New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-08-19
The Problem Of Poverty.

Viewing the problem of poverty from
the standpoint of a charity worker, MI.
Lock, the secretary Of the London soclet!'
spoke rather pessimiStlcally OF the '"'-
look. .... ,o.o,.,o-
rating effects of the present pollcy on lle
mart of England, due to the taxing ava!
of the provident spirit. lie DelleSes '. w.
the moral fibre of the Enghshman oL II;e
lower classes is being undermined py IiS
constant reliance upon the goVeIhHeni59
10 do the things which he himsen coulu
do If he exercised the proper lGreSiiSr ~;
The thing, however, which prooaoly I'M I'M
messed the members of the group more
han ANYTHING else in England was me
great progress which has been made along
housing lines. u,o,,
everywhere care is being taken 10 pan
out cities in advance, 50 as NOT 70 a.
neat our rather disastrous experiments ii
citv building and 10 prevent the cGrges-
ZION which has always followed, ana theh
the houses themselves are are oeins ''ie
fullv and beautifully designed. l..
In the very centre of the Sums IN IN IN
ernooI for example, the municipality ma
torr away great sections OF tne olu 1919 90
unsanitarY dwellings ana mas IcPIa ~
tberr nv beautiful houses. when REM a.
,bat we would consider in America 10 DC
ridiculously low sums.
The party was formally received at
ha civ Hall In Amsterdam. DIR. Pratt
writes as follows;
In Amsterdam after pleasant ride
through the fiat LANDS OF t ItIi'1 INV one
If the aldermen Of the city. VINO ere't.C
sd ms in the name of the muhlciPai.tLH
and put US under charge or Two oi ~
heads of departments OF the ''''
eminent
The Visit to Amsterdam.
Amsterdam. although old and quaint
IN many ways, has much thal Il H.
esting and original the CITY Is Hr '3tb
,n, ronsiderabie effort TO do away witn
,h Insanitarv houses which still exist
IN many parts of the city. ana the siS
"I,nHt for human habitation is 10 no
found on many houses IN olIleIe"' 90
uGt,s ,S i not only tearing down houses.
hut Is erecting new ones in the our nie
districts of the city. A thlng "HICi Pc
ticulaTly interested US was me pu''u i,f
Of a large technical sChoo ro ~ F,,tmTo de-
urbs of Amsterdam. where lutuIt ",
VaIoument is expected, but mas not tet
taken place In other words. !he ~
Of Amsterdam is providing IN tCS w
urbs for the future grown wiz" -
After lunchmg in the garden OF tne
Hotel Krasnaposky we proceedeu W ~, lia
spect one Of the municipal orphaI ,,al, "a
II the readers Of The Tribune Woui9
like to see a really clean place w0uld
recommend their visiting the munlcIpaI
oruhanaee Of Amsterdam If there was
one speck of dirt in that institution We
failed to find it. -.... .o.
The girls, in rather interesting cos
tunes. half red and half black, We're
found in every part OF the mouse cIedn
ing and scrubbing. They were learhiins
to do housework In most palnstakihs
fashion, and there might be some Solu-
ton for the servant problem In New
York If the demand could be Suppneo
from the girls of this institution.
One of the most interesting VISITS
which We made in Amsterdam was TO
large diamond cutting and polshlng
factory. Not the least interesting part
of fhe diamond industry in Amsterdam
is me very complete organization OF the
diamond workers. ,...
cor several wears they have been
GROWING in strength and numbers unti
now The union comprises about 80 per
cent Of the total trade. They nave an
immense strike fund, and their head
quarters. in one of the shaded resldeh-
tial streets, is a handsome four story
. building with large auditorium, Ornces
and the various appliances necessary Tor
carrying on the executive work or
great Organization ..,..-.
The diamond workers Of Amsterdam
are perhaps the best paid manual work
ers In Europe Some Of them earn az
high as $50 or $40 a week. which IN
Amsterdam is q princely wage. Inc
employers, of course, as employers WILL
DO complain bitterly but II Is quite eVl-
dent that the diamond industry is
nourishing one.