TAKE
A NUMBER, TAKE A SEAT
J.
S. Balch
TEN
A. M. SCENE,
the new chanty-can, an old building, south–
east corner of Fifteenth and Carr streets. No more Jewish
Community Center, no more St. Vincent de Paul for Catholics,
no more Provident Association for Protestants, no more nothing,
it's all government now. Three weeks ago a guy comes up to
the house. Madam, says he, and that's the first and last word
he uses makes the old lady think she's still somebody. The rest
of the spiel is to the effect that cash relief is out, it is grocery
orders from now on, with
wm
you kindly designate which
grocer you'd rather serve you, with Sign away your cut on the
dotted line, with It's Washington, D.
C.
now. No more heart–
to·heart talks with crocodiles of your own nationality and re–
ligion, it's bigleague stuff now, federal stuff. And the old lady
is so scared with visions of Franklin D. looking down at her
through layers and layers of space, through telescope and micro–
scope, as it were, that she, so modest as I know she can be but
mad too, and suffering from high bloodpressure and the knowl–
edge that rent's due three months now and no more cash for
groceries to pay rent bills with, tells this bird to go dig himself
a grave, We will get through with God's help somehow.-So
here am I, three weeks later, no job yet, neither any mirades, to
kiss the rumps of those whom in these days we must.
So, through the portals, past where there should be but ain't
a sign Abandon pride all ye who enter here, and this is Ellis
Island all over again, there are long benches the north end of
the hall, long benches the south end, and all of them crammed
with clients, sweet Jesus, what a word! Negroes, Italians, Jews,
Poles and Irish and plain native whites, no more sectarianism,
see, you ketchem the Washingtonian point, yes? no more people
put with their own religion, but all together now, together
again. A new Democracy af Paupercracy, may teeth be broken
saying this. And in between the two sections, the overseeresses,
the lion-tameresses, the galley-mistresses, two identical-twin old
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