The herald., 1897-03-09
How That Country Has. Solved
the Problem
LABOR COLONIES FOUNDED
Fifteen Years Ago-iiow TLey Are
Conducted
Places Of Refuge for Men Out Of Work. The
Days Routine -Tne Principles Of
Their Establishment


unemployed labor. The tramp problem
in the previous decade had grown to
somewhat menacing proportions, at
tracing widespread attention, and had
been studied more or less seriously by
students OF sociology.
During the first years of the tramp
epidemic, sympathy and cold victuals
were poured out upon them in unstinted
measure, but the general public soon
settled down eventually In the opinion
that these nomads were a class of
ne'er-do-wells, afflicted with what the
Germans term "warderlust," pre-
ferring that mode of getting a living to
honest labor.
THE GENUINE CASES
Now, however, this country has to
deal with a different phase of economic
conditions, into which various factors
have entered to produce present results.
Large numbers OF working men, the
bone and sinew of the country are
out of employment, and are earnestly
and honestly asking for work. How is
this demand to be supplied?
The older countries of Europe, nota-
bly, Germany and Scotland, have met
people. and have in a measure found
solution. The plan adopted In Germany
was the establishment of labor colo
nies for the unemployed. and found to be
SO successful that many persons inter-
ested in the labor movement are acvo-
eating something akin to 1t for the out
of-work on this side of the Atlantic.
A GERMAN COLONY
Josiah Flynt, who, it will be remern-
bered, became a tramp for sevral years
in order to study understandingly the
genus hobo" gives the result of a brief
residence at legal, colony near Berlin,
in an article published in the Atlantic
Monthly for December, 1896.
I'm 1882" says Fiynt, Germany was
over-run with tramps; two hundred
thousand were arrested every year. and
poor houses and shelters were over
flowing. In that year the idea occurred
to a philanthophist, Pastor Won Bodels-
chwingh, to establish labor colonies or
refugees. where men unemployed, aoie
and willing to work, might go and at
least pay their way, until something
more profitable could be found.
BENEFICIAL RESULTS
1.-The first one was started In Bielefeld,
a town in Westphalia. with such c<ne-
flcial results that others soon sprang
up all over the empire. At present,
there are twenty-seven, eliminating In
a. landed estate near Bremen, where
those who have proved themselves es-
pecially worthy may acquire piece OF
land and eventually set up homes OF
their own"
THE NECESSARY CERTIFICATE.
Flynt entered the legal colony as
tramp, preferring 1t for his purpose as
It is one Of the very few found near
large cities, and afforded a better op-
portunity to study the congestion OF the
labor market in a commercial center.
This is called die Arbeiter- Kolonie,
and to enter 1t is necessary to have an
arbeitsbuch (workmans book) which
every German working man must carry.
containing his recommendations and
the police stamp of the different towns IN
which he has worked. The colony is
managed by an overseer. or hausvater.
and the applicant must tell his place OF
birth, age, trade, where he has worked
last, whether he has ever been in prison,
whether married, single, divorced or
widower A contract is then given him
to sign, to the effect that he shall obey
all rules, and remain at least month,
unless work Is found outside.
DISCIPLINE.
The rules demand that each man shall
work to the best of his ability, show
every TGSp6CI W tie OllNidlos WIZ al
the hausVater, the pastor and a foreman.
who superintends when the hausvater
is absent, the only outsiders connected
in any way with the institution.
Any irreverent remarks about the
Bible and religion are punished with i'm
mediate dismissal.
The contract signed and stamped. the
applicant Is received into the corpora
tion and assigned to work. which, in
Tlxyy, ooc xx,o cf w fQ nfOrv
tion. where he was expected to learn to
make straw cases for wine bottles.
THE DAILY GRIND.
The daily program, he says, was as
follows: I'VE rose in the morning at 5
o'clock. made our beds washed, had
breakfast, attended prayers, and were
off to work by o'clock. At 9 there was
short pause for lunch, after which we
resumed work until noon. The dinner
hour was from II to /. after which we
worked on until Z, with short pause at
sat around in the woods and garden un-
til $3.50, when we had evening prayers.
At 9 everybody was supposed to be In
bed.
A QUARTER A DAY.
ION Sunday there was no work and
after church in the morning we were
free to lie about in the woods. 1 re
cclVcu IOf my ldDOr marx
(23.s cents, equivalent to 100 pfen-
nigs) day. No one received
less than this and some made a mark
and a half. These were colonists who
worked in the forests. clearing the
ground where penitentiary Is to be
built, or those who managed machines
In the straw factory and were paiG by
the piece. Out Of every mans earnings
Is pfennigs day were taken to pay
for food and lodging.
BED AND BOARD. S'f'
"The food was simple and abundant
For breakfast we had a bowl of Cruel
and slice of black bread; for lunch, at
8 and 4, black coffee, bread and butter.
for dinner. BROTH potatoes and meat. all
in one dish; for supper, bread and tea
I cannot say the food was nourishing.
and 1 ofted heard the men grumhle, but
for rs pfennigs day one could not ex
pect more. II 1ell.s
'"The beds were furnished with mat
tresses, pillows, blankets and Sheets
and were fairly comfortable. I slept in
a room with six other men: most of the
colonists were in room close by
LUxURIES.
ION Saturday afternoon q little store
was opened In the garden. where the
men could buy tobacco, shirts, collars
socks, handkerchiefs, tooth brushes,
suspenders. and other useful things
Each Of the colonists had separate ac-
count. and whatever he bought was put
down in q little book and shown to him
every week.