The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-02-24
CWAPAY ROLL
CUTS ORDERED
FROM CAPITAL
JobIess to Be Eligible for
Direct Relief, Times
Reporter Learns.
BY TOM KENNEDY,
Tiroes Sta F Writer

Indiana are being discharged.
Daily hundreds of those workers
write to or call The Indianapolis
Times, charging discrimination in
the weekly layoffs now apportioned
in this state.
Today $4,000 men lost their pay
envelopes.
Next Friday will be the last work
day for approximately 10 per cent
more of the $500 men still in the
employ of the civil works body.
In complaints to The Times, it
is charged that World war veterans
are receiving a raw deal" and that
men with two or more children and
with war records are being fired
without notice while single men are
retained on projects.
Times Reporter Investigates
The Times, to ascertain the depth
and extent of the charges made
against CWA officials, sent a re-
porter to the Marion county CWA
offices, 237 North Pennsylvania
street, to determine the policy of
'tapering off" the pay rolls on CWA
before May 1.
The reporter gave the impression
that he was a recently discharged
CWA worker.
From this visit the following gen.
eral facts were brought out:
l. Orders have come from Wash
ington to Discharge employees at the
rate of 10 per cent each week and
these orders are being carried out.
2. This order is relayed to the
foremen of each project, without
specific instructions, and the fore
men have been doing the discharg-
Ing.
3. A great many of the discharged
workers have complained to head
quarters concerning the "discrimi-
nation" as to keeping single men at
work while those with dependents
are laid off.
No Reinstatement Provision
a. No provision is made for re-
instatementS.
5. Complaints at headquarters
are always told that if they can
not find work they will be eligible
for direct relief" for which $780,
100000 has been appropriated by
congress.
6. That an unspecified interval
must elapse after person is dis
charged and before he can make
application for direct relief.
7. Persons not satisfied with ex-
plantations of their discharge may
carry their complaints direct to the
trustees" whose office is located on
Senate avenue.
The above information was
vouchsafed by an extremely affable,
gray-haired man who occupied a
desk near a railing which separated
callers from number of girls at
work in the rear of the long, gray
paneled and trim-appearing store
which serves as part Of county
headquarters.
The grayhaired man was most
diSarming and cordial. He Sympa-
thiZed with a man with three
children" who had been discharged
from CWA. 1t was, after ALL a
rather impersonal matter. He had
heard the story before. He re-
minded his visitor about direct re-
lief which soon will be available.
Direct Relief Help
But I would rather work." he
was told
That also had a familiar ring. The
kindly man only shrugged his
shoulders.
That would be better" he agreed.
Nov gentlemen" he began, much
after the fashion of a prospective
seeker after political favor, those
of you who have been laid off can
be helped through this direct relief.
There's nothing we can do now.
There will be no reinstatements.
He was addressing the reporter
and two others 1t developed that
one of the others was truckman,
employed by CWA, seeking informa-
ton on the requirement for liability
insurance, the other widower, dis
charged that afternoon, father of
two boys, 16 and IA, and who ac-
cepted the situation stoically.
The reporter, unemployed" tenn
porarily, wanted more information
on this direct relief.
Where did you say could find
the trustees?" he asked.
Relief Wait Necessary
"Over on Senate avenue" the
kindly old man replied.
The reporter started to leave but
was called back. He was asked when
he had been discharged and replied
yesterday"
We'll, in that case you had bet
ter wait. There must be some time
elapse before you can get direct re-
lief"
William H. Book, state CWA di-
rector, said that foremen on various
projects in the county were under
orders to inform workers why they
were discharged.
Mr.. Book said no discrimination
was being exercised against certain
workers and that most of those who
lost their jobs wire single men.