The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1909-11-01
EVA BOOTH DOESN'T BLAME
GIRLS FOR TRYING SUICIDE

"a can't blame them for COM
mittlna suicide. Cor taking out
Of the world a life that merely
suffers, that starVes and
freezes and aches with pain OF
body and soul-those miser-
able men and women that live
like rats In the sluma. can
youf" asked Eva Booth IN her
apartments az the Lincoln ho-
tel Monday.
"New York has a law making
suicide crime A girl
OF the streets. who has sold her
soul for one meals food. without
home. or hope. starved and de.
splsed. Could You DRAG her out OF
the river. that promised endless
rest. and send her 20 PRISON.
"lts a wonder that more of them
don't commit suicide.
The Whole World heartlesa.
"Men without work. families de-
pending upon them, women with
out hope. and the whole world, Il
seems 10 them. without heart, II
il any wonder that poison seems
TO them a sweet morsel, a balm for
all carth's woeag
"Vou think life isn't worth
living when you merely have
spell Of the blues, with all the
comforts Of your pleasant
home and the cheer OF your
friends about you. Can you or
or any human being blame
these wretched men and wom'
en- who live amidst filth and
squalor. crime and cruel
words. 20 whom 'all the tomor-
rows shall be as toaay'--ean
God himself blame them that
they want 20 end Il alif
Nothing hereafter could be
worse than each days fortunes
And maybe there Is a God They
have heard there u.s. They'd rather
take a chance with God In iudg
ment than endure one more day on
earth
The Hopeiessness Of II.
TITS the hopelessness Of Il all
that makes them want 10 fllng
their lives back TO whatever power
gave Il. They are killing Thorn.
selves for the want 81 a kind word
You know something OF the
suicide department the salvation
Army has added 20 It's work IN the
past year. We ask men and WON.
en- who cant stand u another day
to come 70 rs and talk Il over be
fore they end that day In the night
Of death.
-Do they Gomez In the past
three weeks IN New York City 900
men and women have come 20 as
with the death determination In
their souls and poison In their
pockets. What do we dor We
give them a grasp 81 the hand. a
message Of hope and help and they
get their grip on life again. It's
hopeleesnesa and lovelessness
they're dying OF Anybody can
earn a living. fight the wolf of de.
spair. with friends shoulder next
to his
The Wonder OF u.
THE other day We found a baby
In cellar in New York with It's
little legs almost gnawed 90 the
bone hv rats. That's the life they
live these people OF the slnms.
and it's no wonder that the river
and poison ~ the death they die.
"The wonder - THAT 30 many
Of us can be comfortable In
our pleasant homes and not
stretch cut hand n help our
brothers and aisiers OF the
poor. lt's a uruesome picture
i've drawn you but lt's the
realism OF a life that is lived
and ls killed every day w
slums Of or cities"
Miss Booth spent the day quiet
~ resting in her apartments and
looking over the business ~ Sal.
walton Army posts in neighboring
cities. This evening she leaves
FOR Spokane. whence she continues
her return "trip East through Butte,
Chicago and few other cities 10
her headquarters in New York
City
The Moore theatre Was packed
and damned yesterday afternoon
BY one Of the most interesting au-
disnces that ever gathered In Sc
attle The rich and the poor. the
well dressed and others not so
cultured in the cheapest Of gar.
ments, met to hear Miss Booth tell
IN her characteristic manner Of her
work In the siums Of great cities.
--aessass-=s-4a-ss..a=