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

planning. We're lotS petter Oh
than We were" says r.
Visit another home a few blocks
from RS and apathy and hopeless
ness are the spotlight as a visitor
enters and finds an aged woman sit
ting on a bed looking at the slivered
floor.
Her husband, in the mountaineer
twang of the hills of Kentucky,
stands, hat on, with his back to an
ill-Smelling stove and greets the
visitor with "Howdy."
His wife, both hands supporting
her jaws, never looks up from the
stare with which she fixes the sliv-
cred floor.
She talks to the visitor as if talk
ing to the floor.
Says Food Is Better
81 have been sick about four
years now and I don't think I'm 60
ing to last the winter through. I
have indigestion from those baskets.
1t was too much of the same thing.
It's better now, but I might as we'll
be in the river as be like this. Look
at that wallpaper" she command
ed between hands that muff1ed her
voice.
The wallpaper was in shreds and
the plaster was falling off bit at
time.
The place isn't fit to live in. You
can see for yourself. They say
they're going to move us or fix this
up. They haven't done it, though"
she said as she gave the floor an
extra hard stare.
Her husband tried to jolly her
with Things might be worse than
they are"
Son Helps Family
you see," he explained with an
expert shot with his tobacco quid
at the coal-bucket," our sons work
ing on the relief. He's getting SO
a week, but it isn't enough to buy
Ma all the medicine she needs. We
get three quarts of milk a day for
her. too, that we don't pay for
But the boys good about bring
ing home all his money. He's only
Is but he always hands it right
over to his Ma every week." the
husband added.
The voice of the wife broke in,
They always say things about us
Kentuckians. When 1 was we'll and
able I always worked a lot. They
say we can't work. but I've worked
lots in my time"
Nov, Nal" interposed the hus-
band with new bullseye on the
coal-bucket.
HOOyerville Is Visited
But I got to say this! That
when I was working for the family
and not nursing her last winter that
gained two to three pounds a
month just working on relief" the
husband added.
Wander down into Hooverville on
the odorous banks of White River,
in the lee of Kingan's Packing
Company, and the belief that
Shacks of the era of 4 chicken in
every pot" have gore fades as
smoke scrawls in lazy curls toward
the skyline from crooked chimneys.
Negro couples ard few white
bachelors inhabit the banks hutch
like Shanties.
Bean Days Are Over
A Negro "Auntie" leans over her
box stave fence and to query of
how she and her husband are liv-
ing, shakes her head in pretended
Woe
Poor relief. Work they call it.
Mister. it's poor relief, too. A poor
Sc a week
But pressed for opinion on
whether she is in better condition
under State and Federal control
than under the township basket
system. she says, Il can pick out
what I want now in the grocery. The
bean days are over. Thank the
Lord"
Welfare workers long ago made
Hooverville a childleSS village by
moving out all families with babies
or children Of school age.
Have No Rent to Pay
With no rent to pay, the couples
and bachelors can make their direct
relief on FERA wages spread bigger
and better slices of bread.
Drive into another sector Of the
city and visit the Widow Roe with
her five children.
The widow is one of the State
control systems mistakes.
She has been on relief since 1881.
One year ago this Thanksgiving,
she'll tell you, My man died"
Nine months after his death she
received a card from the County
relief Office notifying her husband
that work awaited him on a FERA
project.
Dead Husband Revived"
1T must have been a mistake. I
never told him my husband was liv-
ing. They took the card back. I'm still
getting a grocery order. You have
a better chance TO pick what you
want instead of taking what they
give you under the basket system.
Also I'd say the investigators come
10 see you oftener than they did
when they had baskets she ex-
plains.
A second widow who received a
posthumous card placing her hus-