The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1919-07-19
INSTITUTIONS
BROKE; FORCED
TO ECONOMIC
Pressing Need for Special Ses-
sion Springs Out of Plight
Instances Cited.

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind, July 10
Indianas state-maintained institutions
in not a few instances, are not only
"broke"-they are threadbare.
Institution heads are no longer try
ing to keep up a front on an empty
purse. They are now freely admitting
that they have practiced every econ
omy possible in the way Of curbing
maintenance costs, and as result the
eighteen benevolent, corrective and
penal institutions are so run down at
the heel that It will take large sum
to rehahi1itate them
Facts showing all too plainly the
sad impoverishment Of the state insti-
tutions have been known for some
time to officials at the state house.
Governor Goodrich In deciding nearly
-four weeks ago to call special ses-
sion Of the Legislature to appropriate
money for the rapidly growing def
icits.
shortage Of funds has been acutely
felt were withheld yesterday, owing to
a desire not to embarrass the direct
ACduo Will ITOm Iuo
relatives OF wards, but it was admit
the enforced economy had reached
even to the table fare.
Can't Serve Butter.
Even butterine has virtually disap-
peared from the menus for the in
mates Of state Institutions. Butter
was ON the prohibited list long ago.
Tn 30 Ah~
where the inmates are suffering from
physical or mental ills, the supertn-
tendents have steadfastly refrained
from substituting coarse foods for
the more nourishing articles.
The food problem Is not the most
serious one that Is facing the institu-
uona, Stores of bedding. furniture
and clothing for inmates have not
been replenished, as they should have
been. for the last year or more. In
one OF the institutions 1t Is known that
all the blankets are on the verge Of
being relegated to the rag bag.
New supplies cannot be purchased
because the maintenance" revenue is
so seant that It must be used for the
bare necessities. Everything that can
be patched or repaired Is being used.
In this way the institutions are man
aging to get by" The superfntend-
ents see clearly that the day of reck-
oning must come and that the inctitu-
lions will have to be rehabilitated
at q tremendous cost because of pres
ent forced retrenchments.
Loco Labor Force
There Is one thing that the state
Institutions cannot successfully cope
with. This is the matter of labor.
There are two sides to the employ
ment problem. In the first place the
institutions have been forced to re-
duce the number or their employees
so that they would have enough
money left to make up the pay roll
Of those who were left During the
last year the remaining employees have
made demands for more wages. Wages
have been slightly advanced, institu-
ton heads say, but whenever a small
increase in salary was made. 1t meant
that the force Of employees was re-
duced another notch.
In the last three or four months the
climax was reached. The number Of
employees could not be reduced more
without paralyZing the institutions.
Neither could the wages be increased.
AS a consequence the attendants. in
StruCtOrS ana Otner workers arg leaV-
ing the institutions for more lucrative
employment elsewhere,
There is no disposition on the part
Of the institution heads to criticize the
last legislature for failing to give
them more money. During the 1919
general assembly there was a belief
that prices of food and clothing would
come down. AS the reverse has hap
pened. the institutions are up against
It.
II the special session of the legis-
lature is called within the next few
weeks 1t will be required to appro-
pirate funds to take care Of 100000
deficit being incurred by the institu-
tons this year. Plans for increasing
the revenue Of each institution will
be worked out. 1t Is probable that
a specific appropriation will be made
to each institution in addition to the
regular maintenance appropriation
made by the 1919 regular session.