Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1912-11-17
BY Ed L. Keen.
(London Correspondent of the United
Press.)

London, Nov. 1S.-That it is posi-
BILE by legislation to obliterate the
almost unprecedented restitution now
prevalent in England IL the sincere
belief Of a body Of earnest and en-
thusiastic men and women who have
inaugurated what they term war
against poverty"
There are at present in this coun-
try between two and three million per-
sons who are unable to obtain on their
own resources some of the actual
necessities Of life. OF these about a
million are receiving relief under the
So called poor law and the others
through various public and private
charitable agencies. The promoters OF
the new campaign hold that organized
society-or in other words, govern
ment-is primarily I. responsible FOR
conditions that have brought this
about; therefore government must be
looked to to provide the cure.
Associated on the general commit
tee, formed under the auspices of the
Labor party and the Fabian society.
for the purpose of forcing upon pubic
opinion and through 1t upon parlia-
ment the necessity OF remedial legis-
lation, are SOC leaders Of thought N
the social and Industrial world, repre-
senting 1913 different bodies, including
labor unions, cooperative societies
and religious and philanthropic organ
izations throughout the United King
dom.
Their watchword is. "the right Of
workers to a minimum of civilized
life"
The definite objects of the move
ment as set forth in resolutions
adopted at their recent meeting in
London, are:
A legal minimum wage in all trades.
A minimum of 4S hours per week for
all workers. both men and Women.
Prevention Of unemployment.
Complete provision against sick
ness.
Proper nurture Of child life--food.
clothing and medical care to be pro-
vided where necessary.
-. Abolition of the present poor law.
Point to Minimum Wage.
With regard to the constructive fea-
lures Of the program. it Is argued that
inasmuch as the government has al
ready done something along these
lines there is no logical reason, so
long az the necessity exists, why 1t
should not do more. For instance, it
IL pointed out, the establishment Vt
the minimum. wage in the coal fields.
by means Of parliamentary action. has
secured for the lowest paid workers
underground such a substantial in
crease Of wages al never before had
been obtained by mere trade union
ha cto
committee the new health and unem-
pioyment Insurance law, while in many
respects a move in the right direction,
has proven inadequate and moreover.
under the present system Of contri-
button imposes too great a burden
upon those whom It Is designed to
help.
But, It is toward the abolition Of the
poor law that the committee Is esps-
cially directing its efforts. In the
opinion of Professor Sidney Webb. one
OF the foremost sociologists in Eng
land. and who Is a leading spirit In
the new Industrial crusade. this is the
most Ubiquitous measure on the Brit
ish statute books.
Before we can hope to eject the
plain. but substantial structure we
have planned" he said today. 1--WE
must see to 1t that our foundations
are sound. At present our system OF
society has a rotten base. Under
meath the feet OF the whole wage
earning class is the abyss of the poor
law. When a respectable family ap-
plies for relief. we. the government OF
England, proceed to break up that
family. We strip each individual OF
what makes life worth living. Before
q man enters the poor house he Is de-
prived Of his citizenship. He is brand
ed as unfit to vote for members OF
parliament. We put him to toll or loi-
ter under conditions that are SO de.
moraflzing that he bacomes unfit ever
to work for a member of parliament
1--WE strip the wife OF her children
We send her to the washtub or into
the sewing room where her associate.
are disreputable women or imbeciles
The children, II they are under fiv'
years Of age. arc taken to the nurs
cry, where they are attended by dis.
reputable women and imbeciles. Their,
they remain. day in and day out with
out ever going down the poorhous'
steps. until they are old enough to b.
entered in the miserable poorhous,
schools. or, until they are takeI
out In their coffins, owing to tn,
terrible mortality among the poo
law babies.
This Is the pit of the poor Law
which IL still tust as infamous as 1
was when few years ago a roya
mmiesion-composed of leading
members Of all parties-unanimousl
declared that 1t ought to be swep
away as a disgrace to any civilized
state. The continued presence of THU
demoralizing provision for the desti
+ tute often prevents the full use Of tn
great public services that are devote
70 the work OF prevention. Only re