Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-07-30
ASPECTS OF VAGRANCY.

The acting superintendent OF tne
New York municipal lodging house
has made a study OF about 1000
Migrants. His examination shows that
the immediate cause of vagrancy is
not, in the great majority of instances
economic, but patholog!c. The COM
mon impression Is that a great many
of the Migrants Of large cities are men
whose advancing years have thrown
them out OF employment 1t was found,
on the contrary. that the majority OF
the men who applied to the New York
municipal lodging house were young
indeed, in the very prime OF life. or
the 1000 men examined, per cent
were under 81, while only 6.S5 per cent
were over 60.
II is also generally assumed that the
majority OF the Migrants are foreign
ers. There is an idea, too, that a
great many of the Migrants in large
cities are not city-born, but have been
attracted to the centers of population
because of the ease with which an I'M
earned livelihood may be obtained
there.
of these a priori impressions. OF the
1000 men examined, only per cent
had been in this country less than
three years, while only per cent mad
been in. New York less than one year.
The average time OF residence in the
metropolis proved to be 80 years and
1 months: as Sc was the average age
of the men altogether. they had lived
practically all of their lives in the city,
and the superintendent adds that
practically all of these 1000 were our
own native sons
About 80 per cent of the homeless
men who seek the shelter OF the NUM-
cipal lodging house are unemployed.
Twelve per cent of them showed def
mite evidences OF defective mentality.
The infirm from age and those handi-
capped by the loss of member rep
resent about as many more. About 10
per cent are habitual loafers and con-
frmed beggars, who have lost the
habit of work. Sixty-five per cent are
willing and able to work. but are ham,
pered partly by lack of skill and partly
by the fact that they are victims of
the seasonal trades which employ a
great IHduE hcA CT SCi tam N4AiNS -
the year and very few at others, leav-
ing men without any definite occupa-
ton for months every year.
Alcohol played an important role.
About 80 per cent OF these men proved
to be excessive drinkers, a fact which
is not nearly so significant as the adj
mission of over 80 per cent that in
toxicating liquors were the sole cause
of their dependency and wretchedness.
When out of work a great many OF
the men become discouraged and de-
pressed and then are unable to rouse
themselves to take up their labor
again The actual study of conditions
in New York emphasizes the need for
the physicians interest in social prob
lens, says The Journal of the Ameri- !
can Medical Association. Vagrancy
among us is distinctly an American |
and not an immigrant problem. 1t is !
our own people who need care to pre-
vent the occurrence of social break |
downs that are as serious in their way |
for the individual and the community |
as physical breakdowns. This is the |
day of prevention rather than cure, |
and knowledge is the best possible ele-
ment in prevention. Undoubtedly So
cial work in connection with dispen-
saries can do much to relieve this
condition and with the decrease of in
fectious disease social service becomes
the physicians next duty.