The Washington times., 1904-10-09
The BeggarIeSS Land'
Is Swtze1La1d'S Distinction

improve the land by man and man by
land"
At the farm at WitzWyI, with Its I'D
inmates, two uuarmed officers are placed
In charge of each group Of ten or twelve
inmates, and work with them most Of
the men sleep and eat in cells, and the
dietary is liberal. while efforts are made
TO give them a fair start on discharge
On the other hand. most Of the men cone
fined in the institution at St JOhannsens
near the Lake Of Bienne, are between
forty and sixty years OF age, and the
manager does not express much hope OF
their reformation. He considers that
most OF them are too Old 10 be amena0ls
to good influences; and ''Work-shy ness
IS unframed III them. They have 10
work hard during their stay at st.
Johaunsen, and some Of the younger
men get broken OF their idle habits, but
the older ones come again ana again.
10 special meaus are taken to ind en-
ployment for them on their discharge
which seems to be an exception 10 the
rule
Help for Genuine Unemployed.
As a natural outcome OF this treat
ment Of the professional vagrant, the
Swiss authorities found themselves con-
frontsd with the problem OF the genuine
unemployed. G1r. PFesLOn-ThOmas aC-
count of how they have dealt with IL
viii probably prove 10 be the most en-
/ curing portion u his interesting report.
/ By means OF the system Of Identification
/ referred 10 above the Inter-Cantonal
I Union which has spread over fourteen
I out OF the forty-two cantons has rem
/ dered valuable assistance 10 the author
\ tiles This union issues a Traveller 8
] Relief Book" with which the workman
may wander 81 over the country and
I be sufficiently fed and lodged and that
/ without work of any kind being exacted
I from him en- route The beggars, the
/ druukards, the wOrk-shy. are referred
80 the police for correctional treatment
but the man who really desires employ
ment is aided and speeded- sn his way;
and, in Victor Hugo's phrase the enc
deavor IS to give the help which
/ strengthens instead OF the aims which
debase.
Another means OF helping the would
be worker is afforded in the Voluntary
I Labor Colony, OF which tHsre are two
in Switzerland. That al Herdern. which
was founded by a philanthTODIc society.
and IS still carried on at a financial
loss, occupies the buildings OF an old
monastery near Frauenfeld, in Canton
Thurgau and lies On the slopes OF the
i Lake OF Constance. Its object is TO
furnish employment for men temper
arily out of work. for those who have
begun tTamping. and for discharged
prisoners.
Features Of the System.
Entry and discharge are purely v0l-
unfairly; a preference Is given TO those
recommended By district councils or by
subscribers. Each person must agree
20 remain at least four weeks but may
at any time be discharged Ter misc0n-
duct After the first fortnight the
laborer Is credited with a sum ranging
from pence 10 g pence day, accord
ing 20 his work. He is paid the total
sum on leaving less the amount OF any
new clothes supplied t. him. meantime
ne receives board lodging mendings
washing. and tobacco. Some aid Is
given 20 the Col0nists In finding work
when they leave.
In cauUons where voluntary societies
are not at work, the destitute but geuu-
inc wanderer applies 10 the police. as
already stated.-Londou Standard.