Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-11-25
ENeLAND's WAY WITH HoeoEs.
Plans That Are Gradually Causing the
Tramp to En,israte or Go to Work.

! Plans That Are Gradually Causing the
| Tramp to Enisrate or Go to Work.
| In england the wandering hobo is
nothing like So painful a social pro
| blem as in some countries. With ali
| the camaraderie of the road, we have
nothing here at all corresponding to
such unions or guilds of beggars as iii
China levy tribute from every shop
| keeper. Nor, in spite of the poverty of
| the city sIums. can there be seen here
| such spectacles of mendicancy as dis
4 tress the traveller in Naples and other
| parts Of the continent. We are even
| free from one special phase of vasran-
! cy which causes no little trouble IN
| America. The English railway cempa-
! MES are scarcely worried 1t all by at
| tcmpts of our out of-works to steal u
| ride. This is not, presumably, because
| the English tramp is more fond OF
walking than the American hobo, but
! simply BECAUSE the distance between
| one big city and another is compare
| lively so small that it IS not worth
while 20 run the risks involved III a
surreptitious journey by the cars.
! At the same time, no one who goes
| about much on English country roads.
Especially those in the neighhorhcod OF
London and other centers of popula-
4 tian. can avoid frequently meeting pei :
| sons who are evidently more desirious
/ of a dole than of a job. Begging, II is
true is punishable offeLse, but it is
! easy to keep within the law by means
/ of u pretence of selling tapes, or shoe
/ Iaces. or sroandsel. Within the last few
months, however. the lazy vagrant, as
DISTINGUISHED from the bona-fide work
+, man who has fallen on hard times, has
| found himself confronted with new
situation What the automobile is do
ing for the pedestrian in general, new,
j method of poor relief is doing for the
/ vagrant IN particular 1t is driving
him off the road.
/ According to the old system,
n tramp who had been trudging
/ the highways during the day could APP
ply in the evening for admission to the
casual ward of the nearest workheuse.
. Here he would be provided with q meal
and a bed The next morning, instead
/ of being set free to continue his jour-
ney al once, he would be set TO work
! ct some manual task, usually breaking
stone or picking oakum. He would
sary meals provided meanwhile, and on
the following morning he would be dis-
charged after breakfast But. as soon
as the worlShouse gates closed On him.
! he would be left to his own resources
as regards getting something TO eat
,.before the supper that awaited him IN
the next casual ward in the evening. III
/ therefore, he happened to meet ehafl-
tably disposed person he could appeal
| for help ON the ground that ne had
nothing wherewith to satisfy his hung
er during the day.
In a large number of countries the
! adoption of q new plan called the
way ticket system has deprived the
lhabitual tramp of this excuse FOR beg
cling. When he leaves the workhouse
he is given ticket which entities him
| TO half u pound Of bread and an ounce
and a half of cheese at some appointed
store on his route. a further reform "lf-
ferentiates between the two types oil
| wayfarers. II an applicant for sheiter
| in, the casual ward corvinceS the mas
| ter of the workhCuse that he is not
mere tramp, but an honest seeker atter
| work he is allowed to leave on ,he
morning after admission without put
ting in a day at tone-breaklns. AS
proof of his good faith he may show
testimonial from some responsible en-
plover given net more than a month
| previously, or labor exchange ticket
or one of Llovd- Georges insurance
i cards. or, perhaps, he can give salts
factory evidence that he is travelling 10
some place where he has been offered
emnloyment In any case, once lie mas
! satisfied the workhouse master that he
is really after a job, he is. excused ihe
I usual days delay in the workhouse'
and can start again after his night
! rest with way ticket providing fof
{, his meal. This ticket has spaces In
which each master marks the date OF
the mans arrival and departure ana
where his next halting place VIII DC.
,It becomes accordingly an equivalent
to a through pass, guaranteeing 1000
/ and shelter at state expense.
This scheme, though boon to the
) honest worker is anything but wei
= come TO the vagabond. He is beginning
To ask himself whether, after all, the
) life of the road is really worth living.
For the poor-law authorities have tax
en- the public into their confidence IN
the matter Throughout Surrey, for IN
stance, there can now be seen on every
!. official notice board a placard entitled
Caution to beggars and an appeal To
! the public" The text of it announces
, that the Surrey vagrancy committee
, has adopted the way and food ticket
system, so that mo wayfarer need new