New-York tribune., 1908-02-06
WANT STATE CONTROL
FOR BIG LABOR COLONY.
Plan Proposed to Make Unemployed
Support Others.

u-,,h Tho approval Of the State Legislature a
,s- for the permanent relief of the poor on
- sustaining basis which was suggested by
r,oberr w Hebberd, Commissioner of Charities,
,,- he in operation before the end Of the winter.
,l,boueh intense suffering followed IN the wake
%. the cold weather. the condition of the~unem-
,.,.ea ,s now under full control by the charity
o-ranizstions and il was said yesterday that no
an .,aaa starye In this city il he would show a
5is,osit;on 10 pay for aid by doing small
amount Of work. Since the increase in the num-
49, of ,,nen1nloved became evident Commits
stor.r Hehberd has prepared a labor colony
ro,,o which, will not only relieve the city and
s-.-e Of the expense OF taking care of the poor.
br, ujll do away with the necessity for Bowery
missions and other private organizations where
penderers receive aid without work in recon-
pense-
Edmond Kelly, the lawyer, who lived for
many Years in Europe and investigated the
.cndtion Of the unemployed in Germany and
switzerland, has prepared bill at the sugges-
ZION of Nj Hebberd, in which plan is out
lined bv which the unemployed here can be
..ten care OF economically. They will be able,
,s beliexes. TO raise enough agricultural prod
,-+s IA feed twenty-five thousand inmates of
.e,. institutions A final discussion OF the
,-o,osed labor colony held on Tuesday
morning in the Offices Of the. United Charity
o-rsn;zatjon Society. at which special COM
,,,t,ee including R. W. Bruere. DR.. o. F. Lewis.
.-or,-,isSoner Hebberd and Edmond Kelly. was
present.
TO PRESENT PLAN TO GOVERNOR
Tho nlan outlined by Commissioner Hebberd
.n6 Mr.. Kelly was then adopted. and after 1t
h.s baan placed before the charity organiza-
inns at a special meeting it viii be presented
% Governor Hughes and arrangements will be
made 10 introduce bill in the Legislature
THE unusual situation which has come 10
Ner York since November has resulted IN re-
srizatio7 Of what would happen if this city
should suddenly be swamped by unemployed as
!, was some years age said Commissioner Heb
herd yesterday while the conditions have
haen had enough we are able to take care
If ere-v man who applies for shelter Although
she weather was very cold Tuesday night,
o7lv hfty-seven men had to be sent to the pier
from the lodging house. and had accomnoda-
tions for twenty thousand men IF that many had
assembled II is not the large number Of un-
enrioyed which is causing the trouble at present
as much as the men who do not want work and
rske advantage of the private charities. At the
same time there is an increase in the city
prisons Of men who resort 10 theft rather than
work.
COLONY RUN BY STATE.
The plan to organize state colony viii not
only provide for all the unemployed until they
Can ger work. but Will keep many Of the worthy
men OUT Of the EEorkhouse. At present the city.
s,ste and private organizations are paying for
the support Of the unemployed. while they can
3ust well be taken care Of il q systematic
way if they are sent TO A labor colony. where
their work will more than pay for their support,
and 81 the same time the tramps who do not
want TO work will learn to keep away from this
section
Inspectors who have been investigating the
situation within the last few days report that
there is no longer any real need for relief. but
while the situation once presented itself, 1t is
Just as well 20 end the problem by arranging
for some work which will make the stay OF the
psnderer anything but comfortable In this city
and 81 the same tine make il possible for to
lake care Of any man who is really in need Of
aid
GOOD SYSTEM IN SWITZERLAND
In Sutherland the relief for the unemployed
is SO far ahead OF any similar system that there
gre few "panhandlers." according TO the charity
workers According to Mr. Hebberd. the labor
colony bill. if passed will do away with tramps
In this state. and the bona f1de unemployed
@ taken care Of until they have been sent to
places provided through agency under state
control The only relief work done by the Char
III Organization Society will be TO investigate
cases and send the men to the colony, where
they viii be held until employment is found or
Until relatives friends forward to make
provision for their return home
While preliminary efforts were being made to
Present the labor colony hill the investigators
of the Charity Organisation Society making
thorough canvass yesterday Of the East Side
to relieve the situation there. The report that
thousands of school children we're being sent to
echool hungry was of the direct causes for
the Investigation II was later announced that
no child need leave home without Z. meal if the
case was called 70 the attention of one of the
Organizations. Mrs c II. Tower. the principal
Of Public School ia, at No. 73 Oliver street.
"ho announced on Tuesday to the members of
'hs Wonnen's Health Protective Association that
many Of the pupils in that school were forced
10 SIT through the sessions without anything 10
eaf received many offers Of assistance from rep
Fesentatives Of societies well as the clergy.
lr Edward T. Devine OF the Charity Organiza-
Ton Society. was surprised to hear OF the situs
eon in the school He said every deserving ca $50
"oulo get immediate relief. Mrs. Tower is pre-
parins report OF those in need, and investiga-
fors viii t-s sent 10 the homes Of the pupils to-
'Sy and tomorrow. In many cases temporary
'eaef vas given yesterday.
Aooittonsl relief has been arranged by the
ho"ery Mission AZ No 81 Bowery, where the
provisions for the bread line will be doubled
"n'ii The cold weather is over. TWo thousand
'suons were given out last night and the hall
vas thrown open for use a lodge room
Little Tim Sullivan viii distribute i've thou
es"o pairs Of shoes to-day TO those presenting
uokets al No. 207 BoWery. A batch of the
ocEets was given out last night at the Munici-
pal Lodging House