Evening star., 1931-12-20
u. s. Dole Would Be
Disastrous, Is Claim
Continued From First Page J

upon the statute book in Britain i
| recent years at least 40 per cent ha
their original inspiration in the wor
and spirit Of the Salvation Army" 7
| Is not easy to overestimate the reyolu
ton in thought and sympathy In re
gard to the conditions Of the masse
that has followed the appearance of m.
fathers book. In Darkest England an,
the way Out" which Az years az
nlarked an epoch in the social eyoI,
tlon ol the English masses.
" tne Degrading poverty which
AnEN 10 well IN the slumS of IoDdor
ano Inc great provincial cities Of Brltai,
u4any years aS0 there has been a no
tNeAMe ameiloration, Sheer aud ute
eaetituIion IS today practically non-ex
nnt ,n..'. there mas been vast improve
th Il. Ihe appearance and conduct O
number Of homeless people has baer
greatly reduced
Years ago thousands OF sucb man
women and children were IN ha fn,,nd
Summer and Winter sleepi,O il, ~,
streets, hiding from the police in al,ev.
ways, under arches and bridges or lvine
on the seats along the Thames Em.
oanAment. The number to be founr
today sleeping in the omen In tht
central London area amounts to a few
scores at the outside.
Health Greatly Improved.
Ihe health of the people has greatly
improved. Infant mortality has beer
Immensely reduced According to Sir
george Newman. chief medical officer
at the Board of Education, the medical
inspection OF school children. the work
OF prenatal clinics, child welfare CEN
terS and kindred Institutions within
Ie !aSt 10 years has added two and
nan To three Years to the expectation
oi HE III the elementary school
Ire evils Of drink have been dimin-
lShed IN every section Of the COM
m'in!ty from the lowest to the highest
re number Of convictions for drunk
enness were 1887 in 1913. They fell
to 55642 In l929-the last statistics
allable-or fewer than one-third in
larger population
To this gratifying change many,
many factors have contributed. Apart
from any other circumstance, there has
been an Increased sense OF the value
OF money due to uncertainty of trade,
Also the later opening and earlier clos
ing OF premises licensed for the sale
OF ntoxlcants inforced by legislation
during recent years; the higher prices
charged 1or lntoxlcantS as a result Of
taxation and their lower alcoholic con-
tent-oh, England. why not 20 in for
prohibition altogether the large in
crease in the number Of restaurants
and tea shops; the parks. open spaces
and other facilities for open air recre-
alton provided by local authorities
or sap and easy access to the country
side by motor coach and rail. and the
popularity of the cinema and radio as
alternatives TO the public house for the
occupation Of leisure hours. have all
contributed their quota OF Influence in
producing the Increased soLrleLy OF the
British people
This Improvement Is strikingly
marked even among the thousands ol
homeless men and women vino ars
housed nightly under the roots of Sal
yation Army social Institutions The
habitual vagrant drunken. unwaShed
Work-shy and social parasite
but q very small proportion Of those
who are forced, for economic reasons
to resort to the use Of Salvation Army
homes and hostels.
Religion Gains In Quality.
I was interested deeply in the relig
ious condition or the Old World II
the countries that l visited the peopl,
are suffering from the wave of ma.
teriallsm which swept over manklnC
everywhere after the World War. and
without doubt, there has been q grea1
drift away from attendance at public
worship and other religious obsery-
anceS. But in Great Britain l founc
the strong opinion that religion, vhlit
it may have lost in quantity. has gaineC
in quality 1t is a much less CONVEX
tlonal and far more vital thing thar
1t was before the war
Ministers and members of all de-
nominal ions are deeply concerned ovel
the indifference Of the great mass OF
the people toward organized religion
and their obSeSSion with sport anC
pleasure of every kind But. on tn,
other hand there is proceeding deer
searching of hearts and much PRAYER
among the leaders, who are full of q
growing conviction that . revival Of
religion Is not far distant
II the Salvation Army has suffered
little from the drift toward material.
ism, it Is, think, because Of the ex.
acting standard Of service and sacrifice
which IS the rule under our nag II
France I Was particularly impressed BY
the appeal Of the Army to youth. o.
one oecasion. IN Paris met $50 o.
our French of6cers. About 2T5 Of then
were under so years Of age. They wer,
Vivacious and full Of the spirit Of ad
venture In the realm to which they has
given their lives
Nor can l conceive Of problem a
this difficult time which would no
WELD, slowly but surely. to such praC
teal fsrVor, enthusiasm, optimism, de
Votlon and daring. Everywhere that
went l found that governments wer,
coming to recognize the social value
and even necessity. of such q redeem
ing force in society. The experience ot
the Salvation Army at this period O.
supreme testing Is that secular authori
ties are calling our leading officers int
conference and placing real dependence
upon our methods, our spirit and oul
special activities
World Ready for Gospel Message.
! could discover no decline whatever
in the eagerness of the people to lister
to the preaching OF a positive message
At Albert Hall, London. spoke to more
than 10000 people in one mass gather
ing, and so 1t was on the continent Of
Europe 1t may be true that, in al
countries that visited, some Of the
people were drawn by curiosity. per
sonal affection and natural desire te
greet a guest who, to many OF them
was also a friend
But. at this Christmas season. I may
be permitted. perhaps, to express the
view that the heart of mankind Is
yearning for those values in life which
are not to be found in prosperity alone
which are not to be lost III any depres-
sion. however severe. The world Is as
ready as ever to listen to the eternaI
message Of the angel chorus, Peace Oh
Earth. Good Will to Men.
AS I listened to the views OF mon
archs and statesmen. men OF political re-
sponsibility. and social influence. who
are confronted by the actual task OF
restoring and safeguarding the stability
Of Western civilization I was pro-
foundly Impressed by the candor OF their
confessions that the solution of these
otherwise insoluble problems lies be-
yond the limits Of politics. economics
and diplomacy.
Finds Desire for Peace Universal.
Also hecame n,iuent that the