unmarried men, according
To the committees figures which cover
the district The very great dispro-
portion between the number of families
and of single men in need OF assistance
is pointed TO as sure proof Of the in
adequacy OF wages paid before the
strike to more than provide a bare live
lihoOd for a family, with no chance to
lay aside a few dollars for an emer-
gency-
This applies more particularly to the
miners, nearly all OF whom are Next
cans or Spaniards- While money is ad-
mittedly scarce throughout the district,
most Of the more highly paid Ameri-
can electricians, carpenters. bOilermak-
ers and other mechanics have thus far
managed by rigid economy and some
sacrifices to provide for their own fam
lies and even TO pay most Of the cost
of feeding the thousands OF less for
tunate-
Have Three Relief stations.
In Clifton. Moreno: and Metcalf is
one central relief station each, and
each town also has a mess hall for IN
married men a special relief commit
tee looks altar supplying the stations
and distributing the food, while com
mittee Of nine from the central Organi-
zatiOn aids the work
Supplies Carefully AppOrtiOned.
Issuance Of supplies is gagged care
fully according to each family's need
and its numbers Food is limited TO
the necessities such as flour, beans,
bacon and coffee Supplies other than
food are furnished as required
The Daily Bread Line
In each of the three towns line OF
waiting men forms in front Of the re-
lief depot In nearly every instance
the applicant is the head Of a family
Sometimes so are in the line. some
times 20O and it lengthens or shOrtens
throughout the morning hours
It is often said Mexicans Of the labor
ing class would happily live on charity
without work but If these miners find
any pleasure in receiving, probably for
the first time since boyhood, some
thing for which they have not worked
long. hard hours, they conceal 1t ad-
mirably. Mostly, the food lines are
sober-faced and silent
RafiOns Issued at Counter.
The doors open and the line Of men
edges up to a long counter behind
which are several reTief workers Piled
on the counter are scores Of packages
Of varying size A man presents his
claim. draws his ratlOns- and walks
out He climbs the hillside toward his
shack, knowing his wife and chil S.-t,
can now have three more meals Mul-
tfply him by $500 and you begin 10
get the scope Of the relief work
Relief for the sick. Also
Where there is sickness in the lam
fly. special assistance in the form or
doctors medicine and more oencate
food is provided
The strikers executive COMMITTEES as
serts not a needy family or individual
in the district has thus far gone IN
aided. and others have told me that
many are now getting enough 10 ear
for really the first time IN years
believe both statements, Tor 1 nave
asked the men in the bread hne ana
have gone poking about thelr shacAs
10 see for myself.
where the Miners Live
These habitatons deserve wore OF
two. They are mainly little frame
shanties. Where the weather board
ing is gone, they are apt to be consld-
erably open to the sun OF summer anu
the winters biting wind In some cases
The shingles have curled up and blown
away. letting in the rain Wheh t hs
storm clouds top the mountains or drlIt
down through the canyons along the
San Francisco river Many OF the MN
ers' shacks are as miseraoly uhIur-
ufshed as the poorest adoDes IN r.
Paso's Chihuahua. but as rule ali
Rre clean. and there is usually brave
e[forf al vines and flowers in the door
yard
Relief Begins at Home.
Some relief has been received from
labor sources outside the district ana
Miami. Douglas, Bisbee, Globe and 9TH
e. Arizona towns are expected to aid
literally with the coming payGays- Up
to the present, nea-l yal relief has
come from within The district in the |
form Of contributions Of money from in
dfviduals. credit from independent
firms and. to some extent farm produce