The Washington herald., 1909-01-31
WHAT WILL LONDON DO WITH HER POOR2

in the balance. compared with that which
they have suffered from the benevolent
measures Of some OF the best men that
have ever ruled in England.
Il said, moreover. In attempting %
repeal that law OF nature by which the
effects Of each mans impT0yidence or
misconduct are borne by himself and his
family We also repeal that other law By
which each man and his family enjoy the
benefit Of prudence and virtue. In abol-
ishIng punishment We also abolish re-
ward"
Il said again. ~Our laws OF pauper;sm
are engines for separating each member
OF a family from al others and Of reduc-
ing ali 10 a state Of domesticated ami
mals, fed. lodged. and provided for BY the
parish without mutual dependence Of mu-
tual interest"
Il said. again. The discontentment. OF
the Iaboring classes in every parish IS IN
proportion to the money spent in poor
rates
Finally the report made the following
recommendation:
81. The attempt % relieve poverty is a
monstrous failure The functions OF the
80 The position of the pauper should
be made less eligible than that Of the in
dependent workingTnan. By saying that
a case Of poverty IS deserving you make
a merit Of receiving aims.
3 All relief spent or consumed by q
pauper IN his own home Is Inconsistent
with the above principle.
- Outdoor relief should be entirely
abolished"
By outdoor relief Is meant that re-
lief extended to paupers in their own
homes Indoor relief means relief given
in state institutions.
The ChamberIain Scheme.
There was deep, dark silence for a
while after the report was published.
Then from way of in the direction Of the
churches came a wall. There was ut-
tered the word ''inhuman." Then human
beings began TO take sides and buckle on
controversial armor. and the tight was
on
Charity workers. many churches. old
ladies. and labor statesmen contende6
that the report was subservient Of all
principles Of decency. that II opposed
Christianity. and other things. The ad-
vocates Of the report said that IL was
common sense All the time the taxes
kept on getting higher So. finally. the
report was accepted and its provisions
were put into effect. with the happy re-
suit already outlined
When Mr. Chamberlain sent forth his
famous message 20 the poor board IN 1876
he believed that the times we're critical
that there was lack Of labor for Iaboring
men. and that the laboring classes gen
orally were passing through a very de-
pressing period,
He looked out Of his window and saw
these things, and his heart was touched
He ordered the charity bureaus through
out the country 20 find work for the poor
people to do. and he specified that TIE
work should be OF the following Charac-
ter
]. The work must not involve the stig-
ma Of papperism. Never let & paupe-
know that he is pauper- His night
hand must not know what his left hand
is doing. II you told him the shock
would probably remove a very useful
paUper from the community
2 The work must be OF a character that
all can perform, 10 matter what may
g. The work must not compete with Ia
borers already at work. and il must be
work not likely 10 interfere with the re-
sumption Of regular employment in other
trades OF those who seek II.
A Conflict of Powers.
Mr.. Chamberlain's instructions were
enthusiastically By many Of his
o#rfaTe s--rr,7.fve1 D. ,.b.-- -. +----
were followed. and since that time the
poor situation IN England has been rap
IDLY growing unbearable
Il IS hard 10 enforce laws when there
is some doubt as 20 the exact meaning q
the laws, but It is additionally hard 70
put them IN their proper places above the
multitude when there is an uncertainty
and confusion amid the LEGAL machinery
by which they are 70 be put IN .Jlaee.
This Is the case in England now.
There are three separate machines Hor
TO the poor IN England Psrlis-
ment makes the laws. The poor law CON-
mission has general supervision Of The
enforcement OF the laws and can modify
them 10 q great degree. Local boards
have the execution OF the poor aaw COM
missions orders and can modify them
very greatly.
As result, a law that starts OF with
7ne meaning from Parliament is often
distorted TO exactly the opposite meaning
oy weIl-meaning local board. The 10
,al boards can really do almost anything
they want 10 do without superior au-
.hority.
An instance OF this last fact occurred
after Mr.. Chamberlsin's or
Ter was published. There was hardship
among lab0ring men in 1856 The local
board in the Whitechapel district received
heads of families into its woTkhOuses and
relieved the families until the men Gb-
.ained employment. Il did not open a Ia
Dor yard
The crisis passed. The local board al
81 Olaves just across the river. opened
! labor yard at trades union rates II
hose stOnebraking as work complying
With Mr Chsmberlain's specifications. II
lad 1o09 applicants. and Il spent S900C0.
Each ton of broken stone cost SIS,
igainst SO cents, or a like insignificant
AMOUNT in the market The yards we're
always in confusion. and only the worst
lass Of labor applied. There was more
in ST Oiave's than in White
,hapel This shows the difference OF pro- (
edure in two boards separated oHiy by
he Thames.
Very recently there was pssseI and /
made law by Parliament the oid-age pen I
ion bill. which has been fought for a
ong time by representatives OF the labor (
ng mems party. Under this law the fol-
owing requirements for receiving a pen /
ion are laid down:
Old Age Pensions.
J. The person must have attained the &
.ge OF seventy.
>. The person must for 81 least twenty /
ears - 20 the date OF the receipt Of 4
ny sum on account OF a pension have /
zen a British subject. and have had his I
esidence. IS defined by regulations under +
his act. in the United Kingdom.
3. The means OF the person. as caicClat- /