Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-08-21

public. The man out of work who finds
he can make an easy living in this beg
ging business Is tempted to drop all ef-
forts Of honest endeavor and become a
chronic hobo. The big-hearted citizen,
on the other hand. who gives TO the APP
parently needy. learns sooner or later
that he Is being swindled; upon which
knowledge he swings to the other ex-
treme ad coldly refuses TO assist in any
form of aiding the hungry and helpless.
There should be a system whereby the
man wanting food from lack or work
could get both and 1t should include
every form of Indulgence, the tramp. the
hobo and the physically unable FROM
my experience. there is method under
which this can be handled with al pos
sible and proper relief given 10 those
who deserve Ii and a fitting treatment
given those who attempt TO prey on the
kindheartedness of the public.
II is the irea OF Rev. Hubert-Jones 10
adopt in this country the plan when
has been followed with such success IN
Germany: that is, put the hobo TO work
on the farm.
Let each town and city establish
large farm" he said. .'Wehen the man Is
found begging on the streets or pushing
open the back door Of the dwelling house
in search of a meal, take him up. send
him to the farm and make him work
reasonable length OF time. Or have the
various authorities, whether of city or
small town, place them in squads upon
some public work that is necessary but
beyond the local means OF paying for
through the regular channels of labor.
There are thousands of men who. fasci-
mated with the charm OF the hobo life,
are preying upon the best class OF the
public: these could thus be turned into
usefulness. not only for the general good,
but for themselves.
Il would not have man work merely
as n penalty" continued DIR. Hubert
Jones. but l would have some small wage
paid him In addition. SO that at the end
of his term he would not be cast out
again on the world penniless. This wage
would be given him at the end of his
work. j would also have established
tramps' gallery of photographs. and every
hobo taken up would have his likeness
taken and not only placed in the local
gallery of the police where he was
rounded up, but sent also to all the
places wherever his rowing disposition
might lead him. Furthermore, / would
impress this fact very deeply upon him,
so that he would know his identity and
reputation have gone on ahead of him.
This would discourage his ambition TO
prey upon new fields and blot out all hope
of garnering easy money with his glibly
told stories of misfortune in the next
town he beat his way into on freight
train.
The certain knowledge that they would
be put to labor at the very first town
they told their hard-luck story would drive
most, IL not all, Of them to honest work.
In order TO make this plan effective, how
ever il must be adopted universally. III
only few communities put this in prac-
tice the hobo will soon learn of them and
shun the vicinity like pestilence.
-.
60 lro
adoption is shown by the fact that among
hoboes there is some sort of wireless
telegraphy whereby knowledge is spread
swiftly and accurately with a neatness
and dispatch that would arouse the envy
Of the telegraph companies. Not long
ago Vermont adopted an anti-hobo plan
which put these Migrants to work in the
many granite quarries of the state. Jack
London, playing the hobo for literary
purposes, heard Of this from some of the
professional tramps out in San Francisco
before the press had spread ii and in an
he, Ipnnf a., 81