The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-03-24
BY ELLEN S. WOODWARD
Director Women's Work Federal Emergency
Relief Administration.

'SDpyElkAt A55f DY DNlte1 Press1
WASHINGTON. March 24.-It
seems more than mere coincidence
that the federal emergency relief
administration should have deereeo
to "speedup" rehabilitation of civil
works an entire month in order to
start a new program on April 1.
To me it is deeply significant.
April 1, Easter Sunday-1934-wh
a splendidly fitting day. what an al
most prophetic day on which to
start the Presidents new program
Tor the relief Of suffering and dis
tress, for rehabilitation and re-
establishment Of security and hap
pinessl
More Abundant Life Goal
The new program in it's broad
aspect and purpose is a long step
forward toward the more abundant
life" which is the ideal of the new
deal.
Under the CWA program Just
ending, work opportunities were
given to some 100000 needy, unem-
ployed women, working on almost
every kind of job imaginable. In
fact, the resourcefulnesS of the
women directors and their assistants
in developing new and useful
projects that would provide work for
women is all but incOmprehensible.
Every woman IN the land today
knows and feels the influence and
the inspiration of the gracious and
energetic Mrs. Franklin D. Roose-
welt, our first lady. Never have
women had a stronger and more
effective ally, and one of such keen
and sympathetic understanding.
When jobs we're to be given women
she rejoiced with us all. She has
personally visited projects. She has
encouraged the efforts of women's
''"~-icns to set up projects,
and to her all women of the land
are, and should be, deeply grateful
Program Summarized
The new program has three divi-
sions:
Work divisions in towns of 5000
population and over;
Rural rehabilitation division for
rural sections and towns of less
than 5000 population;
Relief of stranded families.
In all of these women will have
an important part. Women will find
new ways Of being useful citizens.
In the rural sections women will be
found gardening; milking a COW
that has been loaned" taking care
of the milk and butter; feeding the
chickens, and doing all the tasks she
loves to do as a home-maker.
She will go about these tasks of
re-making her home with new
heart. She will learn from COM
munity information centers clever
new ways to make her home attrac-
tive, and she will have pleasant So
cial contact.
Problem a Human One
The problem has been accepted
as human as we'll as an engineer
ing problem. While home demon
Stration agents, vocational teachers
and other government agents will
lend cooperation many others will
be needed in teaching and supervis-
ing nutrition, health and recreation
activities; proper preparation and
care of food, gardening, canning,
home and yard Identification, child
care, bedside nursing, etc.
Women will be used in helping
to make parks. Fairgrounds, school
grounds and road-Sides more at
tractive.
I have had some special reports
of some small projects of cleaning
community school grounds where
women brought their own hoes and
rakes and pruning shears and
worked hard and happily to earn
few dollars. The dollars they need
ed badly, but they also needed that
certain wholesome pride that comes
with a job we'll done.
Standardization new program.