The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1922-09-28

London. Sept. 2s-Approaching win ter brings once more grave prospects of pftiful mp1oyment in England.
 In the early autumn the official statistics showed that ther were 1.331, 400 unemployed in England, with nearly 7O.OOO more receiving partial benefits.
 During the first nine months of the present year the British Treasury spent more than $55, 100000 in relief for unemployment.
 Although the trade situation is somewhat better than during the past nine months the winters prospects are gloomy for a large portion of the English population, and suffering seems almost unavoidable.
 Summer employment has ceased, and the winter slackness in the sea- sonal trades ~is evident. The govern ment is carrying out a program or national works in an effort to relieve the situation. but there is little hope that the government aid will be able to absorb any consid erable percentage of the workless labor.
 Pitiful instances of unemployment and desperation are becoming more and more prevalent. On a little Ire ton of South Kensington clean shaven and intelligent young man, carrying cane and with clqthes neat though worn, shyly approached me and offered for sale some postal cards. I passed on, when I heard the young man saying: "An ex-ofncer, out of work and about to commit suicide!'' On questioning, he ad- mitted an excellent education and good pre-war past. but the postwar conditions have broken him. and he contemplated suicide rather than bare existence eked out by what amounted to almost to begging.
 y,rin the story of a general in the British army, a man of education and in good health. with a military record of 30 years standing and decorated for dis the streets of London for nine months seeking employment. He has been reduced to living in two small rooms. Unfortunately he Is not entitled to q pension.
 In Newcastle an advertisement for 1aborers brought 500 applicants, and only six 1aborers were needed. There was a near riot, and the police had to be called.
 At high tide in the Strand, Lond on's Broadway, the melancholy symptoms of unemployment are becoming more number of curbstone merchants.
 In the residential districts streer musicians follow each other in rapid succession, wailing mournful songs or turning more mournful hurdy-gur- dies.
 Women, with babes in arms. 1eg1ess men, pitifuily old gentlemen and toothless old women crowd every oroughfare offering every sort of commodity for sale, in the hope of earning a few pennies to keep them selves alive.
 The government dole for the un- employed brings some measure of re- lief hut if does not satisfy many hungry stomachs, and as winter comes the politicians and the statesmen are shuddering with the thoughts of what uncertain results there may be from another six months of unemploy ment.
 A tobacco strike is threatened in England. Prices of cigarettes and tobacco are still at the war level, and the smokers are getting restive. In | Devon 8 movement has been organ 1 ized to call strike against smoking | in protest against high tobacco prices l The management of the campaign states that more than a hundred to- | bacco users are willing to be pioneers | and abstain from the use of all forms of the weed.
 London mothers are being terri fled by a new form of thievery-"baby carriage thefts." Petty thieves take | baby carriages from their parking places, wheel them away, remove the baby and leave the infant on the side baby carriage away and sell it.
 The cricket season is on the wane and the English lovers of sport are Already the professional Hooters" as they are called by their admirers, are in strict training, ready for a hard l winter season.