The Detroit times., 1917-12-01
The Perpetual Poor
nv a. ADnINOroN nHUCE
Author ~ "The Riddle 81 Person
btftr Psychology and
parsuthuod." etc.

scientific research of the past fc0
f.tr. c,pteauy medical and psy
hotmIral research has made ~
try clear tlat fht problem present
.d by rhorlc poverty is by me-
MEANS $50 simple aa was formerly
supposed
And is. tor Thar matter many peo-
DIE U uppose II q man is untor.
unafe enough to CAN into NE ranks
ol the perm, al pclr tuer, uc
man, MO feel That his plight is sus-
DeuuhIa o.. eJ.y eNplanalon
"Of. e1ursr N is pooI they VII.
-ay "Ila Is sure 90 BE- always poor
a- long a- he continues to drink Let
uim leave um alone and things VIII
begin go go aslj right.for him.
or
"B poor because ho is lazy Tie
has haI plenty of opportunities, but
hc..gout stisk 90 anything
"Nolodf can help man like
Ihar BE doesn't deserve help. Hc
ought to BE- made o vork."
or again
"C's poverty is his own fault He
IS 4uuen 4uarrelsome. nean-uatured.
ie makes mo- real effort 20 set along
with other people SO wonder he
soon loses every Job gwen him
Thus ummaIly and hRrshly. are
The perpetual poor explained.
But. taxing AS case, does ~ really
explain mattei 10 say that he is
poor because Doe drinks? Why does
he drink
Modern medical science insists
that drunkenness is disease. Or
tl he more exact that II Is sign
OK tine presence OF some diseased
condition
Perhaps a drinks because he Is a
reurotia weakiiug Perhaps he is the
victim of some abnormal mental
state Perhaps his 'sprees CORE.
,rond 20 what m other men would
Boz epilepuc attacks
In any event. before condcmning
him Tor his l1uor-caused poverty, a.
surely would lo more just and sensi
bic 90 try "a ascertain why he is
such q slave 10 liquor that he allows
10 10 keep him in poverty
So with B
Ills lazlness may itself be a dis
ease symptom. The chances are
that b. is.
Possibly his nervous system is so
organized that he fatigues quickly
when he attempts 10 apply himself
70 mental or physical work.
or he may be suffering from such
unsuspected malady ~ stomach or
heart or lunes which has had a gen
orally weakening effect upon his
system
In either case he certainly needs
medical treatment II he is ever to
be able 20 eoIk ike other men.
it is no real explanation of his
poverty 20 call him lazy His lari-
ness has some specific cause Find
what thai is
So With the ggouchineEs" OF G.
Pefore holding responsible for
bis failure at social adaptation.
SOME expert in mental troubles
honld be- given opportunity TO de-
terminr whether G is OF quite nor
rrl,r4--7-~ntality m
The likelihood Is hat. while not
actually insane. ho may be mentally
en- constituted thar 40 Is impossible
for him 20 avoid friction when
brought daily into contact With other
people
But. This bcinE recognized. a. be
comes possible 10 rcFcue him from
his poverty b. Gndius for him work
that win not bring him iu'o frequent
contact wirh others
I'm fine. tine problem Oh tho perpet.
uai poor is a problem calling for pa.
ficnt scientific Investigation of every
individual case % chronic poverty.
q Not until This is generally appre-
ciated need ve expect 20 make much
progress .n tightening the burden
which chronic poverty today imposes
on society