The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-12-08


The families were not hand
picked by social workers, pri-
vate relief agencies, or any
one connected with township,
county or state relief.
The families were in every
section of the city, of several
races and sectional character
istics.
Negroes, a representative family
from the South Side where many
former Kentuckians live, and the
foreign-born were quizzed for their
attitude on the States system OF re-
lief under the Governors Unem-
ployment Relief Commission.
Resent Need of Relief
The families with one accord re-
sent the necessity of supervised re-
lief but admit in the same breath
that they are receiving more and
better food under present direct re-
lief than they did when a basket
system or food distribution by the
township trustee was in effect.
II they are on direct relief they
are jealous. in some cases, OF their
neighbor who receives a weekly
wage on a work project.
They can not understand that
they stand on their feet as family
on the relief rolls just as they were
an entity and individual family
when the head of the house worked
in private industry.
Children Need Clothing
They feel that their work relief
wage is a bare subsistence and Woe
fully insufficient in providing ample
clothing.
Their statements are borne out
by their appearances and by the
clothing of their children.
Pictures of President Roosevelt
have supplanted the old dime-store
mcttos of, Honor Thy Father and
Mother" above their beds and
dressers.
Strength and stamina of the
family rests on the shoulders Of the
mother or wife.
Where two years ago some OF
those wives and mothers berated
their husbands fer failure 10 find
Jobs. today they have becon more
philosophical and buoy up their
husbands.
own-heartedness varies with in
dividual temperaments.
Morale Has Improved
Work relief for one-half of the
county's families has raised the
morale of fathers and mothers Of
those homes in almost an incalcul-
able manner.
"Pay-day's coming How'll we
stretch this week? What extra lit
tie luxury can we have this week?"
is the spirit of the knowledge that
there is payday again in their
home
Youthful members of the family,
the boy-men growing toward places
at industry's wheel, alternatingly
are resentful of conditions and
then buoyed by hopes of receiving
employment. They throw off the
blues with more ease than their
elders.
Girls Pick Up Odd Jobs
Girls reaching womanhood feel
want the least. Some are able to
pick up part-time work in house
holds or caring for children for
shopping neighbors in order to re-
place bedraggled dresses with newer
frocks and frills.
Knock at Rs home on S. Mis-
souri-St and seek the answer TO
whether relief is better under State
control than it was in the days
when his family got a basket Of
groceries.
r. is a big-boned individual who
found in wage relief also relief
from the wash-tub.
I used TO get so tired of trying
to do something 10 keep busy that
I helped the wife with the washing
Now I've even got my radio TO go
ing again on the S54 I earn for me
and the wife and five kids" SAYS
r. as he tunes the cheap radio set
down better to explain how he feels
about conditions.
Unemployed Three Years
He has been out Of a job since
May, 1881, until work relief gave
him an incentive and hope that
times would get better
"A fellows bound TO feel a little
better now. We've been put on our
own and that's what we want-just
a chance 10 work and live.
I'm working" with an explana-
tory wave Of the hand, "out at the
Riverside Nursery on a public work
project.
Course it isn't enough TO buy any
clothes TO speak OF and there's a
lot more We could have. But We'll
get what We need If I ever get a
good job that pays something" he
added hopefully.
Few Cents for Toys
Now the wife is feeling a lot
better about things too. and so are
the children. We've got a little
something so We can get them a few
Christmas toys. Not much, but
maybe a dime for something now
and then" says r.
RS $3.50 each week is budgeted
out by him as follows: 81 for rent.
81 for insurance. So cents for gas.
IS cents for lights. 81 for groceries.
81 for incidentals; total. sll.60
The tl.70 left over is used to at
tempt TO keep the family Of seven
IN clothing.
1t won't do il. We're not ex-
pecting it TO. And we're not COM
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