Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-02-01
wArERLoo's ARMY or uNEM.
PLoYED WILLING TO EAT
BUT NOT TO LABOR.
EIGHT OF FoRrY-rhREE
ACCEPT clTY's OFFER
Thirty-Five Secure Free Breakfast and
Then Reject Opportunity to Earn.
Their Keep - Mention of Labor
Causes Small Sized Panic and Some
Bolt For Door-Must Leave Town.

Waterloo, Feb. 1.-Wnen the munich
pal breakfast bell" at the city pealed
forth it's first resonant call to hungry
and unemployed men in Waterloo for
ty-three huskies rolled cut of their
hunks at the Big Brothers Mission. 704
Sycamore street, block and half
distant, rubbed their eyes with grimy
fingers and then, catching a Whit Of
the savory coffee steaming hot over
at Chief Leighton's. mess room they
charged joyfully toward the city hall.
They swept into the dining room"
and attacked the piles f bread and
meat stacked up in anticipation OF
their coming ond gulpef down cup
fuls Of hot coffee with i recklessness
that BODIED no good for the late ar
rivals.
Twenty five loaves of bread. six
teen pounds Of bologna sausage and
twelve quarts of coffee disappeared as
by magic. Guests fought over the
crumbs and looked for more. The first
municipal bread line conducted in Wa
terloo for many years was a success.
Mention Of Work Starts Panic.
Chief Leighton and Captain Wag-
ner played the role of dining room
aids and then took up the business
end of the municipal soup house"
The query as to the number of men
who would accept employment with
the city in return for board and lodg-
ing until they could secure employ
ment more remunerative was followed
by CHASTITY silence. The guests looked
at each other in dismay. Some reached
for their hats and bolted for the door.
The mere mention of the hated word
drove away all the pleasures derived
from warm breakfast on frosty
morning.
Eight Volunteered.
Out of the forty-three fed at break
fact only eight men volunteered to
work for the city in return for their
board and lodging. They accepted the
offer gladly and We're apparently
thankful for an opportunity TO work.
The remaining thirty-five donned their
hats and with a naughty Good morn
ing" to the cops marched out of the
city hall. 1nsulted, Inundated and
ruffled in feelings were those thirty
five able bodied men. The eight vol
unteers shoveled snow off the streets
until noon and then returned to the
city hall for dinner. After the noon
repast they returned to the job and at
5 o'clock again filed into the city hall
for supper.
Chief Leighton does not approve of
the plan adopted by the Big Brothers
Mission. He issued instructions after
the breakfast that in the future men
applying for meal must remain at the
city hall or leave the city. NO good
can come of harboring these men un-
less they are put to work." Chief
Leighton said.
Mission to Lodge, City to Feed.
Rev. w. A. Peterson, superintendent
of the Big Brothers Mission, called on
Mayor Thompson later in the day and
suggested that the unemployed men be
given lodgings at the mission and be
permitted to come to the city hall for
their meals. His request did not meet
with the approval Of the mayor and he
was directed to take the matter up
with Chief Leighton.
Chief Leighton's action in ordering
that all men fed by the city must re-
main at the city hall at night offered
no encouragement to Rev. Mr.. Peter
sons plan. Chief Leighton declared
that he would refuse food to men who
would not work. He will order them
out of the city and failing to comply
with this order will mean their arrest
and Imprisonment on charge Of
vagrancy.