New-York tribune., 1906-11-30
POPLAR SOCIALISM.
Efectiue Morals for America and
England.
London, November IA.

81. 6erlorslzed Progressive camp Inc Dat
..-v from, which Il was fred was the local gov
.rnment board where Mr.. John Burns was in
...,rnes IN mower, and It was directed against
-. nsrty IN metropolitan administration with
-h,,h he had been identified for many years.
=, has exploded In the hour of defeat when the
p-oeress,ves have been routed in the borough
,1.ct,ons and are I'll prepared for a more serious
,.++la over the London County Council. There
=. M hint Of treachery here. It is only a strik-
,,~ n-oof Of the honesty of a high minded off,
lei who has allowed the truth about public
.csndsi TO come out even when his associates
- -. working party damaged by It, and
liberals throughout the Kingdom are disheart-
.ned. The gun. moreover, has been well served
end loaded for what may be described as pot
shot The chief general Inspector. Mr.. Davy,
has simed his report with deadly effect and
,s.t 8 good stock of ammunition behind him for
municipal reforrners TO handle.
No,r what IS there in the administration Of
.,s Poor law in one Of the remote working
horoughs OF London that will interest Ameri-
csnse II IS the political traffic IN crude social
,m They have demagogues of their own. who
.sks up socialistic ideas and advocate revolu-
,onary policie. without counting the cost or
considering the consequences, so long they
csn create q political situation favorable for
fore. learn something from the experience Of
Poplar, where two honest but misguided zealots
Msssrs Crooks and Lansbury. have been mount
.ue their socialistic hobbies and riding hard and
fast CARRYING the ratepayers money with
them They had a theory that expenditures on
sn unprecedented scale for poor relief in that
borough would force the Government to bring
IN bill for the equalization OF rates for the
tropolis and TO provide socialistic remedies for
lack Of employment and for the grinding evils
of poverty. They carried out their purpose by
psuperizing the working population and nearly
running the taxpayers. In the course of a few
years the Poplar workhouse converted into
a nourtshing lodging house, where the inmates
had beer. tobacco and other luxuries: outdoor
relief was administered indiscriminately that
families earning from ten to fifteen dollars a
week were regularly aided the number of
paupers was trebled; the rates were raised to
u ehillings on the pound, and large employers
were driven out of the borough by excessive
taxation. This district was impoverished. the
better class Of workmen were forced TO move
out by these prodigal grants for low wages and
,dleness and vagrants and loafers were sup
ported at public expense. It was socialism
crude and raw. and every interest IN the bor-
ough was tainted and denoralized by It; and
the leaders who were conducting this orgy Of
waste were deliberately creating paupersm in
artificial forcing houses IN order to humanize
poor relief and 10 secure general assent TO their
method Of dealing with the unemployed The
socialistio remedies had been applied and the
last state Of Poplar worse than the first
for the taxpayers were supporting a horde OF
psupers and the Industrious wage earners were
crowded out by relays Of casual workers at
tracted by systematic doles
Poplar is g. warning against reckless traffic in
III digested socialistic schemes by politicians
who wish to be licensed TO draw blank checks
upon human credulity. 1t is also a reminder
that poor law administration ceases to be hu-
name when It becomes unbusinesslike and un-
scientific A system that deliberately pauper-
ICES community cannot be regarded either as a
relief measure or a landmark of progress
Poplar q an exaggerated rather than an isolated
ihstancr OF lax administration. The workhouse
expenditures and those for outdoor relief have
neen rising steadily in England decade by
oecaae- in many towns pauperism costs the
fatepayers more than education; in some COM
i"uA'ues the poor rate is as much a third Of
tne entire local taxation. There can be onlv one
conclusion from the appalling increase Of these
expendltures-the system as administered by
the Poor Law Guardians tends to discourage
hsh-support and TO multiply paupers The old
uHe feeling that II a disgrace for a man to
De on the rates has disappeared. TThe current
ioea seems 10 be that the state owes every one a
HFihg, without regard for intemperanoe or i'm
plONoenoe. Men out Of work fall back upon the
rates and leave their families dependent upon
outdoor relief. and recruits are never lacking
""en professions are to be formed for marching
rom the Midlands to Westminster or from
"Hitechapel TO the Local Government BOARD
iilS is not the old fashioned English spirit Of
1eii-heip' but lamentable symptom of degen-
"os- Ihoushtful men are asking whether the
-'se Is moi due to laxity and fmprovidence in
l' management Of poor relief. Practical re-
inns are crying aloud for the abolition of the
DOatos CT guardians and for a radical change in
uie methods Of conducting. warehouses and re-
.l7'lng outdoor pensioners. The POPLAR reveIa
IONS VII discourage the creation of Mansion
-touse relief funds in future. and help to bring
- UNIFORM and more businesslike policy OF
osAiihg with psuperism.
me experience of Poplar proves that coi
.o.u''Sln Is not a remedy for the evils OF nov
- 80 emu mat what is needed is a more intellf-
"'"t treatment Of social questions What a
contrast there is between German and Rritteb
."e'noas Of local administration In each coun-
NS ihe times are good the industries ara IN 4,,,
operation and the towns are overcrowded with
'NeiS- IN Berlin there are no beggars while
LONDON the streets swarming with them
" germany there are only half as many inmates
"oiAhouses as there were twenty years ago
oi1 'hefe are 10 increasing swarms OF vagrants
'iiu 4oafers dependent upon municipal sunnor4
"Hefeas in England the workhouses are full
anu outdoor relief is conducted with prodigaI
"e'elu!aess How are these differences to be
@Fa-heoF sharper discrimination is made in
1'i'ishy than IN England between the deserving
"ViA iAef ano tie undeserving ider. The German
soiAef Insured through his own thrift against
S4eAiess, accident chronic lnvalidism and old
ege is assisted hv shelters ernnlo,.n,o,,. -