The toiler. [volume] (Cleveland, Ohio) 1919-1922, 1921-04-09
Ry ELMER T. ALLISON


III have sat in the seats of the sor-
rowful;
IL have eaten the bread of Charity;
/ have stood in the bread line.
1t was one of those belated days
of Winter that sometimes come after
the first promises of Spring appear.
The air was filled with snow driven
before 40 mile an hour gale from
off Lake Erie. 1t was not snow pre-
cisely. but was more like sleet only
instead of round particles they were
sharp edged and, with the force OF
the wind, cut sharply and tormen-
tingly into ones face. Pedestrians
moved with haste when forced upon
the freezing streets, buttoncd closely
in their outer coats. Autos were cur
tanned and the beginnings of fringe
of icicles hung about their tops. IL
was steadily growing colder.
At 1890 in the morning l reached
the City Mission on st. Clair at 14th
Street. had come with the inten-
ton of getting an interview about
the Missions bread line, but upon
arriving, something changed my
mind and I decided to do the inter-
viewing in a more first-hand man.
ner.
Before the door of the Mission.
which opens directly upon the side
walk, the bread line had already
formed. Huddled against the closed
doorway, with turned-up collars and
hands in pockets, backs bowed against
the driving wind, stood perhaps 9
hundred hungry men. Precisely as
cattle haunch before closed barr
in a storm, waiting for the oper
door, beyond which are fodder ant
the comfort of shelter and stall, so
haunched before this promise o.
animal comfort did they shiver in tn
blast eager for the alignment o
fleshly miseries.
Even as l stood upon the QUITE
. edge of the semi-circle of fodde
aspiring humanity, the door opene
and they filed in. ! Joined ther
: quickly assuming the role OF un
employed worker. The crowd wake
quickly to the front seats and sa
y in welcome comfort. This, it struc
Z me, was rather unusual procedure
especially for these workers. who's
4 church going must be Of the slight
+ est. Later I understood why the
o walked eagerly to the front seats.
{ The Mission occupies a store built
ing with a center isle and seats
each side. A rostrum occupies tt
o front end and there are an orga
n scripture texts upon the walls ar
&c song books in racks on backs of ii
W seats. Acting as usher and gener
q factotum about the place, was VIII
might at an earlier time have we
filled the position of bar-room bou
~ Ger. He had all the physical qualii
e cations for such a job; barr
!. shaped body, heavy and solid, not t.
p intelligent face, stiff, coal-black ha
70 impaired and coming to point abo
~ sloping forhead. A short, whi
q scar divided the bristles on t
,.s back of his head. He bore all t
|, resemblance Of a reformed" cha
~ acter in the old tales Of religeol
~ anti-rum literature.
ne took a seat against the wall
lr about the center of the buildir
OF The seats were filling quickly. Ma
5. came without overcoats, weari
in frayed and worn garments long sir
On past their maximum service, rubbi
y their gloveless hands to take out I
lit sting of frost. There were men
er all ages and several nationaliti
nd Young fellows Of twenty, weari
in somewhat embarrassed smiles
to their surroundings and present C
:. cumstances. Old men of past six
gray Of hair quiet and meditati
ce And there were Negroes, perhaps 9
lis in Is were colored men. / looked
en- vain for the vagabond and "vicior
he types. They were not there. TIL,
in were just workingmen, thrown ur
cir the scrap heap by a consciousle
sis unsocial industrial machine. / lool
I'D for the American" types of fa
at and found them all around me. "T
is largely an audience Of Amerit
born," I concluded, after a care
pc survey in all directions. The
led held about 800 seats.
To- A quiet, genial camaraderie ?
vaded the atmosphere. Conversat
vi carried on in low tones showed m,
te! were acquainted. Such circumstan
for as brought these men together
> conducive Of friendliness and con,
= sation. There was no visible evide
Iall Of class or caste; black sat bei
M white : all were equal = equ,
at "broke", equally hungry, equal
are their immediate desires for food.