Evening star., 1940-05-15
Mrs. Roosevelt Dimes on Scent
Meal With JobIess Women
Daughters Of the Depression Jury
Condemns Conditions on Relief

Contrasts were featured deliber.
ately last night at the farewell din
ner given some 200 delegates to the
National Women's Conference on
I'm EN- pl loym n t--subtitled the
Daughters of the American Depres-
sion-at the National Press Club
auditorium.
Delegates, hailing from 20 scat
tered States, paid IS cents-if they
had the price-for q big meal. II
they couldn't pay, they dined any
way.
Mrs. Roosevelt and more than 200
other guests paid $l.25 q plate for
q scent meal-a typical relief
family's ration"
What They Ate.
The delegates had ample helpings
Of roast beef, potatoes, bread, coffee,
dessert and incidentals. The guests
had q menu worked out by the Bu-
reau of Home Economics, Agricul-
ture Department. It consisted OF q
stew that included 2 ounces Of beef,
quarter Of a carrot, a quarter Of
an onion and half a potato; a half
slice of bread, one pat Of olemar-
gargine, cup of coffee with one
spoonful Of sugar and canned milk
and one canned prune. This repast
was based on the budget OF the
average woman w. p. A. worker with
a monthly wage Of $44 and an aver
age family, computed by w. p. A.
at 81 persons.
If there was an occasional slipup
and delegate got the Scent dinner
and guest the 75-cent meal, 1t was
not the fault of the caterers, but of
the seating arrangements, since
delegates and guests were inter-
mingled.
Later the audience saw a relief
fashion show in which q young
woman appeared clothed from
shoulders to boots for 81 and an
other came on the stage in an outfit
that cost $349.40. A guest admitted
her layout had cost $475.24. The
average cost Of clothing several w.
p. A. workers and women on relief
who took the stage was reported by
them at around $2.35 each, in sew
eral instances less.
And contrasts in the two strata
Of American society represented at
the tables were stressed by the
speakers, who included Mrs. Roose-
velt, Senator Pepper, Democrat, of
Florida; Representative Marcan-
tonic, American Labor, OF New
York; Representative O'Day, Demo-
crat, of New York; Oscar Chapman,
Assistant Secretary of the Interior;
Josephine Roche. former Assistant
Secretary of the Treasury; Miss
Hildegarde Kneeland Of the Agri-
culture Department.; Mrs. Eugene
Poulnot of Tampa, Fla, a delegate
to the conference, and Helen Ca
hagan, the screen actress. Mrs.
Henry F Grady, wife of the As
sistant Secretary Of State, presided.
Jury Condemns Conditions.
Mrs. Roosevelt alluded to the ver-
dict which a jury Of eminent WASH
ington women on which she sat
for time had returned shortly be-
fore the dinner, after hearing evi-
dence from many Of the delegates.
The verdict condemned living con-
ditions among w. p. A. workers and
families on relief and called for an
adequate program of protection for
the unemployed and underprivileged.
The Presidents wife did not at
tend the final conference, at which
the verdict was drafted.
THE jury has practically agreed
with the witnesses" said Mrs.
Roosevelt, "and that shows that
when people know each other they
can agree"
She added that she was not sure
the most important thing was what
Congress or the administrati ton
could do to relieve distress, but
perhaps 1t is more important to
bring about fundamental change
In some peoples psychology"
Mrs. Roosevelt also said: I'VE
ought to know everything there is
to know about our own communi-
ties. This thing has to begin down
IN the grass roots by the education
Of the whole community"
She said the fact that these peo-
pie who had undergone such hard
ship had not lost faith in democ-
racy should inspire others to see
that they ARE never let down."
Hungry Children Pictured.
Mrs. POulnot, the relief worker,
said she had seen the time when
the scent dinner served there would
have seemed sumptuous. Often, she
said, there had been so little to eat
In the house that her children
would beg for "just another bite"
Senator Pepper said: I'VE are
hoping we can raise w. p. A. rolls
(1annalnniraI enriafv