The Washington times., 1915-07-08
The Other Side of the
Loan Shark Agitation
With All the Chatel Loan Concerns Out of Business
Where Are the Poor to Turn, Asks
... ".1 Times Reader.


promises for the future kindly received
and accepted. OF course, there are no
doubt rude and harsh men in the ranks
of this particular line of business. as In
every other line: but have yet to en-
counter them. and II Is the consensus OF |
opinion from these cases have investi- |
gated that such has been the almost !
universal experience of others as well |
as myself.
When one comes right down to brass |
tacks." there is nothing on this earth |
quite as pitilessly -heartless and selfish
az the majority Of our moneyed, sue
cessful business men and professional
men. and OF the latter the average law
Yer stands pre-cminent. They will give
to tho red-tape organizations. wherein
salaries. that there Is not an adequate
sum left with which to do real, genuine
good. They give; but. with a sufficient
number to constitute the exceptions
which prove the rule" in such manner.
preferably. that the world may hear the
splash it makes In the puddle of public
charity.
Community Christmas trees. sane
Fourth Of July celebrations, pa
geants. and all the nauseating
like: wherein their own eyes and
stomachs and vital needs Of the poor
still remain untitled.
II some of our noted philanthro-
pists. instead of solely creating peace
CD funds, endowing already wealthy
scientific institutions with magnih-
Gently equipped laboratories wherein
already distinguished personages
may dabble to the increase of their
| already well-known regulations and
well-flled purses, instead Of present
| libraries nd nj
organs in the churches Of quite we'll
to+do parishes; II they would but use
few of their surplus millions in
establishing a philanthropic institu-
| tion. with o committee Of investiga-
tion. wherein the word OF the worthy
poor. or their pitiful effects, would
be accepted as security, and money
advanced them at the convenient rate
OF from to per cent a year. as
accorded their wealthy brethren.
This would. indeed. be a philan-
thropic work. the like of which has
never been before. and the good and
glory OF which would reach to the
ivery portals of heaven itself
But until this Arcadian dream can
materializo we, the under dogs
are being deprived by cur powerful
and wealthy brethren. by means OF
this warfare raging against them. Of
our two most potent means OF relief
in lines OF stress, namely, loan COM
panies. and pawn shops. Such busi
ness places are closing daily, and it
Is being made hard. by reason OF this
hue and cry. for business to be
transacted by those companies who
are still "in the ring"
Good of the Poor.
Our kind brethren claim that this
procedure is for the good (?) Of the
poor. 1t may be for the good of that
I class OF the poor who, in despair,
grasp at the aid OF the loan COM
lpanies; then. finding themselves
easier. or the payments hard to
make. they get behind the usury
laws. and howl for help. The distin-
gutshed legal lights come valiently
arc made to accept merely the
amount borrowed. or mere trinu
over. no compensation for the risk
run In accepting such security. and
howler. next time he or she is in dis
tress, may realize that they have
'cut off their noses to spite their
faces that they have slammed the
door in the face, repeat. of thetI
best. and oft-,imcs only. friend.
Would any OF these moneyed and sue
cessful business and professional men
especially those who have instigatec
prosecution OF these companies. woulC
any Of THESE, say. respond to oul
financial needs and pleas upon suci
security as we poor, Under Dogs" cal
offer? Bless your heart, No. indeed
4 they would not. To use the inelegan
n but 'forceful language of young brick
\ layer, whose opinion l asked on tn,
e subject. My God, lady! They'd see VI
y to HELL first!'
What Alternative?
| II I could, in conscience, after m,
l own experiences, and those cases hav
o personally investigated. condemn LOAF
o. companies, I would most assuredly lin
n up against them as ardently as / hav
I spoken for them.
y Voicing. in all have very inadequate
g ly related here. hundreds upon hundred
8 of other Under Dogs" ask, since ou
k philanthropic brethren have determine
5 to do away with the loan companie
and pawn shops by so reducing thei
profit that they can no longer stay Il
the field, what are you going to Civ
US in their stead?
n 1t Is all so tragically apt an illustra
IS ton of ITO him that hath. is given; an
y from him that hath not. even tina
r which he hath shall be taken away"
n Yours for the welfare of "Life's Unde
Dogs"
i VIRGINIA VERITAS.