The producers news., 1931-07-31
= Red Cross Relief


; stood clothing allowances NAV be
made later as winter sets in. Eff
forts are being made to get the
Red Cross to make an allowance
for fuel, and to advance money
early to pay miners to dig the coal,
but whether the Red Cross will do
this remains to be seen.
The Red Cross relief allowance
is stingy enough but due to local
agitation and the exposure of its
penury in this section by the Unit
ed Farmers League it has already
hberallzed the relief and also the
rules.
While last winter the starving
farmers of the south were onlv al
lowed $40 per month relief for a
family of five, and the food allow
ed was the most miserable and
cheapest imaginable, the relief fo1
family of five in Sheridan conn
ty is granted up to the sum of
$40 per month and in some cases
more and the food allowance is of
better quality.
The regulations here are even
much easier than in the droutb
area of North Dakota. All of which
is due to the fact that the farmers
own a paper here which insists
that they are entitled to decent
treatment productive and industri-
Gus men, victims of conditions be-
yond their control, are entitled to.
and that they shall not come crawl
ing on their bellies for that which
they are entitled to by right-for
the farmers in Sheridan county
have contributed thousands and
thousands of dollars to the Red
Cross in the years gone by and are
now entitled in their necessity to
get back generously what thew
nave SO generously given.
VI course all applicants for re-
lief do not get $40 per month.
Zach case is considered separately
and such aid allowed as NAV be
adequate. Some need more than
others, in that some have less than
others such as cows, vegetables, or
wheat they can have ground into
flour, etc. The more a person can
do for himself the less the Red
Cross will do for him. At least
that is what it says.
The Red Cross however insists
still upon one arrangement that
must be abolished, and that is giv-
ing orders on local grocery stores
for this relief, allowing a bunch of
grocery prOfiteers to gain off this
money given by the people, mostly
poor people, to relieve human mis-
cry. There is no justification for
this. The answer that these deal
ers have promised to fill the relief
orders for cost plus 1870 is no
reason. It means that out of every
SlUO,OOO sent to feed the drouth
stricken farmers $4,000 will 90 to
local dealers as profits off of char
-ty money-money that should 20
to buy more food. The Red Cross
says it is short of funds and NAV
not be able because of the terrible
economic depression be able to
raise the money necessary to carry
on until the next harvest. This is
all too true, and is another big
reason why every cent paid for
food should buy food and not pro-
vide profits to support food deal
ers in luxury, while the needy .
must skimp along on the barest
necessities.
Of course in the early days of
relief, to get quick relief to the
hungry, this cannot be avoided /.
but as the relief is systematized
and the county committee comes /
to know just what is needed. de-
pots at convenient points should
be secured, and the food bought
wholesale, all discounts taken and
made therefrom with /
the utmost economy.
No doubt people can be found
who will give their time in the
distribution.
Bids for these supplies might
even be asked for to insure rock /
bottom prices. Oatmeal and cream
of wheat, flour and vegetables
should be bought by carload to
save on freight. The flour should
all be ground by the local mills
because the mill feed is also need !
ed for the cattle. Other items
should be secured the same way
where feasible.
There is no cheaper food than
beans. The local merchants sell
beans at Is cents a pound, two
pounds for 25 cents. The best
price called to our attention local
ly, where a number of pounds
have been purchased is 10 cents a
pound. Now the writer has been in !
formed that beans can be bought /
from the farmers around Sidney
and Billings for IL to 2 cents per
pound. County trucks should be
sent for these beans which should
be purchased by the ton. This |
would bring them here for three
cents per pound.
Sheridan county has made a levy |
of six mills for the poor fund. |
Those who cannot get relief from
the Red Cross and there are lots
of them who cannot qualify for
Red Cross reliefmust be fed by
the county. This is going TO tax
the resources of the county to the
limit. The county must also buy
its supplies wholesale, so that ev-
cry penny of the tax money spent