Evening star., 1926-04-11
BEGGING CHILDREN
PLAGUE RUSSIANS
Hundreds of Waits Travel in
Gangs 10 Steal if De-
MED Aims.
BY JUNIUS B. WOOD.
Cci respondencc o. The Star and the Chicago
Daily News

MOSCOW, L. S. S. r.. March IS
Soviet Russia's 100000 Vagabond
children did not share the country's
meager Christmas cheer. Russia in
tends ultimately to care for these
children. Its statesmen and editors
talk and write articles about what
ought to be done propose census
with the usual scientific and social
tests and tabulationS, discuss schemes
for homes and even taie visiting dele
cations from abroad TO homes con
tanning rooms With clean little beds
which the dirty raganluftins never see,
mach less sleep in.
The pitiful wisps of humanity are
on the streets of every Russian city.
preyng on society for food and fight
ing nature for existence. The QueS-
lion of caring for them does not get
much beyond the discussion stage,
because $4,000, ,000--a most conSerVa-
live estimate-would be needed to do
anything practicable. To country
which proclaimS itself the model for
the world and spends millions for
propa ganda in China and elsewhere,
one glimpse at its streets, alive with
adult beggars and abandoned children,
might suggest that the government
do more for its own people.
Adult Beggers Plentiful.
Adult beggers are an institution In
Russia. Most of them find 1t more
profitable to beg than to work. Old
time Russians hand out coppers 10
them. This salves the conscience of
the giver and is cheaper and more
satisfactory TO the becgar than pro
viding systematic care. Moscow Is
hopCr9rS' nf them
work" streets near the hotels. but
most of them are at the street car sta
lions in the downtown district. A
three.minute wait for car will be
enliVened by appeals from half a
dozen begSars. Some give for self.
satisfaction, others to get rid of the
beegars, who ara most persistent.
The vaCabond children are different.
Moscow has from 5000 to 5000 of
them Their activities are not sys-
tcmattZcd. They operate alone or in
gangs OF a dozen or more, wandering
through the streets like pariah dogs
IN the Near East. and just as dirty,
diseased. unkempt aud neglected. They
range from to - wears of age. Their
washed. rmin-infested bodies are
covered with rags salVased from gar
bage heaps-pieces of OvercOats. shoes
many sizes too large. mems hats or
perhaps shawls or caps. In Summer
or in biting Winter il is the same.
The rags, the dirt and the depravity
never vary-but the faces change.
Much Juvenile Criminality.
In the Summer they sleep IN the
open. Holes under sidewalks or in
the ground. factory furnace rooms
aba ndoned buildings and Easements or
attiCs are the shelters from which
they emerge in Winter.
Usually begging keeps them alive
Stealing they prefer and frequently
theu use force. A fur cap. a purse or
package is snatched from the hand of
a pedestrian at midday and a dozen
ragged children scurry across the
street shouting over their loot. Vio-
lence and even murder Of their vic
Tins and among themselves over the
loot are frequent. Older children.
adults in crime, are the leaders. They
acquaint the younger ones with co,
caine. whisky and disease They are
secret peddlers in the Illicit trades
In the Summer these waits follow
the crowds to the country and the re-
sorts of the Crimesl and the Caucasus.
They make their way on trains. living
on the country S they go. Those who
do not have the energy for such ex.
tenSiVe migrationS leave their Winter,
shelters and live on the streets, curling
up IN doorWaEs or under trees at night