Home Photo Gallery Classroom Documents My Dear Mr. President:- "Better never late but better late than never." Pardon my delay in answering your gracious letter seeking "counsel and advice" from me, a Presbyterian minister. Being out of the city hindered my immediate answer. I heartily approve of the direction taken by the Social Security act but the amounts stipulate are a disgrace. It is a mere dole. The recipient must be a pauper. Jack has a pension, so called if $15 per month but averages only $8 and is as low as $4 per month. This is a disgrace. Our letter carriers are demanding $2500 per annum. I have met hundreds who claim they cannot live on $5000. While I was college president I contacted a millionaire in New York City whose son could not live on his father's allowance of $1000 per week and he boarded at home. That son never earned a dollar. Some others had to work hard to earn it for him to squander. Local conditions are not satisfactory. The press states "Times are improving." Hundreds are securing jobs but they never mention the hundreds that are dismissed. I watched the Federal workers at Fall Creek in Indianapolis. They were simply loafers. The Federal plan to aid the rural folks in Brown County by making laws are poorly managed. Rules were made in Washington without any exceptions to the rules made, that it was practically impossible to secure loans. Eg. The farmer must have 10 acres in corn and the folks could not receive any income from corn but could on raspberries and strawberries and chickens. The rule is "no corn no loan." The best handled department, at least one of the best, was the Fuel supply for the needy. I made a survey of 250 men who were out looking for work. I asked questions and kept a record of their replies. About 40% had been out of work for over two years. 20% had received wages on an average higher than mine, 85% were married, 10% had at one time a savings account. Only one saved $200 and 17 saved $50 and the remaining 7 amounts between the largest and the smallest. They then ceased saving. Not one budgeted their income. In approaching the personnel man for work all except 6 stated that they personnel man "Treated about like a dog." One man planted a blow on the personnel man's jaw for rising insulting language. I commended the man for his resenting the insult. You can readily see from these few words that most of the men are untrained for assuming life's burden. Many of them I am confident ought never to have been born. Their parents should have been sterilized. I wish to "advise" you that the fundamental need is a purely human need. In closing I'll ask three questions that if truthfully answered in the affirmative will overcome our depression: Does every able-bodies person have a job that wants one? Does the Federal work inspire the workers' self-respect? Are all the workers paid sufficiently so they can buy for their loved ones all necessities plus a fair share of the cultural things? At present I regret that I must answer all three in the negative. Finally, Mr. President, do not worry about any mistakes you may make. Those who make no mistakes, do nothing. Sorry I was compelled to sell my typewriter. Most cordially,
Francis W. Grossinau
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