The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-10-27
POVERTY STALKS
ABOUT ENGLAND
Thousands in Distress,
and Condition Grows
Nor e Acute.
Especial to The Times Dispatch


London. October 2s.-"We are living
in days Of exceptional prosperity"
was the recent declaration Of Lloyd
George. The Chancellor OF the Ex-
chequer certainly acts accordingly. TO
the already staggering annual cost OF
his insurance act he added $S,2oV'ovo
In q speech OF q few minutes last
"Wednesday, when he Increased his
offer OF an annual stipend to the doc
tors who have hitherto refused to work
on the terms provided In the bill. TINS
according to the lament OF his as
consulate but very passive crit1cs' ID
equivalent to an addition to the In
come tax OF about 2 cents In every
pound sterling.
Wherever the chancellor may see the
great prosperity of which he talks. IT
Certainly is not among the class for
whose benefit his legislation was IN
tended. Even as early as this in the
autumn there are already serious
warnings that unless there Is rapid
Improvement In conditions the distress
during the coming winter will be ter
rible. The chief cause OF this almost
everywhere is undoubtedly the accum-
ulation of the results Of numerous
strikes. In most parts OF the east
end OF London the distress to-day
Is liner edfoly acute. What Ii worse.
the relieving ofncers have no money
to give, and the wOrkhouses either
are filing up or are already filled.
Things are awful: the people are
really starving: there 10 no work Tor
them; II is not q case for soup XII.
chens. the men must have work ana
soon." sand an experienced warden OF
mission in West Hane. where alone
5000 men are out OF work, and where
the women and children are starving.
Al this place the distress was I'M
doubtedly caused by the recent dock
strike In Canning Town. a suburb
Of London. the clergy and others de-
clare that they have never seen suen
distress. The majority Of the cases
are among respectable. haro-wofhinS
men and women
This poverty Is general ana 10 De-
coming worse every day.
Tell the Same story.
The government labor exchanges tell
the same story. The ofacials say that
even skilled workmen have dimcuity
in getting work, and the chances OF
, ordinary laborers are hopeless" Things
have been getting steadily worse ever
since the summer. One labor exchange
, in the month OF July had 3.17S dock
laborers on its register. OF this num-
Der. s2,705 averaged as days work
apiece during that entire month ana
the rest got none at all As the con-
ditions have oecome worse ever since
and are still going to the bad, the
prospect for the state Of affairs by
midwinter, unless there Is an improve
nent. lie appalling.
already the pawn shops have more
pledges than they can store; all rents
are in arrears. insurance policies have
been allowed to run out, and the men
| are unable to seek work for lack OF
/ food and clothing. Only the children
are sure Of meals and these are OBJ
tanning free breakfasts at the schools.
The keenest interest has been aroused
in naval circles here over the an
nouncement that the guns OF the new
German super-dreadnaughts will be OF
6fteen-inch Galore. and will throw
a shell weighing 1850 pounds. Tho
largest gun at present mounted on a
British warship is OF 13-s-tnch cahore.
and this will shoot q shell weighing
!, 400 pounds. Admiral Sir Cyprian
Bridge, retired. the author OF several
naval works. declares that they are
capable of destroying any warshlp
that has been ;5uiit or is in contempia-
ton. He says: Naval architects can
build ships that will carry bigger guns
than .ffteen-inch ones, but the ques-
ton is. are these big guns practically
valuable? l strongly believe that their
Introduction is altogether in the ma
ture OF retrograde tactics. At the bot
tom of this craze for guns OF great
size is what is called the moral e0ect,
which is another pseudo-sctentific name
for funk"
Sir Hiram Maxim. the gunmaker,
differs from the admiral He believes
that twenty-inch guns are possible
AS to the question whether the present
British guns could not smash any ship
built or contemplated, Sir Hiram says
that, lit must be remembered that u
is not a question Of dealing with SHIPS
at short range but at very long range,
and the larger, longer and heavier the
prcjectile 1. and the higher its velocity
the greater will be its radius ana
smashing effec: when the target 10 two
mr. three mile. away i learned some
tim. ago that several drms In Eng
land, at least one In Germany and two
or three In the United states are quite
prepared to make very high powered
gun with a twenty-inch bore, but We
have not come 20 that yet
Lessons - N0aey Matters.
Lessons in management In money
matters is tie latest projec; OF VS.
countess Esher for the higher educa-
ton of society women The opening
lessons at q business school VIII De
given early in November at CraiS's
Court house. The v;scountess has care
fully thought out the new scheme The
tuition will include q special lesson IL
the management Of a banking account.
hut the chief attention viii be devoted
s<xk ~. he. <InIS0R0
and cents Of social life. Fashionable
women will he shown. among other
things. how TO manage dress allow
ance, pin money. charitable ccntriou-
lions. club and other subscriptions AM
bridge records. a simple system OF
keeping household accounts VIII h.
demonstrated. house and garden nc
counts will be explained. and the pupils
will be laugh; how To check servants
and ;radesman's books.
Ingenious devices rave been ar
ranged 60 test The progress Of the
students. Each viii receive a bag
Containing dummy money and checks.