A letter to President Hoover.
A letter to President Hoover.
[From Down and Out in the Great Depression: Letters from the Forgotten Man, edited by Robert S. McElvaine.]
Vinland, NJ
18 November 1930
. . . Could we not have employment and food to Eat. and this for our Children Why Should we hafto [illegible] now and Have foodless days and [illegible] days. and our children have Schoolless days and Shoeless days and the land full of plenty and Banks bursting with money. Why does Every Thing have Exceptional Value. Except the Human Being—why are we reduced to poverty and starving and anxiety and Sorrow So quickly under your administration as Chief Executor Can not you find a quicker way of Executing us than to Starve us to death. . . . Why not End the Depression have you not a Heart. . . . Yet we are served from the Source of Live by setch an unjust System. . . . Why Isnt there an limitation to you people planning to get It all and Starve the rest of use. . . . Yet you have cut us of with plenty before our eyes—for your Selves. Yet You Can not use It. The people are desperate and this I have written, only typical of the masses of your Subjects. how can we be Law abiding citizens and Educate out children and be Happy Content with nothing to do nothing to Eat. when your System has Every Thing under control and cant use It. nor will you give any thing a way. why take more than you need. why make Laws. and allow Industry to take It all. why Isnt the Law fixed so Its Just as Just for one or the others then Industry couldnt take it all. and make us all victims of your Special arrangement. of things. . . . I am an Ignorant man and you are Supposed to have great Brains yet I appeal to you In behalf of thousands In your dominion who would be good americans Citizins If you would make It Possible. . . .
—Anonymous
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Sucks Like a Hoover
Kip transcribes a couple letters written to President Herbert Hoover (first one hereand a second, more ironic one here) that cannot help but evoke discomfort at the correlation between Hoover's time and ours. In a spirit of helpfulness, Kip inks...