Los Angeles herald., 1906-07-22
GGXXTE want the truth about rel
NAI nRee cannps. and want yo
az coNsTANcE DEAN

W to go out and get it by
personal test"
1t was a simple editorial request from
his point Of view. but through my mind
rushed visions of forcible objections
on the part Of my family of one mother
and one husband.
Nor was | mistaken. There were
hours of argument, pro and con, ere
my better half could be persuaded that
his wife's mission was to throw the
calcium light upon the public tenn
porary homes of the citys unhoused
people. Let some one else do it.
was the burden of his argument. But
at length my enthusiasm won the day
and started out to seek admission into
a camp under the guise of a needy
refugee.
That was last Tuesday, but it seems
as if years had passed over my head,
for L have been a refugee Yes,
have indeed lived the life of these
people upon whom the whole nation
has showered not it's charity but It's
fraternal aid, and the experience makes
me marvel that l once hesitated ana
finds me thanking Fate that l went
ahead.
Last Tuesday after a perfectly ar
ranged luncheon at the towns best
cafe l exchanged my shopping dress for
old clothes with the feeling that l was
starting on somewhat of lark. This
morning l folded away the same
shabby outfit as one might lay aside
the garments of dead friend. 1t mas
been a friend to me. for 1t showed me
the hearts of the stricken people.
had seen the laughing faces of refugees
in merry humor. but now | have lived
among them when the mask was
dropped and have seen the steady de-
pression that comes with a degrading
system.
Takes Three Days to Get Bedding
AS to my personal experience, l Will
stop only to say that, admitted into
the park as a needy soul who had no
place to sleep, / was unable to OBTAIN
any bedding for three days, although II
was definitely understood that | had
no home There simply was no bedding
to be had. | come back to my life as
a refugee in Golden Gate Park camp
(said to be one of the best in the city)
burning with Indignation at the out
RACES which conditions there heap
upon the peoples proteges, and return
with this message to the thousands who
have freely given to their worthy fell
low citizens on whom Fate laid a
heavy hand last April:
Though there are murmurings about
.'leaks" and steals, 1 found mo evident
attempts to swindle, no willful neglect,
but a mismanagement so woefully ap-
parent that the least complaining,
longest suffering cry out against it. L
saw women, many obviously delicate,
standing in line for days like patient
dogs to crave a few household lndlS-
pensab bles [ discovered families who
had slept on boards since the disaster
/ came upon shy and proud souls,
whose little all the flames had devoured,
as best they could, unwil-
east and west had meant should be
freely bestowed, because they must
take the attitude of beggars to attain
their desires. Many unsuspecting fel-
low refugees told me of favoritiSm
shown by those in charge of the ware
houses to friends in the camp of new,
desirable clothing lavishly bestowed on
those without proper papers, while pa
tient walters in the ever-present line
produced their countersigned orders in
vain. And while 1 must still study the
problem ere l can fully see just where
in the error lies, so far as l have gone
it apears to come from an Inefficient
number of officials and a crying need of
mastery men to fill the places
'There is certainly leak, or there
would not be such a lack" insisted a
business man who has been connected
with one of the city's largest furniture
stores for twelve years, land like all
leaks il comes from the bottom. The
heads are honest, but some one gets
away with the supplies. But the
heads, though honest, are not business
men, Let them spend less time in try
ing to check off the refugees who get
too much and put in more thought on
outsiders who get too much. Let them
put in a man with a clear business
head and a good reputation to see that
all the goods meant for those people
get to them, instead of going into we'll
to-do-folks' pockets"
snarled by Red Tape
The attempt TO keep count of those
tenders who have enough and who too
much is gone at backward Red tape
is snarled about them so that for the
simplest things they must linger about
for days in order to obtain duly signed
acquisitions. And this is but one step
in the process. Each person is given
q blue general supply card" which
entities him, according to the size of
his family, to a certain number of
articles of clothing, bedding and a few
simple kitchen utensils, the latter most
ly of tin. Furniture, beyond tents and
cots, is not considered necessary for ref
ugees, and, except for a lsw odd boxes,
those who escaped without saving their
effects have nothing in the way of
tables or seats. The more enterpris-
ing have fashioned furniture from odd
boards, building up tables, cupboards
and even bedsteads. But the general
supply card is not an open sesame" to
the warehouse, for each time a refugee
finds a pressing need he must take his
place with hundred others outside the
door of the quartermaster's headquar-
ters and bde his time to get n spe-
cially countersigned order from the Of
1icer in charge
With this order he must proceed to
whatever warehouse distributes such
goods as he wishes. If he finds a long
line of campers, many of whom have
brought their breakfast along and been
there since $50 or o'clock, the chances
are that a new stock has come in, and
If the supply holds out till his turn at
the window comes he may find what he
requires. That is just as sure as he
can be Of getting it,
/ say he but there seemed to be
few idle men around. Most had found