The San Francisco call., 1910-07-03

Tacoma, Seattle, St Paul and Minneapolis. found
conditions much worse in the than in the
Day and night the streets were full of 'mootchers'
(beggars) besieged the employment offices in the
waking hours and after p. m. the Hops and even
the jais.
I'm San Francisco I was finally able to get into
miSsion-'the ask and ye shall receive" fop-but
ceived the usual reply there my question. If did
not have any money they had no room for me.
got in by means OF manhole in the sidewalk, which
some friendly young fellow showed me. He said all
| had to do drop and drop did-into a black
depth that | knew nothing whatever about. 1t
not much OF fall, however, and l lit on my feet in
the midst of the nest of human rats that perforce
called this underground hole home
Il did not stay long there, though. They found
me quickly and out | went again into the night I
made for the city prison then.
In both San Francisco and Los Angeles the city
prisons, which know only we'll, par with
the one at Pueblo My hours in them wretched
nightmares They were experiences l never wish
repeat The horror of them will always be with me-
Portland Spokane, Seattle and Tacoma offered
nothing better, and in many phases something much
geson of common labor, from which deplorable con-
dtons naturally result In Seattle the only accom-
nodduon Ior the noeess IS ocdted IN the center or
the toughest part OF the tenderlon Above below,
every side oriental and occidental gaming hes run
day and night; houses of questionable rather un-
questioned repute are in operation 1t is into the
most evil and degeneratng atmosphere of the city
that boys and men temporarily out of work sent
frd rest. Better there shelter offered
at ALL
New York, July 2
Forbes agent of the Society for the Prevention of
Mendicancy and Charitable Imposture, at his Office
at No, 20 West Twenty-second street. "and l have
high regard for his earnestness and for his unsesh
devotion to the homeless | can not agree with him
that 90 per cent of the wanderers honest for in
many cases they succumb to temptations to steal
There many honest men, however, who are re-
duced vagabondage. A large class lacks the cour-
while many will. of course, when hungry hlch milk
and bread from doorseps, which is larceny under the
law
&c ef,r
question the treatment of the homeless man
1t is not just matter whether his plight be his
criminal Even granting that many are lazy and in
efficient society it to itself and to them to aid
them by building up their characters.
NO man becomes worthless vicious all at once
Many through i'll luck unfortunate and
intemperate habits lose their grip life They do.
not become beggars IN day, tor that IS gradual
process which results finally IN the breaking down Of
self-respect There is little danger of any man
who knows the ropes ever starving to death in this
city, and many who make use OF various religions
and charitable agencies manage to get along and be
There is plenty of machinery in this city for aid
ing the homeless if co-ordinated and ap-
Piled, which, regret to say, it is not What is needed
most of all is the humanizing of charity [ would
not wish to say that any plan which | suggest will
solve great problem all at but think that
tne establishment OF few small homes IN various
parts OF the city where the wanderers may be re-
served and aided in rehabitating themselves, would
be of much benefit
Here there could be diversified industries so that
man could either practice the craft which he had
learned or master If his condition is due
to physical defects-a missing leg or arm, for in
stance-he could be aided 20 overcome or minimize
the handicap Some of these homeless ones through
excessive drinking disease, have enough brains
will left to make it worth the trouble of irving 70
make them useful, and for them some kind of farm
where they may be kept would solve the
problem Better have them there than prowino abort
city and country spreading vermin and disease
The shlftless and the lazy may be helped and
there is good chance for the man who thro,oE
or unfavorable circumstance has it E
hold on life New York has of the best r1unicnaI
lodging houses in the world. fact which impressed
Mr.. Brown when he visited It, but it is also provided
that man who IS seen there than three tiroes
month shall be arrested and to the workhouse
That treatment may do for hardened offenders br+
1t only corrupts and degrades the man who Is worth
the saving More elasticity is what is needed in the
whole system.