The Labor enquirer., 1886-01-23
.srne Hu.l. that the swine do Eat.

ssThe Husks that the swine do Eat.'
"At the Aldershot police court, on
Thursday. Hery Smith, laborer, was
charged with stealing refuse food, value
3d., the property of William Newland
George Squires, provost corporal of the
medical staff corps, stated that he saw
the prisoner taking food off the mems
dishes as they we're taking it to swill
tubs for the contractor. In cross exam
inatlon the witness said that no soldier
had any right to give any portion of his
food awav, whether he paid for it or not,
as all broken food was sold to the con-
tractor. Smith, for his defense, stated
that he was hungry, and that a soldier
asked him to take little food off his
dish. The accused was sentenced to 9
months hard labor."-Daily Telegraph
December IL. L
The Prodigal Son is starved out, then
"the husks that the swine do eat" are
to have their full share IN the apotheo
sis of property; they are become holy
things, which no unpriyileged person
must touch. Ghost of William Cobbett
here is another "vast improvement" fol
you on the Scandinavian law that de.
creed 1000 years ago that he who stole
from necessity or hunger was to go scoI
free. The whole case seems like cruel
practical Joke, and it may be hoped that
the home secretary will at least carry the
jest on by pardouing Henry Smith for
the crime of eating when he was hungry
But when, Henry Smith comes out
with his prospects frightened by his
having been in Jail, If he has any leis
ure to think amidst the pangs of hunger
he might ponder on the meaning of the
words free, freedom, enfranchisement
as they are used In political language O.
to-day. He may have the leisure, if il
be true that at one period in the process:
of death by starvation it Is possible tc
think, or at least to dream.
Apart from the question of what pun
9shment was given to Roman slave al
the worst period, or plantation niger
for stealing" Sd. worth of hogswash, ]
feel curiosity on the following ques.
tions: How much hogswash Henry
Smith ate? How 1t agreed with his
digestion2 What is in scientific accu.
racy the amount of nourishment Ito 2
man, not hog) in Sd. worth of hogs
wash2 What weight of hogswash one
can buy for 3d.?
1t seems, though, this matter of hogs
wash for men is becoming a burning
question; for 1 have noticed in the
papers charitable suggestions that col
lections of that article shall be made and
sold to our "poor brethren )" sold. if you
please, not given, lest pauperization
should result.
Two more questions yet: How much
worse-or better-is Aldershot hogs
wash than the ordinary food of Henry
Smith and Of the manv thousands that
he represents? And lastly, How long is
it to be borne 2-London CommoDweal.
:
Justice, also of London, has the fol-
lowing on this subject:
The brutality of the sentence in this
case is only equalled bv the absurdly
trivial character of the charge. The
man should at any rate be a. once re-
leased, and compensated for the punish
ment he has already suffered. If the
authorities will not provide full oppor-
tunity of useful productive work for all
those who are unemployed and starving
have perfect right to take food when
ever and wherever they can. Society
does not perform its duty to them, and