Bend seniors recall Great Depression's lessons

In 1929, Gene and Betty Harries weren't even teen-agers, and growing up in the Midwest. the Great Depression hit them hard.

"I remember that there wasn't much money back then. If you found any money on the floor, it was real money, and you kept it," said Gene Harries, who was barely 10 years old when the stock market crashed in October of 1929. And they say many had it harder than they did.

That was then, and now things are much different. Economists and historians say the most important difference between today's economic environment and the old days is the government's role.

"Our economy is depending on decisive action from the government," President Bush said in recent, tumultuous days."The sooner we address the problem, the sooner we can get back on the path of growth and job creation.

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