The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-08-01
HIGH OFFICIALS
LAUNCH SLUM
PROJECT HERE
Gov. McNutt, Col. HaCkett
Are Among Speakers
at Ceremony.

was under way today following the
official ground breaking ceremonies
late Yesterday for the three-million-
dollar Federal project opposite City
Hospital.
Indianapolis is to be congratu-
lated upon being awarded one of
the first low-rent housing develop
ments," Gov Paul V. McNutt told
the crowd ringed seven or eight
deep in the weeds about the speak
ers' stand.
A dozen feet from the stand four
Negro children fused in whispers
over possession Of a portion Of a
huge care board carton 1t afforded
scant protection from the blistering
sun for one, and the three boys and
the girl, none over eight, each want
cd sole ownership
Governor Outlines Need
This tract of land" the Gov
ernor told the crowd and a radio
audience, is one of IL in the city
which contained only &c per cent of
the population, but absorbed Is per
cent of the city's social services"
The quietly but bitterly sqCabbling
children were in tatters end rags
Two Of the boys wore mere wispy
remnants of shirts.
Lack of sunlight and opportunity
for recreation and outdoor develop
ment Of children make breeding
grounds for tuberculosis and other
diseases" the Governor said.
Il got here first" the scrawniest
but most determined of the chill
dren whispered shrilly. He was
being tugged and pulled from the
comfort of the cardboard floor" Of
his retreat to the stubble of freshly
cut weeds.
Negro Attorney Speaks
"Truants and juvenile delinquents
are concentrated in physically de
Perforated areas" the Governor said.
His crest of silvery hair contrasted
strongly with the deep tan of his
healthy youthful face above the
startling whiteness of MS summer
suit
The first "homesteader" in the
cardboard box was being Ousted by
sheer weight Of numbers and ply
steal force of the invading squat
terS" He hardly knew whether 70
weep tears of defeat or scream to
this world of assembled great the
injustice being perpetrated against
him.
Robert L. Bailey, Negro attorney
and former assistant attorney gen.
eral, spoke to the deep ring of faces
of his own race.
Termed Joy and Comfort
This project" he said, will bring
jOy and comfort to the hearts of
the average wage-earner of color"
He dwelt upon the present social
cost to indianapolis of caring for its
Negro residents. He told how Slums
accounted for much of that ex-
pense.
u see black Rachels weeping for
their loved ones because they
failed to survive living conditions in
which a hog would have died." he
said
The smallest and scrawniest of
the four children had gained a tenn
porary advantage. His thin little
body was wedged between the back
of the cardboard box and the stur-
diest of the intruders. A pho
tographer had stopped their bick-
ering momentarily to shoot" them
and the lad had made the most of
the opportunity. He sweated but
smiled triumphantly.
Hackett Speaks Briefly
And then Col. HOratiO B. Hack
cit. PWA's first assistant admins
traitor. right-hand man to Harold
L. RickeS. Secretary of the Interior,
in the housing program, spoke.
He said probably not more than
a hundred words, but all of them
seemed addressed in significance to
the four children jam-packed and
quietly struggling in the portion OF
a cardboard box.
1T is the aim Of this project" he
said, Ito provide houses with light.
airy rooms into which the sun can
shine; parks and playground where
children can play and be healthy
and become good citizens. l believe
healthy bodies and training are
the way to good citizenship. This is
to provide that opportunity for those
who now lack it."
Mayor John w. Kern and the en-
tourage of Col. Hackett we're intro
duced to the throng standing per-
spring in the hot sun. and then the
chairman. William H Trimble, end
cd the hour-long program. A little
later a power shovel climbed the
curb in the manner of an antedilu-
Wan monster and leiSurely scooped
up a Shoveful OF dirt as the photo
graplyars snapped their pictures.
Ultimately. the project started
yesterday Afternoon will provide
housing for $50 Negro families. with
ample parks and Fairgrounds. Its
construction will employ part-time
some 5000 workers. it was estimated.
Col Hackett and his encourage
left Indianapolis this morning by
airplane for st. Louis after a dinner
last night in the indianapolis Ath-
letic Club in their honor. attended
by the Governor. the Mayor and
many other city and state notableS.
other Projects Inspected
Between the ground breaking and
and the dinner the group inspected
all the ma or PWA projects in In
dianapoliS.
With the colonel we're Edward H.
Foley Jr. PWA legal division direc-
tor: Philip NJ Benton. PWA finance
division director; Michael w. Straus
PWA publicity director: Clarence
McDonough. PWA engineer. and
Joseph K. VinSOn. PWA secretary.
The flying Westinghouse are
making a 14-day air tour in which
they expect to inspect PWA prof.
ects in virtually every state in the