The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1936-02-19

II n
TINE workroom's first floor has
l. Mrs. B. L., who typifies the
life story of many feminine work
ers on the sewing project.
Deserted by her husband she
was tossed for the first time in her
life into the industrial maelstrom.
Seventeen years a housewife
fitted her to cook and sew for her
daughter-and the relief line.
And now I'm sewing. This
pays on the government loan OH
my place instead of letting it lag
as did while on food relief" she
explains.
Her story of wandering mate
is mirrored by the workroom's
supervisor as picturing many of
the stories of those working on
the project.
cit seems as if the men all picked
up with the depression and loss of
jobs and moved out" she said.
T FAVE the ladies to their sew
- ing and barge to the land
scape and underpinning repair at
James Whitcomb Riley Hospital
or go out on Kessler- blvd and
watch WPA working on 20-year
dream of Indianapolis for boule-
ward encircling the city-a dream
that work-relief is to bring true.
Watch Charles West, 131
Brightest, toss shovels of earth
into a wheelbarrow in the base
ment of Riley Hospital. He is IS
and when ones sc one does not
move with the alacrity and speed
of youth. A teen-age boy could
shovel faster than Mr. West does,
but the job does not demand
speed-just conscientious effort.
Mr.. West labcrs for his $55
monthly check and says: =
I'll be doing it as long as I'm
able and as long as can get
work. We've got nothing, my wife
and I, to throw away on our WPA
checks, and if some other lob
came along I'd take it. All 7
want is work..
In another sector of the hos
pltal j. c. NJ, a skilled brick
mason, receives the top wage of
S85 for his class of labor. J.C.N.
owns an $4,000 home, 1929 value,
and he owes $4,000 on it. His WPA
wages are paying on a govern
ment home loan.
TUST let some one offer me
a. $4,000 for that home tomorrow
and see how quick I'd take it,"
says J. G. N.
Brighter days are in store for
j. G. N. for he believes he will be
one of the skilled workmen to take
a job under the Public Works Ad-
ministration when it begins a pro-
posed $15,000,0O0 work program in
schools and municipal projects of
Indiana about March Is.
Permits are needed to talk to
WPA men and women while on
project work.
Protection against radical or
CARNATIONS fomenting trouble in
the labor ranks, preventing the
waste of time through statesmen
and persons dunning for bills, is
given as the reason by county
WPA authorities for the pass"
rule.
What they do, who they talk
to- after they leave the project is
their business, but while they're
working we want them to work
without distraction from outside
sources" one WPA official said.
nNE radical group in Indiana
~ is credited with tanning tenn
pers to whitehead in Indianapolis
during December when relief
checks were late on the White
River levee project A project
Az oman, k1OlACC Ody, WdS QUCkGO Ill
the river and then the workers
rushed to the county district Of
flee at ITO S. Meridian-st.
Demands were made for checks.
Police squads were called and the
crowd dispersed when they were
told the checks would be paid on
the following day.
A strike on Terre Haute work
project was quelled after workers
protested disciplinary measures.
Both disturbances were laid by
WPA officials at the. door of a
radical organization.
While WPA workers would
sooner suffer almost literal arm
amputation than lose their JOBS
the state and county has two
groups of unemployables aside
from the person receiving grocery