Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-09-30
FE BURy H0E AT BN17F8CEA:VHa0 Hs P0avH

derstands the unemployed problem 1t 10
John Burns. A workingman himself he b..
gan life as a machnist and raised himself
by his own hard work to the position OF en-
typical British workingmans life. he
knows the British workman like book.
John Burns; as a laboring man, has al
ways had the interest of the laboring
classes at heart He has done more for
their Improvement and uplifting in his own
district-Battersea-tha has been done In
any other section Of London. Battersea u
looked upon as the model for the rest OF
London. 1t has better housing and sant-
tary conditions than any other section OF
London and through the labors OF John
Burns it has led the way in most modern
economic measures. 1t has splendid free
libraries. fine public baths and gymnasia.
n specially equipped plant for supplying
sterlized milk to infants of the poor: street
car lines owned by the community. and
other municipal advantages. All of this u
due directly to John Burns
When William Jennings Bryan visited
London recently he and Mrs. Bryan stayed
a great portion of their time at the little
Burns home in Battersea. The American
politician spent several days with John
Burns who personally conducted Bryan
about the metropolis 1t is safe to say that
Bryan learned more about London economic
conc editions in one day with Burns than he did
during the whole of his other time In Eng
land.
For years. both laborng man him.
self. as member of parliament and now as
cabinet minister. JOhn Burns mas maze u
special study of the unemployed problem.
He has issued pamphlets on the subject.
made speeches and worked as no other man
| in ENGLAND has done with his special
knowledge of the subject II Is safe to say
that there is not another man in England
who would be better able than John Burns
to spend a million dollars in the way in
which 1t would do the most good.
IS Mr. Burns recognizes that the unempl0y.
ed problem actually exists, and the fact
that the government has given him the enor-
nous sum of a million to spend on it's solu-
ton attests the Importance with which II 10
regarded. At the same time. Burns knows
that a great many of the unemployed are
really unemployable: that they don't want
to work: that their lives are spent in in
genious devices to avoid employment With
these WEARY WiIlies and Tired Tins" as
he graphically calls them. Mr.. Burns has no
| sympathy whatever.
For the men who are genuinely unem-
ployed and who seek real work and are not
] afraid of it." he said in concluding the In
terview, Il am going to do my best. For
! professional loafers and 'cadSers' l have no
| use. 1t Is really better that they should
/ die off. 1t sounds like hard thing to say,
! but it is the truth. In modern community
| of workers they are demoralizing inhu-
/ ence. These men should not get any help
! from any one If they won't work. they
| ought not to be allowed to live in comfort
| at the expense of the community. While
the genuine workman is having hard
| struggle to keep his little family together
| and out of the workhouse. these chaps are
! sitting tight and being fed at public ex-
! pense Hundreds of charitable organisa-
tions are exertinS their EFFORTS 10 give .nese
! men free foe :, free shelter. free everything:
| II is all wrong. Things should be MADE haro
! for them It would wake them up. IL they
I c,,.t wake up, the longe- they go to sleep
/ the tes.eI 81 vii. he for thu truly deserving.
/ AS I said time and again in parliament.
! am mo- bc..sysr n 'doss-house' economies
| ar soup-kitc.en re II dis. l shall make the
4 million dollars go to the genuine relief OF
| the unemployed in wages; and l shall see
~ an of tn no .sy is spe1 IT where
IL will count. w. B. N.