The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1915-08-05

| VINO nave spent tnolr last cent LOT
drink. Those who accept free food
are asked to step into the club and
get rest. In they drop. but moth
ing is said to them about their hab-
it's. Impressed with the comforts
within the club, the billiard room.
the reading room, the bagatelle
board, and the writing room, the
down and -outer" thinks he'd like to
join the club. If he suggests the
idea to the custodian, he is immed-
lately asked the question: Are you
a boozer?" If he says he is not. he
is told the club is for boozers and
drug fends," there being no place
for others. Ii he answers that he is
a drink "fend," he is asked if he is
willing to sign the pledge. If he
is willing-he is never urged-he is
taken into the club on probation.
Nothing is ever said to him of con-
version. Religious talk is barred in
the club. He sees about him men
he knows have been desperate booz-
ers and who are now strictly on the
wagon" If the probationer is quite
down and out, if he is more or less
of physical wreck, he is given a
room in the dormitory and taken
care of until he can get his strength
back through good nourishment.
When such a man gets on his feet,
work is found for him. He gives
up his bed in the dormitory so some
other down-and-outer" may have
the chance to have good food relieve
somewhat the awful whisky thirst
which is consuming his body.
This is a club in which men may
be dragged up from the bottom and
still maintain their self respect
The club expects the men to pay
back what it has cost to put them
on their feet. The club is generous
with time. 1t realizes that a man
who has been down in the depths
for months and possibly years can't
fit into the industrial and CONNER
cial scheme of the city all at once.
When, however, the reconstructed
man gets earning fair wages again,
he. doesn't have to be told TO pay his
score. He pays it up willingly.
and he saves up a little money to
help pull some other chap who is at
the limit of his physical, mental,
and financial resources. Being a
real mans club, a club without cant
the members after they get on their
feet, do not desert the club. They
find the associations at the club so
congenial, so pleasant that they
make it their headquarters and do
all in their power to support the
institution. That the old-time
down and outs" have made the
club self-supporting is one of the best
indications that the McHenry meth
cd of dealing with drink" failures
is effective. Were there any of the
mission features introduced into the
club, the members would drop off.
McHenry has recognized the efficien-
cy of letting men alone" One
of the officials says that the only
time the word conversion" is heard
in the club is when an officer is
forced to deny that the word is
ever heard in that home-like in
stitution. There are men who join
who think at flrst that st. Paul's
club is a mission in disguise. 1t
does not take them long to find out
their suspicion was groundless.
The members realize, however, that
strict adherence to their pledge is
necessary if they are to continue to
enjoy membership in the club.
While the rather heavy expense
of the club is now entirely borne by
the men who were penniless drunk
ards a few years or few months
ago, there are still many persons of
kindly spirit who take an active
interest in the welfare of the club.
tuesday night is visitors night at