Evening star., 1933-04-02
One of the most interesting measures

One of the most interesting measures
of the depth of the depression is its
effect on travelling. The American peo-
pie are naturally restless lot The
country was founded originally largely by
fugitjves and adventures and the same
classes made up large percentage OF
the immigration during the last century
and a half. 1t has been especially
characteristic, therefore, of Americans
to be on the move. Only the most ad-
verse conditions keep them at home.
The company which operates Pull
man cars has Just cast up its figures for
last year and has discovered that for
the first time in nearly two-thirdS of a
century the business was operated at a
loss, due to the sharp falling OF in the
number of travellers carried.
The fact tnat the Pullman business
is at record lox figure does not mean
that all travel has come to stop, but
the circumstance does afford compe-
tent index to how the times have al
fected the migratory habits of the Ma
ton. 1t is true that new kind OF
travel has sprung up during the de-
preston, an aimlesS wandering about
the country of persons in search OF
jobs. Some are travelling in more than
half worn out automobiles, camping by
the roadside. and living off the country
to the best of their ability. Some are
hitch-hiking along the highways. Some
are tramping the roads and the railroad
/ tracks and some are riding the rails.
Many thousands of youthS-boyS and
girls in their 'teens-are among the
wanderers. Lacking nourishment and
proper clothing to remain in school and
| unable to find the sort of odd jobs or
| regular jobs in stores and mills which
| in normal times are open to young
people, they have taken to the open
road. Most of them travel in bands OF
| from half a dozen to 20. They sleer
anywhere shelter can be found, even
| the crudest sort of shelter.
Their position is reminiscent of the
youth movement which sprang up ir
Germany and Austria following the
World War. Children and youths, or
| phaned by the war and uncared for by
| the public because of the impoveriSh-
ment of the defeated nations, formed
! into bands and went wandering about
the countryside. The same thing hap
pened, on a more desperate scale, ir
Russia after the revolution and the
| famine. Some do not even know who
their parents are.
Modern Nomads.
Then there are entire families, still
held together, which, afoot or in ole
automobiles, the last vestige Of former
prosperity, follow warm weather from
region to region. They have no des.
tinations because they have lost theil
homes and they know not where II
find work. They pick up an occasiona
days or hours employment. oftenel
than not receiving gasoline or snacl
of food in place of money for theil
/ services
A survey recently made shows tina
scores of cities which once were abl,
to provide relief no longer are able Il
do so. Some communities have beer
forced to shut down completely ant
treat such wandering transients as va
grants. Others give a nights lodginl
in jail, one meal and a godspeed. Th'
last is practically universally insisted
upon by the authorities of the small ans
medium sized communities. They in
sist that these modern nomads shal
not remain more than a few hours IL
| their jurisdictions.
So travel of sort continues, but thi
is abnormal enforced travel It may in
crease the native restlessness of the mex