Los Angeles herald., 1908-03-03
RY r. sHELLEY SUTTON

/ have just come back from the scene
of great battle-a field of warfare,
though void of bloodshed, armament
or roar-and none the less terrible in
its aspects, though it's soldiers are not
strewn in trenches, pell nell, or slain
by ball or bayonet.
The battle has been going on a long
time. 1t is battle of hunger against
hell-of need against crime-of sleepi-
ness against prison-of fear against
famine-of dearth against disease-of
poverty against death.
A battle of destitute families against
starvation. A battle of idle men for
work and wages. A battle of souls for
existence.
1t is generated by good, great man,
who voluntarily, in the name of the
Nazarene, has taken upon himself the
tremendous task of leading them-indi-
vividually, though not as a mass-to
succor, sustenance, employment, hope
and cheer.
The man who has undertaken this
humanitarian task Is Rev. Dana Bart
lett. The scene of his great battle, as a
mediator between those clashing fac
Bethlehem institute, Vignes and Du-
commun streets.
Rev. Mr.. Bartlett has SO far carried
on the battle successfully. He has fed,
clothed and housed unnumbered fami-
lies and individuals, and himself has
fought harder battle than any of the
countless victims of poverty that have
come to him in their war with the wolf.
There is only one way to see the
IL 10
workings. A sightseeing visitor, an
nounced as such, is treated with too
much courtesy. With all of his expedi-
tions into it's halls and departments
he can CLEAN only g. superficial idea of
it's workings, it's intents and achieve
ments. In view of this fact, and con-
sidering that certain severe criticisms
had been heaped on the institute in
the past few weeks (Which criticisms,
1 understand, have had no precedent
in the past conduct of the place. / de-
terrnined to "do'' Bethlehem the right
way, /. e., to dress myself as a hobo,
pull my hat over my eyes, thrust my
hands deeply into my pockets and go
blindly to 1t in quest of help, food and
employment. This way l would be
able to determine exactly the condi-
tions existing there.
Dressed for the Job
Accordingly, / donned a black shirt.
a slouchy cap and soiled suit of clothes
and started on my expedition. L ar
rived at the institute looking typically
like a hobo. / use the term hobo"
for nowadays it seems to be fashionable
to designate any man in quest of work
a hobo. The term is applied by the
courts to all who are moneyless, and 1T
is used with the same disregard for its
original meaning by society; so sup
pose / am justified in saying that. mas
much as / was ostensibly looking for
work / was ostensibly a hoboI
Vignes and Ducommun streets, the
location of Bethlehem, are not exactly
in the swell residence district. 1t
bears little resemblance to the West
lake section. In fact, it hardly resem-
bles anything else in Los Angeles. II
can only be compared to other sections
Of the same district. 1t is back of a
bia brewery, two blocks from the gas
plant. and the dirt for blocks around is
black from the tar and other was ingre-
dients.
The air smells so strongly that one
who is not familiar with it must al
most hesitate to strike a match for
fear of a combustion. Near by is one
of the largest gas tanks In the west.
All around it are two and three room
cottages, shacks, occupied by the poor
est Of the poor, so-called cholos, Rus