Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1895-03-19
fro BE CONTINUED
POVERTY, BITTER POVERTY.
sunsrings Of "the other Half In Great
Britain During the Cold Weather.

Suffering. OF "the other HaIr' In Great
Britain During the Cold Weather.
Ii Is literally true that the very poor
Of London and other English cities have
been compelled TO make a deliberate
choice between food and fuel, and il has
been bitter dilemma for many thou
sands of destitute English, Irish and
Scotch families In the last few weeks.
Reports Of the suffering in northern
cities are even worse, for the cold there
has been much more severe. Thus In
Glasgow alone 30, 900 men are idle and
destitute. The police arc almost unable
70 cope with the great throngs OF fam
ishing women and children who clam
or for food at tho soup kitchens and
other places where partial supply is
obtainable. The starving multitudes IN
Liverpool are even greater, and pitiful
scenes occur daily at the places where
most inadequate attempts are made 20
distribute small supplies Of food. The
socialists have opened a soup kitchen
there, and a correspondent sends an ac-
count Of typical scene yesterday after
noon. About 3 o'clock the large open
space was crowded with men, women
and children, whose sutferings from
hunger were intensified by the piercing
cold wind which swept across the local
bay of Biscay as If coming from tho re-
gion Of icoborgs. Women clad IN unwo-
manly rags shivered and covered before
the blast, their feet numb, their faces
liyid with cold and want, while they
strove to find protection from the wind
by gathering their thin ragged garments
closer. A large number Of spectators as
sembled on the outskirts Of the square,
the crowd including magistrates, ship
owners and other prominent citizens.
The sights were narrowing The scram-
bic for bread by the furnishing crowd
was pi;iful.
The socialists soup kitchen began
operations at the usual hour and doled
soup and bread continuously for over an
hour The food was wolhshly deyoured
by the hunger stricken people, who
could not he fed fast enough. Several
vans loaded with bread came up whilo
the soup distribution was proceeding.
There was such rush for the bread
that the socialists found IL itimpOsslble 20
carry out their benevolent intentions IN
an orderly manner. In sheer despair they
pitched the bread into the ranks Of the
starving mass. Then ensued terrible
scramble. Women and children were
knocked about, the strong bearing down
tho weak, some going off with three or
four loayes, others left without any
thing. The second cart came while tho
scramble round the first was going on.
The crowd surged round the new arrival
so that anything ike fair distribution
was out of the question. Those in the
van were pitchforking bread on tho
heads of the people when the police
came up and took chfge. The crowd
was formed into line, and more effect
i've system was inaugurated. Through
out the afternoon the esplanado was the
scene of bewiIdering excitement y
poor widow. with child In her arms,
after considerable waiting, got 10 the
soup kitchen. Overcome by hunger, she
sank down ON the pavement, holding
fast to the soup bowl, fearful lest a
drop should be spilled. Ultimately she
revived somewhat and began TO feed
the child, which ate the soup rayenous!y.
--London Cor. New York sun.