The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-12-27
RELIEF BY WORK In FRANCE.
Method by Which BegEary Is Re-
duced and the Unfortunate Helped.
Cha rites RaviaU

Charities Review
Assistance by work in France is not an
innovation due to the initiative of private
individuals. From the most remote period
of our history it has been practiced by the
state toward mendicants The National As
sembly and the Convention, thinking that
labor is the only means by which wise and
enlightened nations can relieve poverty"
distribute considerable sums of money
among the departments to be expended in
drainage. the clearing of land, the digging
of canals, etc. II would seem if such
measures ought TO have exercised salu-
tary influence upon vagrancy and mendicity,
and yet their failure was complete. If We
study the poor as a whole we are often
convinced that the best argument in favor
of work is that the professional oeggar
breads IL most. Private action makes use
of this very repulsion to unmask impOsture
In 1880 Monsieur the Pastor Robin
founded at Belevlle. the most populous
quarter of Paris, the Maison Hospitaliere.
use in nearly all French institutions.
work ticket OF from &C TO SOC. torn from a
sort of coupon book, permits the supporters
to send the poor and unemployed to this
institution. who here find "a kind receotion,
cordial and comforting words, food shelter
and place in The workshops, or liberty TO
so out In the morning TO look for work at
their own trades Assisted persons are en-
p!oyed at making small fagots called mar
gotins." They are not palG IN money, but
in this way they meet their daily expenses,
and If they are Skiliful can lay by a sum
against the time OF leaving. They are re-
quired TO make fifty margotins a day, 70
pay for two meals and their lodgings. All
that they make above this number goes TO
their credit. The object which Pastor Robin
has pursued for thirteen years is TO provide
the workingmen with an outfit of tools and
70 make him the beneficiary of his own Ia
bor Charles Robin said of the Maison Hos
pitaliere, THE work is beautiful ana the
ideal which 1t realizes is grand one"
an ne i9stitution known as tbe CeniraI office
for Charitable Works 10 construct, in 1884,
some buildings designed TO receive the un-
,s-.rr fr<-
Of Paris, soured by poverty and employed
at work of which they are generally igno-
rant are separated into groups Of ten, un-
der charge or OVerSeerS, and make COM
mon furniture - tables. wardrobes, side
boards, which is sold at low price in the
large stores of the capital. There are about
to twenty days. Their wages are francs
day; of this they receive a portion in
cash in the morning for their food which
is supplied 10y the establishment, and also
a lodging ticket, which entities them 10 a
lodging out of the house. a reserve is made
from their wages, which goes toward de-
fraying their expenses when they are look
ing for permanent employment They are
allowed two days a week for this purpose.
The central office has established a regular
bureau Of information, through which 1t
obtains knowledge of the shops where there
are vacant places. These institutions are in
operation all over Paris, and have. without
question. ameliorating effect upon the
unfortunate. But their influence upon street
beggars is not so direct that of the
Unions d'Assistance'-relief unions-whose
sphere of activity is more restricted. These
have made the profession OF begging a
truly difficult one by means OF the food
ticket which puts stop TO indiscriminate
charity. and forces the beggar TO present
himself i'm locality where he Is subjected
10 summary questioning which IL Is gen.
orally his interest to avoid.
The Municipal Council OF the city OF Paris
has settled an agricultural colony. which is
intended TO find for workingmen who have
fallen into poverty. definite occupation IN
rural labor after their moral and material