Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-07-13
TALK WITH BOOTH-TUCkER
He Chats With d Star Reporter About His
Plans.
He Has Mapped Out the Details Of
New Branches ,And Will En-
large 'As r~',


Gen. F. De L. Booth-Tucker. the sue
cessor of Darlington Booth commander
| Of the Salvation Army in this country,
came to Washington Saturday from New
York to take part in the Christian Eli
deavor convention.
Star reporter had a chat with him.
He was dressed in the familiar uniform Of
the Salvationists and wore a simple insig-
ria of his high rank. He paid two visits
to the United States before coming to re-
side here permanently. During the first
visit he gathered materials for the life of
Mrs. Catherine Booth, and the second visit
was when he brought a band of native
Saivationists from India OF his work in
India a whole history might be written,
for when he went there years ago he found
that the task before him was to practically
organize an East Indian branch, a task
especially hard, when the character of the
people or that country and the religion
which they adhere to is taken into consid-
Grafton Gen. Booth is quite enthusiastic
over the arduous task which lies before
MIN in this country but he says that the
thoroughly cordial reception rendered him
On his arrival in New York has been of
great assistance
ways brought him a characteristic. hearty
American welcome, and now he is ready
after an inspection of some four or five
months. to go ahead at once on the plans
Tor work which he has formulated
First of all, the military organization for
which the Salvation Army is noted and
which has proved such a large factor in
its success. is to be preserye ed in all its
integrity. 1t may, however be broadened
but ii will be kept on regular spet flied
lines, for the commander is a thorough be-
lever In having everything done systemati-
cally and done under a complete code of
rules and regulations This he gets from
Cen William Booth. whom. he says, has
made more laws which have been obeyed TO
the letter than any living man.
Lack Of Recruits.
The United States is not essentially a
military nation. most of the European
countries are, but there Is an abundance
or true Yankee love Of law and order
and for this reason the commander thinks
he has excellent prospects for gradually
working up an organization. solid from the
ground up. The present organization of the
Salvationfsts ts In excellent condition, he
says. but there is a lack Of recruits
Ire United States IL one Of the largest
provinces In the world. territorially speak
ing, and Ii ranks next to England In i'm
portance. even from the standpoint Of an
English SalvatiOnist. Booth-Tucker has,
however. cast England behind him, and in
consequence the coming campaign Is to be
a campaign on American methods IL such
an expression can be applied to the truly
International work of saving souls. The
people In this country are easily influenced
by religious feelings. but the commander
looks more to results than to first impress
sions. and in consequence the object to be
attained is to win men permanently.
The program for summer work thorough
iy emphasizes this important factor of the
IN rfn ty
this month and all of next all the officers
whether national, divisional. local or staff
are TO be engaged in conducting services at
important camp meetings in various Sec
lions Of the country. a band will come to
Washington Grove camp meeting on the
18th of August
Sociologists tell us. however that the
hardened old sinner, with hardly any ex-
ception never gets out Of the old rut for
any great length of time. Very often he
never so much as makes the first step This
the general believes Is false impression
and one which ii is better to nip In the bud
before 1t does much harm. In support of
MS opinion he deduces some figures
Work I'm the Jails. 4,
For instance, out OF about a thousand
men of the strictly jail-bird class who pass
through the hands of the army about
eighty per cent become good and useful
citizens. This. Of course, varies according
to the sections Of the country but the
average Is between seventy and eighty per
cent. Taking this immense result into &C.
count the army is about to commence a
branch Of work with this as its distinctive
feature. The new auxiliaries are to con-
nne themselves principally to the police
courts, iockups county jails and prisons
This Is not a new thing for Salvationists
except that 1t has never been made the
specific duty Of a chosen band of soldiers
Out In California, the commander states
an excellent nucleus for the auxiliaries in
That state exists. In the San Quentin Jail
there Is Salvation Army band composed
exclusively Of prisoners who are serving
sentences there. The leader Of the band
Is man who is serving life sentence
This may be taken. Gen. Booth-Tucker
states, as an excellent answer to scofYers
for when a man knows that he is never
to see the open air and free sunlight again
he Is not apt to spend whatever time he
has at his disposal in religious deyotions
unless he is thoroughly possessed of the
spirit Of Christianity The commander
mentioned a number Of other similar In
stances Of Jail work to prove his statement
that hardened murderers. robbers and gam
hlers are converted and become upright
men every day.
The name by which the soldiers engaged
in this class Of work will be known Is that
Of the Knights OF Hope.
Tine Fallen Women.
Another organization is that of the
League of Love- which, however. has work.
ed under no distinctive title. This is to be
rescue work for fallen women. The uni
form of the league will probably be the
regular army costume, but as a distinctive
badge the members will wear a red heart
with a red ground, on which are to be the
words, "Out Of Love" There are now in
the United States about 800 homes for fall
en- women, but these are not considered
half enough, and so more will be at once
started. 1t only costs about $500 to equip
one of these Institutions and yet Gen.
Boot.l-Tucker states the amount OF the
good done by one of these gifts of $500 Ia
incalculable.
In reply to a question to whether II is
advisable to confine the slums to one por-
ton OF a city and there stamp them out
or stamp them out as to let them spread
over city and then take them indi-
vidually, Commander Booth-Tucker said
that he had not considered the subject in
that light. He said that youth Is prone
to temptation. and that il that temptat ton is
removed then the less the danger for young
men. III vice is obliged to exist" he
added. lit should be compelled to hide its
diminished head"
The ways and means for carrying Oh all
this work is another question now being
considered. The army organization now
consists Of about 6W separate CORPS to
which are attached 1900 officers. Besidn s
this 800 more have put in applica lions for
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