The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1925-11-17
GASOLINE HOBOES' ARE
TOURING UNITED STATES
THOUSANDS OF NEW TYPE OF
WEARY WILLIE" ARFLIcT
THE ENTIRE NATION.
HOBOES in CARS BEG WAY
Families Drawn by Lure of the Open
Road Have Many Excuses to Get
Gasoline, Oil, Food and Money for
Repair Bills While Travelling.

A battered, dusty automobile clat-
tiers to the curb in front of the social
service bureaus office in some town
along one Of Americas main high
ways After a whispered conference
with the brood literally jammed into
the machine a man climbs from the
drivers seat and enters the Office.
1--WE are out of gasoline" he whines
to the officer in charge. Or he may
explain that his wife and children are
i'll, or hungry. Or he may ask to be
given place where his family may
spend the night.
Then the social service worker
probably will moan inwardly, for he
has a Job on his hands He is face to
face again with the problem of the
modern gasoline hobo.
Weary Willies" Passing.
The Weary Willie" a unique fig
ure in American life for many years,
is passing from the scene. In his place
is appearing the product of the age of
the automobile-the ''hivver hobo"
Always without money, these new
knights of the road enter city from
unknown places and apply for COM
munity funds and to social agencies
for aid, sickness being the most COM
mon plea.
Other requests are for money to
buy gasoline, oil, and to pay for re-
pairs to their automobiles. They us
ually plead that they have left home
because of labor or health conditions
and are going to some distant place
to seek employment, or to find more
favorable climate They invariably ask
aid to get to their destinations.
Social workers assert, however, that
there has arisen in the United States
clan which lives in automobiles on
the open roads, begging their way
from city to city, neglecting their per-
sonal welfare, and refusing to work.
From one years end until the next
they never leave their cars-except to
beg food and clothing, gasoline, oil,
and money.
| Most Of these ''flivver hoboes" have
obtained cars of their own by some
means or other. Others, however, pos
sess no machines, but travel about the
country begging lifts from other mo-
florists. These so-called 'hop-hikers"
add to the worries of the charity agen-
ceis.
Constitute Serious Problem.
The "hivver hobo" is a serious prob
lem that is becoming nationwide in
its scope These nomads, who are
modern tramps, wander aimlessly
about the country applying for chart
ty They never have a destination or
purpose. They are perpetrating
frauds on social agencies and charity
funds in many communities. The no
MAIDS are thickest in the middle west
and the south.
The greatest tragedy in connection
with the modern hobo, though, is the
neglected and undernourished children
whom he carts around the country.
They have no opportunity for school
ling. Their health in many instances is
impaired by unnecessary exposure and
lack OF wholesome food.
Thousands of tn csc families
enough to populate medium large
city if they could be gathered togeth-
country today. "A floating body of ir-
responsible men and women, they live
from the earnings of others. Their on
ly desire is to keep moving-and they
follow only one principle that the
world owes them a living.
Won't Give Up Cars.
Proposals to sell their cars to aid
the hoboes always are turned down, 1t
is asserted Tickets to their homes or
to stated destinations also are not de-
sired The hobo apparently has only
one intention-to keep moving as long
as others will pay his way.
Neither will the 'flivver hoboes" ac-
cept offers to work, although they
may be starving. In that respect they
are like the old-time Weary Willie"
whose hatred of work helped to make
them famous.
The only possible way to combat
the growing problem of the "flivver
hobo" is to shut down on gifts, it is
believed in the middle west Charity
organizations throughout that section
of the country, and in other sections,
too, have resolved to make the way
OF the "flivver hobo hard in the hope
of turning him to more industrious
ways.
Most of the fivver hoboes who ap-
ply for aid are frauds, and Little Rock,
Ark, has established an absolute rule
not to give them money so they can
continue on their way begging.
That is the rule that has been es-
tablished in Little Rock, Ark.
Move With Seasons.
With the coming OF winter in the
north the 'flivver hoboes" are moving
southwark. The nomads move with
the seasons, so all parts of the country
feel their drain on charity funds. Some
sections OF the country notably the
south, are sending "flivver hoboes" to
the changangs and work houses as
a penalty for their begging. But still
the tide of the automobile beggars
continues to wash backward and for
ward over the country.