in darkest england and the way out-第31章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


ny　he　begged　or　earned　in　a　pipe　of　tobacco；　with　which　to　dull　the　cravings　of　his　hungry　stomach。　　What　are　you　to　do　with　this　man？

Remember　this　is　no　fancy　sketchit　is　a　typical　case。　　There　are　hundreds　and　thousands　of　such　applicants。　　Any　one　who　is　at　all　familiar　with　life　in　London　and　our　other　large　towns；　will　recognise　that　gaunt　figure　standing　there　asking　for　bread　and　shelter　or　for　work　by　which　he　can　obtain　both。　　What　can　we　do　with　him？　　Before　him　Society　stands　paralysed；　quieting　its　conscience　every　now　and　then　by　an　occasional　dole　of　bread　and　soup；　varied　with　the　semi…criminal　treatment　of　the　Casual　Ward；　until　the　manhood　is　crushed　out　of　the　man　and　you　have　in　your　hands　a　reckless；　despairing；　spirit…broken　creature；　with　not　even　an　aspiration　to　rise　above　his　miserable　circumstances；　covered　with　vermin　and　filth；　sinking　ever　lower　and　lower；　until　at　last　he　is　hurried　out　of　sight　in　the　rough　shell　which　carries　him　to　a　pauper's　grave。

I　propose　to　take　that　man；　put　a　strong　arm　round　him；　and　extricate　him　from　the　mire　in　which　he　is　all　but　suffocated。　　As　a　first　step　we　will　say　to　him；　〃You　are　hungry；　here　is　food；　you　are　homeless；　here　is　a　shelter　for　your　head；　but　remember　you　must　work　for　your　rations。　　This　is　not　charity；　it　is　work　for　the　workless；　help　for　those　who　cannot　help　themselves。　　There　is　the　labour　shed；　go　and　earn　your　fourpence；　and　then　come　in　out　of　the　cold　and　the　wet　into　the　warm　shelter；　here　is　your　mug　of　coffee　and　your　great　chunk　of　bread；　and　after　you　have　finished　these　there　is　a　meeting　going　on　in　full　swing　with　its　joyful　music　and　hearty　human　intercourse。　　There　are　those　who　pray　for　you　and　with　you；　and　will　make　you　feel　yourself　a　brother　among　men。　　There　is　your　shake…down　on　the　floor；　where　you　will　have　your　warm；　quiet　bed；　undisturbed　by　the　ribaldry　and　curses　with　which　you　have　been　familiar　too　long。　　There　is　the　wash…house；　where　you　can　have　a　thorough　wash…up　at　last；　after　all　these　days　of　unwashedness。　　There　is　plenty　of　soap　and　warm　water　and　clean　towels；　there；　too；　you　can　wash　your　shirt　and　have　it　dried　while　you　sleep。　In　the　morning　when　you　get　up　there　will　be　breakfast　for　you；　and　your　shirt　will　be　dry　and　clean。　　Then　when　you　are　washed　and　rested；　and　are　no　longer　faint　with　hunger；　you　can　go　and　seek　a　job；　or　go　back　to　the　Labour　shop　until　something　better　turns　up。〃

But　where　and　how？

Now　let　me　introduce　you　to　our　Labour　Yard。　　Here　is　no　pretence　of　charity　beyond　the　charity　which　gives　a　man　remunerative　labour。　It　is　not　our　business　to　pay　men　wages。　　What　we　propose　is　to　enable　those；　male　or　female；　who　are　destitute；　to　earn　their　rations　and　do　enough　work　to　pay　for　their　lodging　until　they　are　able　to　go　out　into　the　world　and　earn　wages　for　themselves。　　There　is　no　compulsion　upon　any　one　to　resort　to　our　shelter；　but　if　a　penniless　man　wants　food　he　must；　as　a　rule；　do　work　sufficient　to　pay　for　what　he　has　of　that　and　of　other　accommodation。　　I　say　as　a　rule　because；　of　course；　our　Officers　will　be　allowed　to　make　exceptions　in　extreme　cases；　but　the　rule　will　be　first　work　then　eat。　　And　that　amount　of　work　will　be　exacted　rigorously。　　It　is　that　which　distinguishes　this　Scheme　from　mere　charitable　relief。

I　do　not　wish　to　have　any　hand　in　establishing　a　new　centre　of　demoralisation。　　I　do　not　want　my　customers　to　be　pauperised　by　being　treated　to　anything　which　they　do　not　earn。　　To　develop　self…respect　in　the　man；　to　make　him　feel　that　at　last　he　has　go　this　foot　planted　on　the　first　rung　of　the　ladder　which　leads　upwards；　is　vitally　important；　and　this　cannot　be　done　unless　the　bargain　between　him　and　me　is　strictly　carried　out。　　So　much　coffee；　so　much　bread；　so　much　shelter；　so　much　warmth　and　light　from　me；　but　so　much　labour　in　return　from　him。

What　labour？　it　is　asked。　　For　answer　to　this　question　I　would　like　to　take　you　down　to　our　Industrial　Workshops　in　Whitechapel。　　There　you　will　see　the　Scheme　in　experimental　operation。　　What　we　are　doing　there　we　propose　to　do　everywhere　up　to　the　extent　of　the　necessity；　and　there　is　no　reason　why　we　should　fail　elsewhere　if　we　can　succeed　there。

Our　Industrial　Factory　at　Whitechapel　was　established　this　Spring。　We　opened　it　on　a　very　small　scale。　　It　has　developed　until　we　have　nearly　ninety　men　at　work。　　Some　of　these　are　skilled　workmen　who　are　engaged　in　carpentry。　　The　particular　job　they　have　now　in　hand　is　the　making　of　benches　for　the　Salvation　Army。　　Others　are　engaged　in　mat…making；　some　are　cobblers；　others　painters；　and　so　forth。　This　trial　effort　has；　so　far；　answered　admirably。　　No　one　who　is　taken　on　comes　for　a　permanency。　　So　long　as　he　is　willing　to　work　for　his　rations　he　is　supplied　with　materials　and　provided　with　skilled　superintendents。　　The　hours　of　work　are　eight　per　day。　　Here　are　the　rules　and　regulations　under　which　the　work　is　carried　on　at　present：…

THE　SALVATION　ARMY　SOCIAL　REFORM　WING。

Temporary　Headquarters　36；　UPPER　THAMES　STREET；　LONDON；　E。C；

CITY　INDUSTRIAL　WORKSHOPS。

OBJECTS。These　workshops　are　open　for　the　relief　of　the　unemployed　and　destitute；　the　object　being　to　make　it　unnecessary　for　the　homeless　or　workless　to　be　compelled　to　go　to　the　Workhouse　or　Casual　Ward；　food　and　shelter　being　provided　for　them　in　exchange　for　work　done　by　them；　until　they　can　procure　work　for　themselves；　or　it　can　be　found　for　them　elsewhere。

PLAN　OF　OPERATION。All　those　applying　for　assistance　will　be　placed　in　what　is　termed　the　first　class。　　They　must　be　willing　to　do　any　kind　of　work　allotted　to　them。　　While　they　remain　in　the　first　class；　they　shall　be　entitled　to　three　meals　a　day；　and　shelter　for　the　night；　and　will　be　expected　in　return　to　cheerfully　perform　the　work　allotted　to　them。

Promotions　will　be　made　from　this　first…class　to　the　second…class　of　all　those　considered　eligible　by　the　Labour　Directors。　　They　will；　in　addition　to　the　food　and　shelter　above　mentioned；　receive　sums　of　money　up　to　5s。　at　the　end　of　the　week；　for　the　purpose　of　assisting　them　to　provide　themselves　with　tools；　to　get　work　outside。

REGULATIONS。No　smoking；　drinking；　bad　language；　or　conduct　calculated　to　demoralize　will　be　permitted　on　the　factory　premises。　No　one　under　the　influence　of　drink　will　be　admitted。　　Any　one　refusing　to　work；　or　guilty　of　bad　conduct；　will　be　required　to　leave　the　premises。

HOURS　OF　WORK。7　a。m。　to　8。30　a。m。；　9　a。m。　to　1　p。m。；　2　p。m。　to　5。30　p。m；　Doors　will　be　closed　5　minutes　after　7；　9；　and　2　p。m。　　Food　Checks　will　be　given　to　all　as　they　pass　out　at　each　meal　time。　　Meals　and　Shelter　provided　at　272；　Whitechapel　Road。

Our　practical　experience　shows　that　we　can　provide　work　by　which　a　man　can　earn　his　rations。　　We　shall　be　careful　not　to　sell　the　goods　so　manufactured　at　less　than　the　market　prices。　　In　firewood；　for　instance；　we　have　endeavoured　to　be　rather　above　the　average　than　below　it。　As　stated　elsewhere；　we　are　firmly　opposed　to　injuring　one　class　of　workmen　while　helping　another。

Attempts　on　somewhat　similar　lines　to　those　now　being　described　have　hitherto　excited　the　liveliest　feelings　of　jealousy　on　the　part　of　the　Trade　Unions；　and　representatives　of　labour。　　They　rightly　consider　it　unfair　that　labour　partly　paid　for　out　of　the　Rates　and　Taxes；　or　by　Charitable　Contributions；　should　be　put　upon　the　market　at　less　than　market　value；　and　so　compete　unjustly　with　the　production　of　those　who　have　in　the　first　instance　to　furnish　an　important　quota　of　the　funds　by　which　these　Criminal　or　Pauper　workers　are　supported。　　No　such　jealousy　can　justly　exist　in　relation　to　our　Scheme；　seeing　that　we　are　endeavouring　to　raise　the　standard　of　labour　and　are　pledged　to　a　war　to　the　death　against　sweating　in　every　shape　and　form。

But；　it　will　be　asked；　how　do　these　Out…of…Works　conduct　themselves　when　you　get　them　into　the　Factory？　　Upon　this　point　I　have　a　very　satisfactory　report　to　render。　　Many；　no　doubt；　are　below　par；　under…fed；　and　suffering　from　ill　health；　or　the　consequence　of　their　intemperance。　　Many　also　are　old　men；　who　have　been　crowded　out　of　the　labour　market　by　their　younger　generation。　　But；　without　making　too　man