The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-11-22
THE POOR UNFORTUNATE
 FOUND ON OUR STREETS
SOCIAL SERVICE DEz.ARTMHN'r By MRS. SIDNEY M. ULLMAN

What shall be done with the poor un- fortunates that beg along our streets? This has become a serious question, and
 should be considered seriously by the
 authorities of the city and county; surely
 there is some way they can be assisted
 without allowing the mendicants to ex-
 pose themselves to the passerby and
 show their infrmities to the curious
 crowd of old and young.
 There can be no poorer way to solicit
 sympathy than the cry of the beggar on
 the open highway.
 Many large cities have made this kind
 of begging impossible and have placed
 such persons at the expense of the coun-
 ty and state in institutions suitable for
 them If it is necessary for the crippled
 on the street and solicit money and sym
 pathy, is there not greater need to
 place them in some place where they may
 be cared for The almshouse, if nothing
 better, or why not the establishment of
 some sort of institution for cripples? This is the present state of affairs on
 the streets of Birmingham. While walk ing down Twentieth street several nights ago we were greeted by the whining cry of man legless and armless, asking for help; further down the street was a man exposing to view an artificial leg to solicit aid and sympathy for him. every day for months, on the opposite corner from the Tutwiler hotel sits a
 blind man begging; at the postoffice cor
 ner is a blind colored woman reading
 her Bible, while a child by her holds
 out a cup for pennies. And so it goes-
 many, many more mendicants are daily
 begging from house to mouse, showing
 unsightly hurts with little modesty and
 only for the sake of money. begging
 through their awful accidents. Daily through the press of this great
 paper are we desiring to aid, sympathize
 and uplitt, and it would not be our de-
 sire to hurt the legitimate trade of any person or persons, but such plying of
 trade, if we can dignify begging with such
 name is blot on our city. Shall we allow the streets to cry the ills of human flesh for money in this unsightly way, when we are responsible to these very ci eatures for their protection?
 Something must and should be done to help them and make life little easier, for surely this is sad way to earn 0 , livelihOt q.
 Industra-l insurance should be insisted upon, worklngman'S compensation act passed for those hurt in the industrial plants in and around Birmingham. Suf- iicient money should be appropriated to care for the blind unable to provide for themselves, so that the self-respecting blind man or woman educated and plying a useful trade will not be embarrassed by being classed with this blind beggar. Proper provision should be made for the crippled and maimed.
 WIT Birmingham continue to allow her streets to be bordered with the mangled relics of our industrial system, or the poor unfortunate, homeless blind, begging through their street?
 Can the city and county do nothing for them7
 BEWARE OF THE WEAK. Hampton, Conn.,, September q, 1915. | I heard lecture many years ago by Annie Besant, the truth of which has net been forgotten. She said, referring | to the injustice of the rich in their treat ment of the poor: Many years ago. thou sands of years ago, a young king came to an ancient teacher for some axioms to guide him in governing his kingdom. One of the axioms. Beware of the weak. The cries of the weak undermine the throne of kings He told him he might have enemies, his enemies he could fight. He might have opponents, and his opponents | he might overcome, bur the weak, the sobbing, starving child, the heartbroken woman, the strong man, desperate from
 misery and starvation-those are tha