Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1905-02-02
THE POOR OF BERLIN
HOW THEY ARE SUPERVISED BY THE
CITY AUTHORITIES.

s'Fecte oh tsc lily. Hnts Rags and
Misery Dare Not Lie About In the
Parks and Public Places.
What" exclaimed in Berlin. ..nrc
there no poor in this city? Are YOU al
together without rags and wretched-
.aess:'
My dear friend,' said the German,
winking heavy eyelid I'VE arc a very
clever people. We do not show our
dust bins
Berlin is ruled by municipal experts.
1t has It's wretcllcdncss and it's despair.
but these things are not permitted to
increase. To be out OF work in Berlin
is crime. even as it is in London. bat
With this dit1crcnce--in Berlin the mu-
nicipaity Legislators for labor in 4 fash
ion Which makes idlcncss all but indie
f"nSibIr
Inc laws to this end may not com
mend themselves TO English minds. for
the Germans are not soft hearted iii
such matters. but they have this eli
saEins recommendation, they succeed
Let i ragged man make his appear
allcc in FEicClrichstras>e or the LindenS
or in any OF the numerous open spaces.
and policeman is at him in Il min
Ute. ."Iour papers, demands the man
Of law. The bcssur produces his docll-
ments. If it is proved that he has
slept in the asylum for the homeless
more than i certain number Of nights
he is forthwith conducted. willynilly to
the workllousc and made to labor for
Ills board and lodging
Now, the work house in Germany is
not 4 prison. but the va-rant would as
leave go to the one us TO the other
The administration Of the work house
is conducted with iron severity Ev-
cry ounce OF bread and every drop Of
thin soup consumed ~ the workhouSe
man is paid for thousanhfold by the
sweat OF his brow 50 il comes about
that the man least disposed to work,
the born vagabond. finds it more
agreeable to toll for his bread in the
market 1ilan to fall into the hands Of
IA paterllai government
Berlin takes advantage of the sys-
ten in Germany which numbers and
tickets every child born in the father
land. No man can roam from district
to district. changing his name and his
life's story with every lifting. He is
known to the police from the hour of
his birth to the hour of his death. For
Il few ptennigs ! can read the history
Of every person in Berlin. Therefore
the municipality has an easy task Ev-
cry citizens life story is known to
them. and every vagrant is punished
for his crime against the community.
Moreover every person Of humble
means is insured by the state. Even
clerks, slop assistants and servants
are compelled 70 insure against sick
hess and against Old age. This insur-
:ncc is effected by the FASTING into q
book Of certain stamps every week,
and it is the duty Of each employer
to see that this contract is faithfully
obcyed And the state has at Beelitz
an enormous snnitrinm costing TO-
UOU.OGO marks (l:O0GGU). where the in
v;llidcl citizen is sent Will his pen
son in ORDER to expedite his valuable
return 10 tie ranks Of the wage earn
crS. 1t pays tho city of Berlin to nurse
its sick and cherish its inyaidS. The
whole object of tile n,lricipalitv is 10
secure ,iae physical and intellectual
Well being OF is citizens. and on this
task il concentrates its lahors With
amnzins energy
Berlin has i lln-c builuin. rrScin
bling 4 factory where the unemployed.
whole families are received and pro
vided for. but no one must take advan-
t,@c Of this hospitality more than five
times il! iEree months Consider this
point Of view. | f YOU are homeless FIVE
Il reckless creature and packed Oft 10
the W0rkhouSc Private enterprise has