The toiler. [volume] (Cleveland, Ohio) 1919-1922, 1921-04-09
.APEN PICTURE OF
"NORMALCY'
By Gertrude c. Harmon.

ing to current report differs widely,
but feel confident that 500 of the
laboring classes of Kansas City are
at this writing out of work. This in
cludes both male and female labor,
and covers all classes from the fac
tories, R. R. packing houses, as well
as the roustabout male labor and
domestic female labor. That's rough
estimate, and ! consider it an UNDER
estimate
The Kansas City Star published
the statement in recent issue that
there were 900 families of Mexicans
in the city in starving condition,
and that there was talk Of shipping
them back to Mexico-that the Santa
Fe R. R. Co. was probably going to
donate the car fare. (Of course we
should say blessed be the generous
and philanthropic Santa Fe!) If they
carry the poor things away where
we cannot see them starve, why
that's all right then.
After reading this small and in
conspicuous item in the esteemed
Star l went into the Mexican quar-
ter. I am glad I knew where was
otherwise l might have thought my
self in the sections of starving Eu-
rope for which the charitable Red
Cross is taking up subscriptions. I
saw little babies with only one rag
several made from mill sacks-to
cover their nakedness in the raw
spring weather, and the sl.in was
sunken over their little cheecks. Their
ribs protruded, while their mothers
huddled them in skinny arms, and
looked up at me with the big melt
ing hungry eyes one may see in the
hopeless, hungry collie dog, lost in
strange town. Few of the women
could speak English. I entered just
one street. Then / went back and
bought few things at the nearest
store-all that my pocket book would
supply--pitifully little. When I re-
turned and started to give it out
was the center Of an excited mob of
tiny tots. had SC little. And / had
not the nerve to pursue the ingesti-
CATION further.
How are they being fed? They
are NOT being fed-they are starv-
ing-these poor stranded aliens,
brought up here to slave for that
devil, the R. R. company that offers
to carry them back for "sweet chari-
ty."
Unions are helping some Of the
unemployed. But mainly they arc
carrying for themselves &C best they
may. Most Of the laborihg class here
are thrifty" and they laid by q
little while the sun shone for the
proyerbial rainy day-now the rains
Of adversely are upon them, and they
are seeking out their tinw store, with
tragic eyes looking ahead to the time
when it shall be gone. Those who
have a little more, share with the
ones who have none. I know one
place where one young stenographei
is supporting four others who are
out of work, and she offered to dt
the work of two others who were
working in the office. The girls Sc
cured dingy, dirty hall bed room il
a rather questionable quarter ant
all crowd into it. Three occupy tn,
bed, and two lie on the floor. The,
shift about so as to give the TIVE
a rest in the bed every other night
while the one who works makes on,
OF the three in the bed every nigh
that she may keep up her strength
The girls are making a pitiful at
tempt to keep up a good "front'
so as to be able to secure the longet
for job. This is only one instanc
out Of many. / tell It to illustrat
how the unemployed are being "care,
for" here in Kansas City.
The Kansas City Kansan publishe
an item the other night, so ar
told, stating that 1000 had apple
for assistance in Wyandotte count
alone.
There are no bread lines-ther
Is no organized charity at all ada
quate to care for the situation. TIL
young and unattached are drifting
many Of them-the families ar
going hungry.
The schools here have put in mil
and graham crackers to serve to th
children who are undernourished, br
its not free. &c pays for a half pir
Of milk and few crackers. There
a slight profit that the teachers al
supposed to use for giving the foo
to those who cannot pay. It helT
the kiddies little-but its a yer
small drop in the bucket.
Pawn shops are reaping har,
est Of unredeemed pledges. install
ment houses are reaping in the goot
because Of defalcations in payment
Few industries are complete
closod doxvn but poost oro rvrr;v