New-York tribune., 1909-01-27
WOULD HANG GRAFTERS
DIR. C. II AKED'S VIEWS.
Says Men Who LeUy on Poor for
Job Are Worse than Pirates.

THE Homeless Man and His Relation to So
ciety' furnished the Rev. Charles F. Aked, of the
Fifth Avenue Baptist Church, with topic for a
speech last night at the annual dinner Of the In
dustrial Christian Alliance at the Hotel Gotham,
which fairly bristled with excOriaton of those re-
sporsible for the political graft in this city. 1t
vas perhaps the most severe aTraignment uttered
in many days of the system under which poor men
mulcted in money for the employment they
seek
Compared with these men," said DR.. Aked, the
pirates and forest thieves were gentlemen
Perhaps 1t would be good If half dozen of these
cutthroats were hanged"
Dr. Aked also aroused applause by his reference
10 the seameR and stewards who distinguished
themselves in the collision between the Republic
and the Florida, which he mentioned as demon
strative of the high service to mankind that
even the men in lowIy places give, The pastor
Of the Fifth Avenue Baptist Church also criti-
cised society for it's insufficient interest in the
homeless man. who, he said, must be either an
asset a menace
DR.. Aked delivered his speech with earnest
forcefulness OF argument and delivery that went
right to the mark and caused a distinct hutter or
approval from the diners. who were business men
and representatives of the clergy. DR.. Aked said
that although he comparatively newcomer
into the United States he spoke as one Of this
country
I'VE are extravagant people" he said, we
five in extravagant day and lead wasteful
life. 1 do not say this by way of censure or crti-
cism. 1t is not much that money is sold so
much above its value that human life is sold
below It's value. We reckless with human life. "
DR.. Aked read two stories from the newspapers
of last evening. One told Of starved man, who
picked up in the street, the other Of a man
who committed suicide because he could not sup
port his family. The first happened only short
distance from where the clergyman spoke last
night.
These men," he said, were capable of being
made of real valre to the community. thus adding
to its wealth but the opportunity is thrown away
by society
"a few days ago the eyes of the whole world
the fog bound off the shore at Nan
tucket. We all marvelled at the conquest OF the
air, the call for help htat was flashed from mast
head and watched the gathering Of great ships TO
a work of sublime rescue We witnessed the
herosm of obscure men The saamen and stewards
have shown that at the call they are capable OF
rising to human devotion. And there Is no steam
ship wreck railroad disaster, 40 coal mine e1-
plosion where these rough lived men with rough
clothes, whom are ready to rush past, are not
ready to risk their lives.
Speaking of the relation Of society to the unen-
ployed and homeless man, DR.. Aked continued:
DR.. Furbay has just said that homeless man is Is
take issue / say that the homeless man is either
an asset or a menace He might be danger.
taught crime by men who have risen as forgers,
have become an asset but they became menace
We should pay tribute to Mr.. Straus for his plan
]
places. II Is important, this distribution Of
labor than the distribution Of wealth. because 1t
, is conducive to wealth
There should be some way TO get the unemployed
men to where there Is work for them to do Out
West there Is a persistent for help. The rail-
road companies, II We could appeal TO their powel
of compassion. should be induced to offer some
practical aid In the-way Of free transportation
Here Dr. Aked turned his attention to political
corruption and said
Great is red tape and sreatly is it to be feared
/ We read of starving. homeless men who worked
I work has been done but the poor wretches VINO
/ city stin go unpaid II IS black iniquity. And do
J vou know that those homeless, starving men had
to pay rs each to obtain their employment
II is the nleanest and most despfcabe form OF mean
| and patry thieving that the world has ever seen
| We are the grip OF the Phistines in this city
| There might be no way TO escape until half dozen
/ of the cutthroats have been hanged. l want TO
| respect you. but really the sea pirates and forest
| thieves were gentlemen compared with this BAN
! dtti that has the city by the throat The real
| anarchist Is not the man Of violence with hunger
/ and pain the real anarchist Is the msn who has
corrupted the civic life and driven men 10 despair
The Rev John B. Devins presided at the dinner
and spoke for board of trustees of the Indus
trial Christian Alliance. DR.. II. q. Furbay told of
the work the institution The Rev. Karl Reiland
| and John s. Huyler were among the other speak