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diff --git a/30295-0.txt b/30295-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..1e1555d --- /dev/null +++ b/30295-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,5117 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 30295 *** + + THE SOCIAL WORK OF THE + SALVATION ARMY + + BY + + EDWIN GIFFORD LAMB, A.B. + + + Submitted in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Degree of + Doctor of Philosophy in the Faculty of Political Science + + Columbia University + + + New York + + 1909 + + + + + COPYRIGHT, 1909 + + BY + + EDWIN GIFFORD LAMB + + + + +PREFACE. + + +I use the word "Social" in the title of this work to suggest that, save +in an auxiliary way, I am not attempting to describe the religious +features of the organization. Such a field of investigation would prove +a very profitable and interesting one, but it is a field, which, for the +sake of clearness and impartial study, should be kept separate. The +organization itself recognizes the primary division. Commander +Booth-Tucker, the leader of the Army in the United States from 1896 to +1904, says, "The Salvation Army is the evolution of two great ideas: +first, that of reaching with the gospel of salvation the masses who are +outside the pale of ordinary church influence, and second, that of +caring for their temporal as well as spiritual interests."[1] + +I have secured very little data from books, as there is but little +authentic literature on the subject. Primarily, the data for this +treatise were taken from personal observation. In pursuing the subject I +have visited Salvation Army social institutions of every description. In +addition to visiting the larger cities of the United States and the +three Army colonies, situated in Ohio, Colorado and California, +respectively, I have investigated the work in London, where the Army had +its origin, and at the farm colony in Hadleigh, on the river Thames, +some thirty miles from London. I have slept in the hotels, worked in the +industrial homes, wandered over the farm colonies, and mingled with the +inmates of other types of Army institutions. + + Nov., 1909. E. G. L. + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[1] Pamphlet "The Salvation Army in the United States." + + + + +TABLE OF CONTENTS. + + PAGE. + + Preface 5 + + Introduction 7-15 + + CHAPTER I + The Salvation Army Industrial Department 16-62 + + CHAPTER II + The Salvation Army Hotels and Lodging Houses 63-98 + + CHAPTER III + The Farm Colonies of the Salvation Army 99-116 + + CHAPTER IV + The Salvation Army Slum Department 117-121 + + CHAPTER V + The Salvation Army Rescue Department 122-126 + + CHAPTER VI + Some Minor Features of the Salvation Army Social Work 127-131 + + CHAPTER VII + Conclusion 132-139 + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +INTRODUCTION. + + +The Salvation Army was founded by William Booth in London, England, in +1865. Previous to this time Mr. Booth had been a successful clergyman in +the Methodist Church, and had become widely known throughout England as +a revivalist. As time passed, he had become more and more interested in +the condition of the un-churched masses, and as his church did not +approve of his taking up work among the masses in connection with it as +an organization, he had, in 1861, separated from the Methodists. With +little support, he established in London what was known as The Christian +Mission. + +From the first, numbers of converts were made, and soon several missions +were established in London, and other cities of England. From the first, +too, the agency of women was an important feature. Especially was this +true in visitation among the lower classes. In regard to the foundation +of the Army itself and in connection with its earlier successes, much +credit must be given to Mrs. Booth, the wife of William Booth. She +became as noted a speaker and revivalist as her husband, and together, +they made plans for the movement. Unfortunately she died of cancer in +1890. Through these early years of the movement its management, almost +unconsciously, developed along lines that were military in form. At +first the title of "Captain" was used among the sailors and fishermen to +designate the local leader of the company, and then it was extended +wherever, among the rough element, the "Mr." or "Rev." would seem out of +place. The usage and the spirit accompanying it soon spread, and by the +year 1879 military methods and titles were officially added. The Rev. +Wm. Booth, who, up to this time, had been known as "Superintendent of +the Christian Mission," became "General" Booth, and the "Mission" became +the "Salvation Army."[2] + +This addition of military methods seems to have accelerated the movement +by favoring efficient and systematic control. Soon after this time, we +find, the organization had spread to the United States, Canada, +Australia, France, Switzerland, Holland, Belgium, Scandinavia, Germany +and Italy. Then missionary work was taken up in India, and later on, in +Africa, Java and Japan. At the present time (1908), according to its +reports, the Army occupies fifty-two different countries and colonies. +In no country has its rate of progress been more remarkable than in the +United States, where in point of numbers, the local organization now +ranks second only to that of Great Britain.[3] + +Along with the rapid growth went a differentiation almost as rapid and +unique as the growth itself. In fact, both reacted on each other. The +work was separated first into three main departments, viz.: Spiritual, +Social and Trade. It will be necessary to make a brief statement of this +differentiation in detail. In the Spiritual Department we have the +extension of the original idea, that of converting the people. Corps, as +the different religious groups were called, sprang up and multiplied +until even the smaller towns were occupied. Converts were added by +hundreds and thousands. Large numbers of the brightest and best of these +converts were utilized in extending the work still further, and after +undergoing a brief training, were sent out, some to aid the movement in +the mother country, others to begin the work in different parts of +Europe and in America, and still others as missionaries to all parts of +the world. Meanwhile, the work in each local organization or Corps, +became systematized, and the Corps were united into Sections or +Divisions, the Divisions into larger districts called Provinces, and the +Provinces into Commands, which for the most part controlled the +territory of an entire country. Each of these divisions from the Corps +to the Command, was delegated to an officer who had sole charge, and +who was responsible to the officer above him. For example, the United +States, at present, is divided into two Commands; the first extending +from New York to Chicago; the second from Chicago to the Pacific Coast. +The first Command has six Provinces; the second, four. Each Province has +from three to nine Divisions, and each Division contains a number of +Corps. Thus, while each Corps is complete in itself, the general +administration is very highly centralized; so much so, that an order +from General Booth at the National Headquarters, London, England, must +be obeyed by every Corps in the world. + +While the organization of the Spiritual Department was taking place in +this manner, the Social Work was assuming large proportions, and +differentiating itself. Visitation in the lower parts of the cities was +organized into a regular department of Slum Work, called the Slum +Department, with a specialized corps of officers. Work among fallen +women was instituted as the Rescue Department, with its rescue homes and +trained workers. The establishment of hotels and lunch counters for both +men and women became finally what is now the Social Department. The wood +yards and small factories, together with the salvage depots and cheap +stores, were organized into the Industrial Department. Work among the +children resulted in the establishment of kindergartens and orphanages. +The colonization enterprise took root, and was divided into the +industrial colonies and farm colonies. Thus, we have here a +differentiation of the original Social Department into six distinct +divisions, which we shall consider separately in this treatise. As these +lines of work advanced, although each had its special group of workers, +it was natural that the work should follow the administrative system of +Commands, Provinces, Divisions and Corps, which had already been marked +out in the Spiritual Department. + +The third primary division, that of trade, has had some interesting +developments. There is, for example, the trade carried on in articles +necessary to the members of the Army themselves, and which they cannot +conveniently obtain in the open market, such as uniforms, badges, books +and musical instruments. The Reliance Trading Company, for instance, was +incorporated in 1902, under the laws of the State of New Jersey. This +company owns and publishes the "War Cry," the official gazette of the +Army in the United States; does the printing for the various departments +of the Army; manufactures fountain pens; makes uniforms, bonnets and +hats for the Army members; conducts an Insurance Department, and carries +on other business enterprises.[4] + +There is, too, the trade in the products of the various factories and +industries connected with the relief work of the Army. For example, the +Salvation Army Industrial Homes Company, incorporated in New Jersey, has +greatly facilitated the industrial work in the United States. There have +been companies formed and organized as building societies, insurance +companies, and a Salvation Army Bank. + +In all these companies the Salvation Army, through its officers, always +has control, although it invites and seeks investments from the public. +The following extract, taken from a prospectus sent out by the Salvation +Army Industrial Homes Company, illustrates the point: + + "The Charter of our Industrial Homes Co. has been prepared by + Messrs. Jas. B. Dill & Co., the eminent corporation lawyers, who + have kindly given us the full benefit of their skill and experience, + at a fairly nominal charge. The capital consists of $500,000.00, + divided into 50,000 shares, of the par value of $10.00 each, of + which 25,000 are in 6% cumulative preferred stock and 25,000 in + common stock. Only the preferred shares are offered to the public, + and bear interest at 6%, which is guaranteed by the Army. The common + shares are held by the Army, with a view to retaining the control of + the company, and the entire profits, over and above the interest on + the preferred stock, are thus devoted to the charitable and + religious work of the Army, and help us to continually expand and + enlarge our homes." ... "We shall be happy to supply any information + or answer any questions as to the financial standing of the + Salvation Army. For our spiritual and social operations in the + United States, we have now an annual income of nearly $2,000,000.00, + while the value of our real estate holdings in this country amount + to about $1,500,000. Hence, it will be seen that in guaranteeing the + interest upon these preferred shares, amounting in all to only + $15,000.00, we are abundantly able to insure the regular payment of + the same apart, altogether, from the income of our industrial + homes." + +As a result of this rapid growth along the three lines described, the +movement everywhere forced itself upon public recognition. The +publication of its weekly organ, the "War Cry," in many different +languages and countries aided its growth. Other magazines of higher +class and better quality were issued. At the same time, the public press +investigated the organization, and for a long time criticised it +harshly. In fact, during all this time, while so successful, the Army +suffered much persecution. The crowds of people composed of those whom +it was seeking to benefit, seemed often to be its worst enemies, and +then, to make matters more difficult, the police, we are told, instead +of furnishing protection, often, themselves, joined in the persecution. +There were many instances, in this early period, where the enthusiastic +reformers were ill treated and even fatally injured. There was, however, +some reason for all this persecution. A movement so sudden and +apparently so contrary to existing institutions, needed time for its +real principle to become known. The external manifestation seemed to +consist of nothing but defiant disregard of established religious custom +and ceremonial. Thus, while the vital principle of love for humanity was +working its way into individual lives and attracting them to the ranks +of the organization, the world at large openly showed its antagonism. +Gradually, however, the sense of public opposition and antagonism grew +less. Gradually the knowledge that, behind the superficial emotionalism, +were depths of disinterested sympathy for fellow men and women worked +itself into the public mind. Attacks on Army groups on street corners +became less frequent, and when they did occur, were suppressed by the +police. The press ceased its bitter criticism. + +It was about this time that renewed and increased attention was focused +on the new movement by the publication in 1890 of General Booth's famous +book, "In Darkest England, and the Way Out." In some ways the book +served to mark a new epoch in the development of that part of practical +sociology which concerns itself with the direct betterment of the lower +class of society. The old method of dealing with the poor is ably +described by Ruskin, when he says: + + "We make our relief either so insulting to them, or so painful that + they rather die than take it at our hands; or, for third + alternative, we leave them so untaught and foolish, that they starve + like brute creatures, wild and dumb, not knowing what to do, or what + to ask."[5] + +This was a point of view which in its relation to the degraded elements +of society was an expression of sympathy rather than of harsh criticism +and mistrust. Although it had been set forth by others previously, it +had never before forced itself so strongly on the public. In addition, +the daring statements and bold theories, given utterance in "Darkest +England," served to surprise all schools of reform. The public +consciousness had never before faced the problem in such a way. It was +aroused, and began to ask questions. The book ran through edition after +edition. It was printed in a cheap form and within a short time was +circulated all over the civilized world. + +In his "scheme" General Booth laid down seven fundamental principles, +which he claimed were essential to success. They were as follows: + +1. The first principle that must be bore in mind, as governing every +scheme that may be put forward, is that it must change the man, when it +is his character and conduct which constitute the reasons for his +failure in the battle of life. + +2. The remedy, to be effectual, must change the circumstances of the +individual, when they are the cause of his wretched condition, and lie +beyond his control. + +3. Any remedy worthy of consideration must be on a scale commensurate +with the evil with which it proposes to deal. + +4. Not only must the scheme be large enough, but it must be permanent. + +5. But while it must be permanent, it must be made practicable. + +6. The indirect features of the scheme must not be such as to produce +injury to the persons whom we seek to benefit. + +7. While assisting one class of the community, it must not seriously +interfere with the interests of another.[6] + +General Booth's personal attitude, also, is well worth noting. In the +preface of his book he makes the following statement: + + "I do not claim that my scheme is either perfect in its details, or + complete in the sense of being adequate to combat all forms of + gigantic evils, against which it is, in the main, directed. Like + other human things, it must be perfected through suffering; but it + is a sincere endeavor to do something, and to do it on principles, + which can be instantly applied and universally developed."[7] + +And again, in view of some of the manifestations of the organization as +we see it, the following is interesting, as coming from its founder. He +says: "But one of the grimmest social problems of our time should be +sternly faced, not with a view to the generation of profitless emotions, +but with a view to its solution."[8] + +Upon the publication of this book there arose a division of opinion in +regard to the scheme which was set forth. On the one hand, numbers of +noted philanthropists aided General Booth with money and moral support. +On the other hand, there was opposition from a certain class of +reformers, headed by that eminent scientist, Thomas Huxley. This +opposition, however, did not so much attack the principles advocated, +as the agency for their application, namely, the Salvation Army, itself, +characterized in Huxley's words as "Autocratic socialism, masked by its +theological exterior."[9] + +From that time to the present many thoughtful men have continued this +opposition to the Army as an agent of social service. Further on we +shall consider the validity and strength of their arguments. At that +time the press on all sides took up the controversy, and it was finally +decided to appoint a committee of investigation to thoroughly examine +the Army's methods and institutions and publish a report. This committee +was composed of some of the leading business and public men of England, +headed by Sir Wilfred Lawson. They examined the books of the Army and +studied the system and methods of the movement. They reported that all +was entirely satisfactory and not only so, but that the movement and +work was worthy of commendation.[10] + +The report of this Committee, together with a demonstration of the work +already accomplished, served to silence the critics to some extent, and +public favor began to turn toward the movement. Since that period the +Army has had, generally speaking, the support of the press and many of +the leading men throughout the world, a support which it has not been +slow to recognize, or to utilize. For instance, about this time, we find +the following appeal issued through the English press: + + "From personal witness or credible report of what General Booth has + done with the funds entrusted to him for the Social Scheme which he + laid before the country eighteen months ago, we think it would be a + serious evil if the great task which he has undertaken should be + crippled by lack of help during the next four months. We therefore + venture to recommend his work to the generous support of all, who + feel the necessity for some serious and concentrated effort to + grapple with the needs of the most wretched and destitute, who have + so long been the despair of our legislation and our philanthropy." + +This appeal was signed by the Earl of Aberdeen, who was then +Governor-General of Canada, and fifteen other men and women of +international reputation. As an example of the attitude of the press, we +find the London Daily Telegraph, in the midst of a long editorial +entitled, "The General's Triumph," saying, "There is no question about +it, the General has become popular. He has justified himself by results. +We are told he has not shown the way out, but few have done so much to +let the light in, and to bring with it life and healing."[11] Since the +publication of "In Darkest England" in 1890, the social work of the Army +has been extended, and has grown very rapidly.[12] + +In connection with this rapid growth, the social phase of the movement +has tended to eclipse the spiritual in the public eye. The Army has +taken advantage of this to advertise its advancement along all lines, +and there is reason for believing that the public support of the whole +movement, both social and spiritual, at the present time, is largely due +to this advertising.[13] In any case, the social work of the Army is a +movement large enough to justify the interest of the public, and the +extensive study of every student of practical social economy. + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[2] "Social Relief Work of the Salvation Army in the U. S.," p. 5. + +[3] "Life of William Booth," p. 57. + +[4] "Social Relief Work of the S. A. in the U. S." + +[5] "Sesame and Lillies," p. 101. Cf. also "The New Movement in +Charity," Am. Jour. Soc. III, p. 596. + +[6] "In Darkest England," pp. 85-87. + +[7] _Ibid._, preface. + +[8] _Ibid._, p. 15. + +[9] "Social Diseases and Worse Remedies." + +[10] "The committee of 1902 which inquired into certain aspects of the +Darkest England Scheme two years after its initiation, were careful to +state that they did not enter upon any consideration of the many +economic questions affecting the maintenance of the system sought to be +carried out." (The Salvation Army and the Public, p. 121.) + +[11] "London Daily Telegraph," July 6, 1904. + +[12] In fifteen years, from 1890 to 1905, the social work grew from a +few small scattered institutions, to 687 institutions, many of which +alone would have greater accommodation than the total in 1890. + +[13] See "The S. A. and the Public," ch. 3. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +THE SALVATION ARMY INDUSTRIAL DEPARTMENT. + +Originally the work now known as the Industrial Work was handled with +and under the same management as the Social Work, but as the movement +grew, the Industrial Work branched out and finally became separate in +operation and management, the name "Social Department" being retained +for the hotel work only. + +The Industrial Department itself may be divided into three sections, all +under the same management. These are The Industrial Home, The Industrial +Store and The Industrial Colony. The object of the work embraced in +these three divisions as stated in the prospectus sent out by the Army +two years ago is: + + "One of the most difficult problems that has confronted the + Salvation Army has been the finding of employment for out-of-works + and human derelicts in our cities. A system has been gradually + organized by which this human waste is employed in collecting the + material waste of the city. This latter has been sorted, sifted and + sold, and temporary employment thus afforded to thousands of + stranded persons, who have thus been tided over periods of distress, + relieved of immediate suffering, saved from the stigma of paupers, + assured of human sympathy, and given a new start in life."[14] + +After a careful review of the various divisions of this work, above +mentioned, we shall consider whether the object is being attained, and +of what value the work done is to society. + +In the formation of the Industrial Home the ideal building and situation +cannot always be secured; hence there are differences in the planning +and disposition of the different homes. The general plan, however, is to +have a three or four-story building fitted up as follows: On the ground +floor is a space where the wagons filled with waste materials can +unload, a large room where furniture can be repaired and stored (unless +this is done in the basement below), an office, and another large room +to be used for a retail store. On the second floor is the sorting room, +and adjoining or connected with it is the baling room, where such stuff +as paper, rags and excelsior is pressed, ready to be taken away. On this +floor, too, is to be found the kitchen, the dining room and the reading +room. On the third floor are situated the dormitories and sleeping +rooms. This plan is often varied. Sometimes there is a basement and only +one or two stories above. Sometimes, as in the Forty-eighth Street home +in New York, there are six or seven stories, and sometimes, as in one +home in Chicago, the sleeping and living quarters of the men are +entirely separate from the warehouse where they work, possibly some +blocks away. The kitchen is nearly always found to be large and +furnished with a good range and other facilities. The dining room +contains long, plain tables, set so that the men can sit on both sides. +The dishes are of thick, strong ware. The food is plain but good. +Everything from the floor to the dishes is usually clean. + +The sleeping rooms are of two kinds, individual rooms and dormitories. +Those men who are of a better rank, that is, those who have been working +long, or who are doing a higher grade of work, and those who have "boss" +positions, occupy the separate rooms; while the general class of workers +sleep in the dormitories. When it comes to the question of pure air, +considerable difficulty arises. Some of the separate rooms have no +outside window, though the partitions between the rooms rise only to a +certain height, thus giving common air to the whole floor. Even where +good ventilation facilities exist, it seems difficult to make the men +keep the windows open. As regards ventilation, however, the industrial +homes are, as a rule, better than the lower class workingman's hotels, +and are improving in this respect. The beds are iron, single beds. The +bed clothing and the rooms themselves are clean and fumigated regularly. + +A reading room is also provided where daily papers and popular magazines +are kept, and where the men may write. In some cases, a smoking room +adjoins. Meetings of a devotional character, to which the men may come +or not as they see fit, are often held in the reading room. + +The support that renders the industrial home possible is the waste +product of the city. This material is rubbish of all kinds imaginable. +In connection with each industrial plant are kept a number of horses and +wagons, mostly one-horse wagons. Each driver of a wagon has a definite +route to cover regularly. Passing over his route, he collects everything +of which people are glad to be rid. Waste paper, old clothes, old +furniture, and the like, are the principal articles he collects. Many +good people, persuaded of the good work the Army is doing, save up their +store of odds and ends until the Army wagon shall call, often giving +things away which they would not have thrown away or given any one else, +unless it would be to sell them to an old-clothes man. The driver +returns with his load to the warehouse. From his wagon the material is +conveyed by means of an elevator to the sorting room in the second +story, whence the greater quantity goes at once to the baling machine in +the form of waste paper. Any articles that may be of use, such as shoes, +clothing of any kind, books, crockery-ware, bottles, pots, kettles, +etc., are placed in their respective bins and finally, repaired, find +their way to the retail store. Heavy articles, such as stoves and +furniture, do not go up in the elevator, but are retained on the first +floor, where they go, first to the repairing and storage room, and then +out to the stores. The paper and rags, when baled, are sold to the +nearest paper mill for a good price. Some idea of the amount of this +class of material may be gained from the fact that the average amount of +paper sold by the Industrial Department in the United States is about +2,500 tons per month. + +In England and other countries this work has not assumed such large +proportions, but there is some difference between the workings of the +industrial plant in the City of London and in New York. For instance, +at the Salvation Army plant on Hanbury Street, Whitechapel, London, we +found, in 1906, a planing mill, a paint and furniture shop, a mattress +factory, and a sawmill and cabinet shop. This place had employment for +ninety men, of whom twelve were regularly employed and the remainder +were transients. The regular employees were paid at a union rate of +wages. The men of this industrial plant lived some distance away on +Quaker Street, having possession of part of the Salvation Army shelter +or hotel there, the total accommodation of which was two hundred and +forty. Again, in a different part of the city, over near Deptford, was a +wood yard with good machinery, run by electricity, which employed +anywhere from sixty to seventy men making kindling wood. On the other +hand, at the "Spa Road Elevator," was a plant almost identical with the +industrial plants in the United States, where were shipped out an +average of 100 pounds of paper every week and several tons of rags in +addition, and where was accommodation for some two hundred men. + +Branching out from the main industrial plant are nearly always to be +found large stores. These are Salvation Army retail stores. These stores +are found in the poorest sections of the city, and are patronized by the +poorest class. Articles of all descriptions may be purchased here at a +very low figure. In each store is a furniture department; a clothing +department for men, women and children; a toy department; a department +for stoves, pots, etc., and sometimes other departments varying with the +size of the store. It is possible, thus, for a poor family moving into +the neighborhood to completely furnish themselves and their home from +Salvation Army stores at a cost of often less than one-half of what they +would pay elsewhere. Each store has a definite connection with the +central industrial plant, from which it receives its supplies, its +workers and its government, for the stores are merely branches of the +central work, and all are under the same general management. + +An interesting feature lies in an examination of the labor which is +employed. From the cases given at the end of the chapter, it will be +seen that it consists of all kinds, classes and nationalities, who, +through their own recklessness, or by unfortunate circumstances, have +fallen into want. A man willing to work comes to the Army in want of +food and shelter, and the Army happens to have accommodation for him. He +may go to one of the men's hotels or to the industrial home, or to the +central agency of the Army. In any case he will probably be interviewed +by an officer specially detailed for the purpose, who will be able to +decide in short time what his needs are, and what can be done for him. +He may be sent out at once to take some position secured through the +employment bureau; he may be sent to the hotel with the understanding +that, after being fed and cared for, he will be given an opportunity to +pay for it in work; or he may be sent straight to the industrial home. +In any case, if possible, he is put to work. He may be in a weak +condition physically or mentally, or both, but even then, he can often +do something; such, for example, as picking over paper and rags in the +sorting room. Meanwhile, he is being fed and housed. If he means well +and works earnestly, he is soon able to do some other grade of work. He +may have had technical knowledge which will help him. In a few days, +possibly, a call is made to the employment bureau, which is maintained +in conjunction with each home or group of homes, for a man to fill some +position. If suitable, this man may be sent out to take it. On the other +hand, he may be retained in the home and employed permanently as a +driver on one of the wagons, or as overseer and instructor in one of the +rooms, or he may be sent out as assistant to one of the stores, and, in +time, he may be given charge of a store. When the men first come to the +home, they receive board and clothing and some remuneration, although +very slight. If they continue to work at the home, they are paid wages +ranging from $1.00 per week up to $4.00 or $5.00 per week, besides +board and lodging in the United States, and from 1s. to 9s. in England. + +When a man is able, but is lazy and not willing to work, he is turned +out. It is well known to those who have studied the question, that there +are a large number of such men, but this class does not apply for help +as often as it might to the Army, as it soon learns the uselessness of +so doing. The officers become quite adept in seeing these men in their +true colors. On the other hand, if a man drops into bad habits and goes +off on a spree after he has been helped, he will be taken in again +afterwards, and this is continued within reason. Much of the labor +employed is a surface and floating population, the result of season and +periodic work in connection with so many of our industries, and the men +are just tided over a hard time in their experiences. This class is +larger sometimes than at others, but is always in evidence. Another +class, however, consists of the men who have fallen through their own +recklessness and bad habits. Some of these men are sent out to positions +which they fill creditably, and finally rise as high or higher than they +were before. Naturally, the Army makes as much as possible out of these +cases for the purpose of advertisement. Owing to evident difficulties, +it is impossible to ascertain just what percentage there is of this +class among the total number helped, or what percentage of this class +itself is successfully aided. The industrial work itself, as a paying +business, is developing so fast that a constantly increasing number of +men are permanently retained and used as regular employees, being paid +regular wages. + +When we come to the industrial colony, we find it entirely different +from the farm colony, where families are sent to settle upon the land in +tracts of say twenty acres per family. The industrial colony is managed +like a large farm with many laborers, all under one central head. The +original idea was to graduate men from the city plants to the industrial +colonies and thence to the farm colonies, but the Army has had +difficulty in maintaining its colonies at all, and, as a result, no +regular system has been followed. A large proportion of the men on the +industrial colony are single, whereas, as will be seen, families are +needed for the farm colonies. Again, many of these men are not the kind +who will succeed on the farm colony. Sometimes, too, they have not been +through the city plant, and sometimes they are men sent directly from +the city to get them out of temptations which are too strong for them. + +The best example of an industrial colony is the one at Hadleigh, about +thirty miles from London, England. This colony has an area of about +3,000 acres. One thousand acres is almost useless now; and when taken by +the Army in 1890, the whole consisted of almost worthless land, some of +which, as a result of constant labor and fertilization, has been +transformed into reasonably good land. A great draw-back and a great +expense has been the lack of water, now partially supplied by two +artesian wells, the cheaper of which cost over $20,000.00.[15] The +population varies from 300 to 700.[16] In 1898, 775 men were admitted to +the colony. Out of this number, 193 left after a short residence before +they could be influenced for good; 47 were discharged as incorrigible, +and 309 graduated, obtaining situations or being restored to their +friends.[17] There are three classes received at the colony: + +1. Those sent by the Army agencies. + +2. Those sent by poor law authorities who pay from 5s. to 10s. per week +for periods of from three to twelve months for their maintenance. + +3. Special cases sent by philanthropic societies, or by relatives or +others.[18] + +Another division is made into four classes, thus: + +1. Those coming and passing off in a month, not being regular colonists. + +2. Those averaging nine months on the colony, and called colonists. + +3. Picked men from the second class, who are made employees. + +4. Employees hired in the neighborhood for specific purposes.[19] + +The proportion of each, according to either specification, is such a +variable quantity that nothing can be determined satisfactorily. +According to one officer's statement, about one in every five is +considered an employee.[20] In the winter of 1903-4, 209 men were sent +to Hadleigh and supported there by a special fund, called "The Mansion +House Fund for the Relief of the London Unemployed."[21] Out of the +class sent by the Army agencies to the colony, a certain number are sent +out as emigrants to Canada. For instance, in 1905, 41 were sent out, and +in 1906, 58. The party of 58 was composed of five Irishmen, one +Welshman, three Scotchmen, and forty-nine Englishmen. These men go to +work on different farms in Canada, and some sent out in previous years +now have homesteads there. In the colony there are five departments, +viz.: the market garden, the brick-making department, the dairy +department together with the piggery, the poultry department, and the +Inebriate's Home. There is also a store which has an income of $1,000.00 +a month. The market garden is one of the best industries, most of the +produce being sold in the town of Southend, four miles distant. In the +busy season, as many as 100 workers are found in this department. There +are four large conservatories, especially for tomatoes and flowers. A +good many potatoes are raised, and there is a good deal of land in +berries and orchard. There are three brick-yards with the latest +improved kilns and machinery. These yards have been a very heavy expense +and have not been satisfactory. For instance, in 1898, the year's sale +of bricks amounted to £4717, while the expenditure of this department +was £5563, this latter sum including the expense of repairing the drying +fields, which that year were injured by a flood.[22] In the dairy +department about twenty-five head of cattle provide the colony with milk +and butter, while sometimes milk is sold at Southend. In the piggery the +number of hogs runs from 200 to 500. The poultry department is given +over to prize poultry breeding and has been successful in winning some +noted prizes. The Inebriate's Home is licensed for twenty male +inebriates who are charged from 25s. to 30s. per week. Between 60% and +70% are stated to be reclaimed after an average period of eight months' +treatment. In addition to these departments it might be noted that there +is a school on the colony with an attendance of 100, some of whom come +from outside the colony, and a good sized hall, seating about 400, where +gatherings are held for social and religious purposes. + +For the feeding and lodging of the colonists, large preparations are +made. They are graded according to their position in the colony, and an +opportunity is given them to rise from the lower to the higher grades. +The superintendent stated that this plan was found useful in stimulating +ambition. There are two dormitories, both clean and well-kept, but the +higher grade with better bedding and surroundings than the lower. This +grading system is also maintained in the dining room, the higher grade +of colonists being served with better food than the lower. Everything +around the buildings is well-kept and orderly, and the general moral +atmosphere of the colony seems to be healthful and up-lifting. + +The industrial colony at Ft. Herrick, near Cleveland, Ohio, differs in +many ways from the one at Hadleigh, and doubtless has been instrumental +in aiding a good number of outcast and fallen men, but it has been such +a burden financially, and such an unsolved problem in many ways, that it +may be considered a failure. The reason for its failure is not so much +bad management as lack of foresight on the part of those choosing the +site. The site is in no sense suitable for a colony, the soil being +unfit for intensive farming. Probably the best work done there has been +the reformation of drunkards, a work in which, according to reports, the +colony has been eminently successful.[23] + +Coming now to the management of the Industrial Department in the United +States, we find that it is an up-to-date business enterprise. The +department is controlled by a corporation called "The Salvation Army +Industrial Homes Co." already referred to in our introduction.[24] The +management of the company is in the hands of the Army.[25] Under this +central authority, we find the United States divided into three +districts; the eastern district, with headquarters at New York; the +central district with headquarters at Cleveland, and the western +district with headquarters at Chicago. Each one of these districts has +at its head a social secretary, and under him are the different officers +in charge of the respective plants. Generally speaking, each local +officer is supreme in his individual plant. He can adopt methods and +means to suit the environment of his district, provided always that his +methods mean success. There are no iron-clad rules to hold him in check +beyond a system of bookkeeping and of making out detailed reports, which +must be sent to headquarters. When about to engage in some new venture, +however, such as securing a new location for his plant, opening up a +store, or renting or purchasing new property, he must refer the project +to his superior officer, before undertaking it. The local officer in +charge has trusted employees under him, such as a warehouse boss, a +kitchen boss, and stable boss, etc., each of whom is responsible to the +officer for his department. + +Although present to some extent in other countries the special field of +the industrial work is the United States. The growth in this country +during the recent years has been great. In 1896 there were no regular +industrial homes; in 1904 there were 49 industrial institutions, and in +control of these 49 institutions, there were 70 Army officers and 820 +regular employees. The accommodation was about 1,100. During one month +there were 225 cases that were considered unsatisfactory. There were 239 +horses and wagons in daily use. About 1,000 tons of paper were baled and +sold per month. Contrast this with the year 1907. In this year there +were 84 officers engaged in these institutions and over 1,200 regular +employees. There was accommodation for 1,651 men. The unsatisfactory +cases for the year amounted to 1,389. There were 460 horses and wagons +in daily use. An average of 2,500 tons of paper was sold each month. +16,875 men were placed in outside positions during the year. No large +city in the United States is without this industrial work, and it is to +be expected that, within a few years, there will be no city in the +country with a population of 100,000 that does not have an industrial +home, and that many cities with a smaller population will have one also. +Already there are several cities with a population of less than 50,000 +that have promising industrial plants. In London, the growth has not +been so rapid, and the industrial institutions are run at a loss to the +Army, but there are about eight industrial plants in that city, and +others are to be found in other large cities of England. + +We come now to the question of the value of the Salvation Army +industrial work to society. From the preceding brief outline of the +methods, material, labor, management and extent of the industrial work, +it will be seen that it is a movement, unrestricted in scope, with an +unlimited field of development as an economic enterprise. In certain +fields where the Army is active, its work is considered of little or no +value; but as a result of our investigation into this particular field, +the conclusion is reached that, with the exception of the industrial +colonies, it is a practical, social work, of value to society. + +We make an exception of the industrial colonies because we do not +consider that the two experiments already tried by the Army justify +their own continuance or the starting of other similar colonies. The +reference here is to Fort Herrick in Ohio, and the Hadleigh Colony, near +London. These colonies have necessitated a continual sinking of funds +contributed by the charitable public, and the return does not justify +their expense. The Army should realize this, and admit the fact, instead +of drawing wool over the eyes of the ignorant public by the constant +reiteration of "the great work done at Hadleigh and Fort Herrick." It +looks as though the organization was afraid that the infallibility and +sanctity of General Booth's pet scheme would be seriously impaired, if +the public should discover that any part of that scheme was a mistake +and an unfortunate experiment, and that, for this reason, it has +continued to expend much money on it, which might have been turned to +better advantage in connection with other parts of General Booth's plan. +These colonies are object lessons showing what is unwise to attempt, +rather than what can be done. The Army has no need to be ashamed of +having made a mistake, and its usefulness along other lines is +sufficient to maintain its reputation in spite of the failure of its +industrial colonies. There is no need of the industrial colony anyway. +The object in view is either to tide workless men over a period of hard +times and misfortune, or to restore manhood where evil habits and +recklessness have destroyed it, and this can be done and is being done +by means of the city industrial work without the aid of the colony. As +regards the work of reforming the inebriate, in which the industrial +colonies have had some success, that could be carried on without the +great expense of a regular colony. + +The moral field of the city industrial work derives support from the +relation of its management to the spiritual work and influence of the +Army. The influence and spirit of the whole organization runs to a +certain extent through every branch of its varied developments. This +influence cannot be described by comparative means. The spirit, somewhat +unique in itself, runs through everything, a spirit which is a mixture +and blending of love, gratitude, service and patience. While we think +that, in the tendency of this branch to become a business enterprise, +there is a considerable decrease in the influence just described, it +still has great power. The officers and employees now engaged in this +work were themselves not long since outcasts in society. Many of them +had despaired of ever making a success of life and were simply drifting. +But a helping hand had been stretched out to them, hope had been +imparted and new ideals had been placed before them. They might even yet +be men, wear decent clothes, stand up straight and look their fellow men +in the eye! What wonder that the decent clothes to which they looked +forward turned out to be the uniform of the organization which had +picked them up from the gutter! What wonder they felt an eternal debt of +gratitude toward that organization! While this is not a true expression +of their attitude in every case, and while there are some who hold their +positions simply because they can get no better, loyalty to the work +exists in enough instances to create a distinct moral atmosphere. The +men wish to make a success of their new work; they wish to see the Army +advance, and to do this they feel that it is essential that the same +moral influence which enabled them to become men should be continued. +This influence moves almost unconsciously among the industrial plants. +For instance, we do not find here the tendency to obscenity which we +find in any ordinary factory or workshop. Environment in these plants is +all-powerful as an uplifting condition. Cleanliness is encouraged in the +dormitory and kitchen. Respectful attention is paid at meals while grace +is being said. The reading room is frequented, while the occasional +meetings held are sometimes well attended and sometimes not, according +to the attraction. The emotional religious element is a great deal in +evidence, though not so much as in other departments of the Army. In +any case, the element of hope and ambition, which often arises within +these social outcasts, making them men once more, is to be considered a +great moral asset. The moral influence is due more to the personality of +those in charge than to anything else. A large number of the managers +have served in connection with the Army's spiritual work and have the +desire, as they would tell you, to see every man under them "saved," not +only in a moral and social sense, but "saved" in accordance with the +Army's special significance of that term.[26] While the Army's special +idea of salvation may have no value in itself, still if the emotional +element assists in the moral and social salvation of individuals, we +have no reason for not tolerating it unless it has evil effects of real +importance. Such effects, however, tend to decrease, as the movement +advances, and the education and enlightenment of the masses increase. + +From an economic point of view, we believe that the work of the +Industrial Department has been successful. We have seen that large +numbers of men, who are out of work, are taken in by this department and +kept for a number of weeks or months, and that, during this time, +besides making their own support, and gaining in efficiency, in many +cases, they are able to return to a more important part in production. +Let us see what this means. While these men are out of work, they are +not producing anything. They are idle, and thus a loss to the community. +In addition, they are fast losing any potential ability for production, +which they have had. But they now become producers, a gain to the +community, and their potential ability for production is at least +conserved if not increased. Secondly, out-of-work men are a burden on +the community. While they continue to live without employment, they must +be supported in some way or other by private or public charity, and they +form a great item of expense to the community. But in the hands of the +Industrial Department, they cease being an expense to the public and +become to some extent a gain. Thirdly, some of these men are in danger +of becoming members of pseudo-social and anti-social classes; it is from +them that the pauper and criminal classes gain recruits. But through the +elevating environment of this branch of the Army's work, their character +is affected, and they are raised to a higher level. In this way then, in +successful cases, the worthless men become workmen. Worthless men are +changed into economic assets. The dependents become independent. Working +by means of the laws of environment and association, the Army elevates +the degenerate from a pseudo-social and anti-social class to a higher +level and to social position. Where individuality was lost, independence +of character reasserts itself. + +Let us consider in detail some of the advantages connected with this +form of practical philanthropy. One advantage is, that once started, the +work continues and increases without further expenditure on the part of +the charitably disposed public beyond the giving away of things for +which they have no further use. This is so because the Army here in its +work becomes an efficient producer and creates articles which have +market value. Leaving all charity alone, the work is paying and more +than self-supporting, and thus in a short time will be reimbursed with +all the money which was necessary to initiate it. In nearly every city +in which the work was started, rented property soon gives place to +property owned by the Army and poor ill-suited buildings, to up-to-date +structures built for the purpose. An example of this is to be found in +the history of the 48th Street Industrial Home in New York City which is +briefly described, in the examples given at the end of this chapter.[27] +That the entire work has grown self-supporting in the United States is +shown by the fact that last year, 1907, there was a net gain of $21,000, +after the interest on the loans and investments had been paid. If a home +does not show signs of being successful financially, its location will +be changed or it will be discontinued.[28] + +Another advantage lies in the fact that men who were socially dependent +are made self-supporting. We should place emphasis on the effect on the +man himself as well as on the community. We saw how these men were given +to understand that they were earning their own livelihood and were not +recipients of charity, and how they were encouraged by the receipt of +wages, to be increased as their productiveness increased. The relief +given is true relief in that the man earns it himself and realizes this +fact, and because, along with this realization, comes a return of +manhood and independence. Of course if men have lost all manhood and +have no desire to be independent, but simply to live as easily as +possible on what may be given them, the above is not the result; but few +such get into the industrial homes, as they know better and have no wish +to work as these men do, and if they get in temporarily, they are soon +sorted out. Thus it cannot be said of these homes as is said of many +institutions, that they pauperize men in place of helping them. The +institution that makes men work for everything they get and provides +some sort of channel for their ambition, maintaining itself meanwhile as +a paying concern, is not pauperizing in its tendency. + +Still another advantage of this work is found in the saving of the +community's funds. Of late years, more and more, the principle has been +advanced and brought before the public, that the starving and unemployed +are to be cared for in some way, and we are willing to tax ourselves to +provide for this. As far back as the census of 1890, we find that the +United States spent annually $40,000,000 in charities and over +$12,000,000 in penal and reformatory institutions. Probably the total +expenditure for these two objects to-day would be nearer $60,000,000 +annually. What percentage of this $60,000,000 would go to the class of +people aided by the Army industrial work would be hard to ascertain or +approximate, but there is room for a great extension of this kind of +work, and the Army's efforts are most suggestive. In some of the +European countries, especially Germany, many helpful experiments along +this line are in progress, but conditions in the United States are +vastly different. In any case social economists are agreed that vast +sums are spent annually in our country to little or no purpose from the +point of view of social relief. In the year 1907, 8,696 men were cared +for in the United States industrial homes of the Army. This means just +that amount of saving to the nation that it would have cost the regular +municipal and state charities to have dealt with these 8,696 men, since +these men were aided by a self-supporting organization and paid for +their own support. This work, then, if carried far enough, would effect +quite a saving of taxes. + +But along with advantages there may be disadvantages. Some objections +have been raised to this branch of the Army's work. For instance, it is +stated that industries entered into by the Army tend to hurt economic +conditions with regard to both wages and prices.[29] With regard to +wages it is urged that the Army will keep for its industries, workers in +constraint of one kind or another, paying them a lower wage than the +same workers could procure outside, and thus lowering the wages in the +respective industries. We do not consider this objection a strong one. +Let us forget for the present the philanthropic side of the industrial +work, and look on it as a distinctly economic enterprise, as a factor of +production. We think it quite likely that a manager, anxious above +everything else to make his institution a financial success, would make +an endeavor to keep as long as possible, and at as low wages as +possible, men who could receive more on the outside. He might even try +to retain men for whom he could secure better positions through the +employment bureau, if he needed their services, and times were so good +that no other applicant offered to take their place, but this he could +not succeed in doing to any serious extent; for, in the first place, the +restraint exercised over the men is very slight, and secondly, if the +men could secure better wages, it would not be long before they found it +out and left the home voluntarily. It would be just the same as in any +industry in which most of the workers are ignorant. They would remain +under low wages just as long as their ignorance and lack of initiative +would allow, but sooner or later the relatively able man would seek the +best wage. Hence the able man would seek the best wage, and his place +would be taken by one, possibly morally and physically unable to procure +any wage, or, in other words, belonging to the unemployable class. If it +should come to the point of the Army's hiring able men to carry on the +work without aiding the outcasts, it must compete in the market for them +and pay the market price. The only real danger would lie in the Army's +industrial work securing a strong enough position in some industry to be +able to dictate terms to labor in an industry, but this is so unlikely +as to be almost irrelevant and even in such an almost inconceivable +case, the danger would be only temporary. Labor would still be able to +drift sufficiently to another agency, not controlled by the Army and +thus bring up wages again. This is the more true in that any industry, +in which the Army engages, must of necessity be one in which unskilled +labor is competent.[30] In addition to this, from personal +investigation, we can state that a large part of the labor employed in +these plants of the Army is at any rate temporarily inefficient labor +and would not have much chance in securing employment elsewhere. +Finally, though considered a charitable work, this branch of the army +is, as already stated, a corporation, a business enterprise financed by +investors who receive interest on their investments; hence, to the same +extent that it is a financial enterprise, like other such enterprises, +it will be governed by the rate of wages.[31] + +Another objection has been raised by critics, to the effect that the +Army, through its industry, enters into competition with existing firms +and companies to the harm of the latter.[32] For instance they urge that +in the case of those engaged in second-hand goods and salvage, who are +able to make a profit by buying their material, the army enters into an +unfair competition, when it takes such material, given in charity, and +sells at a lower figure. In so far as the army does undersell others +this objection is valid, and we have no doubt that in some cases such is +the truth. Doubtless some individuals and firms have been hurt in their +business by this under-selling. For instance, in Chicago, the Army has +nine retail stores situated in the poorer districts, doing a big +business in second hand goods. In addition to those goods it sends into +the retail trade, it sells hundreds of tons of paper and rags annually. +This must have some effect on others engaged in this business. However, +the Army itself sometimes pays for its material and does not often +undersell.[33] But there is another side to this question of +underselling. Naturally the tendency is to get as much as possible for +its goods, and provided there is a market, the army would seek to obtain +just as much as any one else in the business. It now falls back on a +question of supply and demand. The only way in which the price would be +lowered by the Salvation Army would be by an increase of supply. +Doubtless the supply of these goods is increased by the thorough work of +the Army agents, and, to such an extent, its entrance into this field +would tend to lower prices. However, in the leading salvage industries +of the army, the increase in supply does no more than offset the +increase in demand. The amount of displacement of the salvage and allied +industries due to the competition of the army at present would not seem +to be much, although of course it is difficult to get any exact figures +along this line. + +Looking at the Salvation Army retail store as a form of relief, another +question arises as to whether the opportunity given to the residents of +the district to get things at the Salvation Army's store cheaper than +elsewhere interferes with the standard of living. By the standard of +living we mean the scale or measure of comfort and satisfaction which a +person or a community of persons regards as indispensable to +happiness.[34] This would differ in the case of different persons and +classes and communities, but progress demands that the standard should +never be lowered, but should always be raised, in accord with increasing +enlightenment and education. + + "It is only," says Dr. Devine, "when individuals or individual + families for personal or exceptional or temporary reasons fall below + the standard, that charitable assistance can effectively intervene. + In other words, as has been pointed out in other connections, the + relieving policy cannot be made to raise the general standard of + living, but it should be so established as not to depress it"[35]. + +Here, then, the point is, whether those who are otherwise able to come +up to the standard of living in a given community take advantage of this +form of charity, or whether the customers of the Salvation Army's stores +are living below that standard. To just the extent that the former is +true, this part of the work would be pauperizing and retrogressive, but +we do not consider the former to be true. Naturally, we have no +statistics on this point, but speaking from general observation, we +should say that the customers of these stores are needy poor, who are +living below the standard, and hence, the store is a boon to them in +aiding them toward a realization of that standard. + +Let us now sum up our conclusions regarding the industrial work of the +Army. Regarding the industrial colonies, we would say that, while +doubtless responsible for good and reformation in certain cases, +nevertheless, owing to their cost of maintenance and the fact that the +work can be done without them, they are not a practical form of charity +deserving the intelligent support of the public. Regarding the city +industrial work, including the employment, amid a good environment, of +men out of work, including also the turning of much otherwise waste +matter into an economic good, and the assistance of deserving poor by +means of second-hand stores, we would say that it is commendable and +deserving of support. This latter conclusion is made in spite of three +objections: first, that there is a tendency to lower wages, which +objection we do not consider as important for reasons given; second, +that underselling of certain commodities by the Army takes place, which +objection we admit to a limited extent, and third, that the standard of +living is interfered with, which objection we do not consider valid. + + +Examples of Men in the Army Industrial Homes. + +These examples were collected by Mr. Jas. Ward at the two industrial +homes situated on West 19th Street and West 48th Street, New York City, +during the months of March and April, 1908. Mr. Ward worked right with +the men whose cases are given here, and slept in the homes, thus being +with them night and day. The home on West 19th Street was an old milk +depot rented temporarily by the Army to aid the unemployed during the +winter, and had accommodation for two hundred men. Everything was very +crude. The men slept on the floor, some without blankets. They were +required to work from three to five hours every day, and during the rest +of the day, they were allowed to go out and seek for work. The best of +these men were drafted out to fill the vacancies in the regular +industrial homes of the Army as they occurred. On the other hand, the +home on West 48th Street was and is one of the Army's best homes, built +for the purpose by the Army in 1907, at a cost of $130,000.00. +Everything here is arranged for comfort and cleanliness. The dormitory +is of the best, with good ventilation and other sanitary conditions. It +is a seven-story building, and has accommodation for one hundred and +seventy-five men. Twenty-two wagons are sent out from this home every +day. In every way it is a contrast with the West 19th Street home, hence +the examples will show some difference, according to which home they +refer. + + +No. 1. + +Born in Ireland. Thirty-eight years old. Single. Had no trade. Had +worked on a farm in Ireland. Had been in this country fourteen years and +had worked somewhat on a farm in this country. Had been out of work two +months. Lost his position through an accident and spent three weeks in +the hospital. Had since been in the Army Industrial Home for five weeks, +and was growing stronger. His appearance was very good. + + +No. 2. + +Born in France. Thirty-five years old. Single. Had people in France but +never heard from them. Had no trade. Out of work all winter. Worked on +a farm a little in France. In this country fifteen years. Several +charitable societies had helped him and he had been in the Industrial +Home eight days. The Army gave him clothing and shoes. He looked like a +drinking man, but otherwise capable. + + +No. 3. + +Born in Italy. Thirty years old. Married. Had wife in Italy. Left there +two years ago, and said he was going to send for his wife when he got +the money. He had worked on a farm in Italy, and had worked at different +trades in this country. Had been out of work nine weeks. Had been in the +Industrial Home two days. Spoke good English. Looked dirty and without +much intelligence. + + +No. 4. + +Born in South Carolina. Twenty-three years old. Single. Trade of a +plumber. Left his people five months ago and came to New York. Soon +spent his money and could find no work. Had been in the Industrial Home +three weeks. Said he was going home as soon as he could get the money. +Never worked on a farm. Looked capable. + + +No. 5. + +Born in Germany. Forty-two years old. Single. Had been in this country +twenty-five years and had followed the water nearly all the time. Got in +a fight on the Bowery six months ago and spent five months in jail. +Since coming out, he had had odd jobs, and had been in the Industrial +Home about two weeks. Looked shiftless and dissipated. + + +No. 6. + +Born in Denver, Colo. American parents. Twenty-six years old. Single. +Had people in Philadelphia who did not help him. Machinist by trade. +Belonged to the union in Philadelphia. Out of work ten weeks. Said he +had $100.00 but it did not last long. Had been in the Industrial Home +two days and expected work shortly. Appearance was very good. + + +No. 7. + +Born in Ireland. Forty years old. Married. Had left his family. Had no +trade. In this country eight years. Never worked in the country. Out of +work all winter. Spent three weeks in the hospital. Said he had +consumption. Had been in the Industrial Home four days. Looked very +feeble but not dissipated. + + +No. 8. + +Born in New York. American parents. Twenty-six years old. Single. People +lived in New York, but he had not lived with them for three years. Had +no trade. Had travelled a little. Said he did not like hard work. Had +been in the Industrial Home two weeks. The Army gave him clothing and +shoes. Said the missions helped him. Expected to wander West when the +weather got warm. Looked like a tramp. Never worked in the country. + + +No. 9. + +Born in San Francisco. German parents. Fifty-eight years old. Single. +Had no trade. Said he had beaten his way all around the world. Had not +worked all winter. In the Industrial Home ten days. Looked shiftless and +dissipated. Never worked in the country. + + +No. 10. + +Born in Maine. English parents. Twenty-four years old. Single. Had +people in Maine with whom he quarreled. Had no trade. Out of work for +four months. In the Industrial Home one week. Never worked on a farm, +but had worked in the woods. Did not drink. Looked like a capable man. + + +No. 11. + +Born in Philadelphia. Irish parents. Twenty-six years old. Single. +People in Philadelphia who helped him sometimes. Had no trade. Had +wandered a good deal. Out of work three months. Said he drank whenever +he could get liquor. Expected to go home shortly. Had been in the +Industrial Home three days. Looked very shiftless and dissipated. + + +No. 12. + +Born in Ireland. Forty-two years old. Single. Had two sisters in +Brooklyn who were poor. In this country eighteen years. Had no regular +trade but worked in hotels as porter. Out of work five months. Worked on +a farm a good deal in Ireland. Looked like a vagrant. + + +No. 13. + +Born in New York. American parents. Twenty-two years old. Single. Said +he was a truck driver. Had been out of work one month. Drank sometimes. +Had been in the Industrial Home four days. Expected to leave New York as +soon as the weather became warmer. Looked very wild. + + +No. 14. + +Born in Vermont. Mother Irish. Father German. Thirty-two years old. +Single. He wrote to his people but they did not help him. Had travelled +around a good deal. Had no trade. Said he "got saved" in a mission and +they kept him all winter. He said every time he got down, he went to the +missions and stayed as long as he could. Had been in the Industrial Home +nine days. Had worked on a farm a little. Looked like a vagrant. + + +No. 15. + +Born in London. Twenty-two years old. Single. Seaman by trade. Left his +boat one month ago in New York and had done nothing since. Had been in +the Industrial Home two weeks and hoped to work his way back to England +shortly. His appearance was very good. + + +No. 16. + +Born in New York. American parents. About thirty-five years old. Single. +Brick-layer by trade. Did not belong to the union. Out of work four +months. Said he had been to every city in the United States and had +travelled on freight trains quite often. Looked like a tramp. + + +No. 17. + +Born in Reading, Penna. American parents. Forty years old. Married. Wife +dead. One child living with his sister in Pennsylvania. Carpenter by +trade. Did not belong to the union. Had been out of work all winter. All +his tools were in pawn. The Army had been helping him at times. Said he +had to leave his child on account of not working. He looked like a very +hard drinker. Had never worked in the country. + + +No. 18. + +Born in Albany, N. Y. American parents. Thirty-five years old. Single. +Quarrelled with his people. Had not been home for ten years. Had no +trade. Out of work all winter. The missions and the Army had helped him +a good deal. Had been in the Industrial Home three days. Never worked in +the country. Looked dissipated. + + +No. 19. + +Born in Ireland. Thirty years old. Single. Had people in Ireland who +were poor. Came to this country eleven years ago. Had no trade. Out of +work two months. Expected a position in Brooklyn the following week. +Said he had $60.00 in the bank but lost his book and had to wait to get +his money. Had been in the Industrial Home two days. His appearance was +good. + + +No. 20. + +Born in Jersey City. Italian parents. Twenty-five years old. Single. +Quarrelled with his people. Said he had a step-mother and could not get +along with her. Had been in New York five years working at everything. +Had no trade. Out of work five months. Had saved some money, but it was +all gone. Never worked in the country. In the Industrial Home five days. +Said this was the first time he was ever down. Looked like a hopeful +case. + + +No. 21. + +Born in Philadelphia. Irish parents. Thirty-two years old. Married. His +wife was working and had paid his board all winter, until he came to New +York two weeks before on a freight train. Had been in the Industrial +Home since, and expected to return to his wife. Carpet-weaver by trade +and belonged to the union. Said he drank sometimes, but he looked like a +hard drinker. Otherwise very good. + + +No. 22. + +Born in Brooklyn. American parents. Thirty years old. Single. People +lived in Brooklyn, but they did not have anything to do with him. +Piano-finisher by trade. Did not belong to the union. Was in the army +one year and deserted. Out of work three months. Came to New York two +months ago. Spent all his money, $50.00, in two days. Had been in the +Industrial Home two weeks. Said he was going to reform and get a steady +job. Looked like a hard drinker but otherwise capable. + + +No. 23. + +Born in Scranton, Penna. German parents. Fifty years old. Single. Had +one sister and one brother at home, but he did not write them. Had no +trade. Had travelled all over the United States. Seemed to know a +mission in every city. Never worked in the country. Had been in the +Industrial Home some time, and said they made him work too hard. Looked +like a vagrant. + + +No. 24. + +Born in Springfield, Mass. American parents. Forty years old. Single. +Had no trade. Had not worked for over a year. Had been in jail several +times for riding freights. Never worked in the country. The missions and +the Army had helped him this winter. Looked like a dissipated character. + + +No. 25. + +Born in Germany. Twenty-five years old. Had people in Germany who were +poor. Left home eight months ago and came to New York, with a little +money. Had not worked since he left home. He spoke broken English. Had +no trade. Did not drink much. Had been in the Industrial Home some time. +Looked intelligent and capable. Never worked in the country. + + +No. 26. + +Born in Ireland. Forty-five years old. Single. Had no trade. Had been in +this country twenty years. Worked a good deal on a farm. Had wandered a +good deal. He said the Army were good people and had helped him in +different cities. Had been out of work two months. Looked shiftless. + + +No. 27. + +Born in Greenwich, Conn. American parents. Twenty-seven years old. +Single. Used to be in business with his father as a plumber in +Greenwich, but quarrelled and had not been home for six years. Never +worked on a farm. Looked intelligent but very wild. Said he could have +anything he wanted at home, if he would leave the drink alone. + + +No. 28. + +Born in Boston, Mass. Scotch parents. Fifty-three years old. Married. +Divorced seven years ago. Brass-moulder by trade. Had belonged to the +union but lost his membership through non-payment of dues. Out of work +three months. He drank a good deal, but looked capable. Never worked in +the country. + + +No. 29. + +Born in Cleveland, O. American parents. Twenty-seven years old. Single. +Had no regular trade. Made a business of following fairs as a fakir. +Never worked in the country. Said the missions and the Army had helped +him a good deal this winter. He also spent several nights in the city +lodging house. Looked capable but a little dissipated. + + +No. 30. + +Born in Yonkers, N. Y. American parents. Thirty-six years old. Single. +Had no trade. Had not worked all winter. Was in the Industrial Home for +the fourth time this winter. The missions had helped him. Never worked +in the country. Looked like a vagrant. + + +No. 31. + +Born in Germany. Forty years old. Single. Had no trade. Out of work two +months. The Army gave him clothing. Had been in the Industrial Home +several days. Never stayed in one place very long. Never worked in the +country. Looked like a vagrant. + + +No. 32. + +Born in New York. American parents. Thirty-five years old. Single. Had +no people, except one brother who was in the West. Had no trade. Out of +work four months. Had been in the Industrial Home one week. Never worked +in the country. Said when he had money he gambled and played the races. +Looked intelligent and capable. + + +No. 33. + +Born in Ireland. Forty five years old. Married. Evidently had left his +family. Had no regular trade. Had followed the water a good deal and +worked along the docks. Had nothing steady for three months. Was in the +Industrial Home for the second time this winter. Worked in the country +about two years. Said when the weather got warm he was going to the +country. Looked ignorant and dissipated. + + +No. 34. + +Born in New York. American parents. Thirty years old. Single. Trade of a +shoe-maker, but he had not worked at it for nearly two years. Out of +work three months. Worked in the country a little. Appearance very good. + + +No. 35. + +Born in Philadelphia. American parents. Forty years old. Married. Had +buried his wife and three children. Had no trade but followed the circus +as laborer. Never worked in the country. Had had no steady work for a +year. The Army had been helping him for a month. He said he went on the +drunk sometimes. Looked intelligent but in feeble health. + + +No. 36. + +Born in Hungary. Twenty-nine years old. Single. Had people at home but +did not write often. In this country eight years. Talked good English. +Had no trade. Worked on a farm a good deal in Hungary. Had been in the +Industrial Home four days. Looked very hopeful. + + +No. 37. + +Born in Pittsfield, Mass. American parents. Twenty-one years old. +Single. Had no trade. Had been in the Industrial Home three months. Was +a trusted worker and received $2.50 a week, for driving one of the Army +wagons. Never worked in the country. Looked like a respectable man. + + +No. 38. + +Born in Ireland. Fifty-years old. Single. In this country twenty years. +Had no trade. Had travelled around the world. Had been in the Industrial +Home one month. Said he used to drink, but would never do it again. He +was gray-haired and feeble. Never worked in the country. + + +No. 39. + +Born in Ireland. Fifty-five years old. Single. Had no trade but followed +the water a good deal. Out of work five months. Had been in the +Industrial Home three weeks. Said the Army had helped him before. Looked +like a vagrant. + + +No. 40. + +Born in New York. Irish parents. Twenty-eight years old. Single. People +lived in New York, but he had not lived home for several years. +Quarrelled with his people because of drink. Had no trade. Worked one +season in the country. Had been out of work two months. In the +Industrial Home two weeks. The Army had fitted him out with clothing. +Looked capable but dissipated. + + +No. 41. + +Born in Germany. Thirty-seven years old. Married. Would not say anything +about his family. In this country eleven years. Had no trade but +followed the water as cook or waiter. Had been out of work all winter. +The German Aid Society had helped him. Never worked in the country. +Looked dissipated. + + +No. 42. + +Born in England. Sixty-five years old. Married. Wife dead. Five children +living, but they did not help him. Came to this country forty years ago. +Bricklayer by trade. Belonged to the union, but said they did not help +him. Had been out of work five months. Had been in the Industrial Home +several times this winter. Looked old, gray-haired and feeble. + + +No. 43. + +Born in New York. American parents. Twenty-five years old. Single. Had +no trade. Quarrelled with his people three years ago and had not been +home since. Never worked in the country. Had been in the Industrial Home +four days. Looked quite capable. + + +No. 44. + +Born in Germany. Twenty-nine years old. Single. Had people in Long +Island who were poor. Had no trade, but followed the water a good deal. +Out of work four months. In the Industrial Home five weeks. The Army +gave him clothes. Said he drank a good deal. Never worked in the +country. Looked intelligent but dissipated. + + +No. 45. + +Born in Paterson, N. J. German parents. Twenty-five years old. Had +people in Paterson but was ashamed to write to them. Had no trade. Had +been in the Industrial Home two months. Looked bright and capable. + + +No. 46. + +Born in Trenton, N. J. Irish parents. Twenty-two years old. Single. Had +no trade. Had been out of work three months. In the Industrial Home +three weeks. Expected money from home shortly. Never worked in the +country. Said he drank a little. His appearance was very good. + + +No. 47. + +Born in Stanwich, Conn. American parents. Twenty-six years old. Single. +Had people who were poor. Had no trade. Was brought up on a farm. Came +to New York one year ago after a trip through the West. Expected to go +back to the country as soon as the weather got warmer. Had been in the +Industrial Home ten days. Looked stupid but otherwise capable. + + +No. 48. + +Born in Vermont. American parents. Forty-five years old. Single. Was a +tool-maker by trade. Did not belong to the union. Had been out of work +three months. Had been in the Industrial Home one month. Said the Army +were good people. Appearance was good but somewhat dissipated. Never +worked in the country. + + +No. 49. + +Born in Seattle, Washington. Swedish parents. Twenty-eight years old. +Single. Had no trade. Out of work two months. In the Industrial Home +three weeks. Did not drink. Appearance was good. Never worked in the +country. + + +No. 50. + +Born in Ireland. Forty years old. Married. Separated from his wife. In +this country fifteen years. Had no trade. Out of work all winter. The +Army and the missions had helped him several times. Never worked in the +country. Looked shiftless and dissipated. + + +No. 51. + +Born in Scotland. Fifty years old. Single. Had no trade. Had wandered +round a lot. Out of work five months. The Scotch Aid Society helped him +a good deal this winter. Said he liked to drink. Never worked in the +country. Looked like a tramp. + + +No. 52. + +Born in Cleveland, O. American parents. Twenty-eight years old. Married. +His wife was living in Cleveland. He left her because of a quarrel. +Tool-maker by trade. Did not belong to the Union. Out of work four +months. In the Industrial Home one week. Never worked in the country. +Looked efficient and capable. + + +No. 53. + +Born in Brooklyn. Irish parents. Fifty years old. Evidently married. Did +not wish to talk about it. Had no trade. Out of work all winter. Had +received help from the missions and the Army. Drank heavily. Appearance +very poor. Never worked in the country. + + +No. 54. + +Born in Boston, Mass. English parents. Twenty-five years old. Single. +Had people in Boston, who did not help him. Had no trade. Out of work +three months. In the Industrial Home two days. Said he drank sometimes. +Never worked in the country. His appearance was very good. + + +No. 55. + +Born in South America. German parents. Twenty years old. Single. Had no +trade. Came from South America by working on a boat. Left it two months +ago in New York, and had done nothing since. In the Industrial Home +three weeks. Never worked in the country. Expected to go back on the +boat shortly. Looked like a runaway boy and was bright and attractive. + + +No. 56. + +Born in Long Island. American parents. Fifty years old. Single. Had no +trade. Out of work all winter. Had rheumatism and could not do much +work. The Army had helped him a good deal, but he expected to go to the +hospital. Never worked in the country. + + +No. 57. + +Born in Italy. Thirty years old. Single. Had people in Italy, who were +poor. In this country twelve years. Had no trade. Out of work all +winter. In the Industrial Home seven days. Said that this was the first +time he had ever been out of money. Worked in the country somewhat in +Italy. Looked stupid and inefficient. + + +No. 58. + +Born in Cuba. Father American, mother Cuban. Twenty-eight years old. +Single. Had people living in Panama who did not help him. Had no trade. +He travelled a good deal. Came from the West two weeks ago. Got out of +money, and had been in the Industrial Home one week. Looked like a +promising case. + + +No. 59. + +Born in Pittsfield, Mass. Irish parents. Fifty-five years old. Single. +Had no trade, but followed the water somewhat. Had been out of work five +months. In the Industrial Home two weeks. Never worked in the country. +His face showed a very hard life. He was gray-haired and feeble. + + +No. 60. + +Born in Scranton, Penna. American parents. Twenty-two years old. Single. +His people were living in Scranton, but he was ashamed to write to them. +Had no trade. Out of work eight weeks. In the Industrial Home one week. +Never worked in the country. Looked very wild, but otherwise capable. + + +No. 61. + +Born in New York. German parents. Thirty years old. Single. Two sisters +lived in New York, but did not help him because he drank too much. Had +no trade. Had had no steady work all winter. Looked dissipated. Never +worked in the country. + + +No. 62. + +Born in Ireland. Fifty years old. Married. Wife dead. No children. Had +no trade. Out of work three months. Had been in the Industrial Home one +month. Never worked in the country. Looked like a hard drinker. + + +No. 63. + +Born in Chicago. American parents. Twenty-four years old. Single. People +in Chicago helped him sometimes. Had no trade. Had been working in the +Industrial Home in the kitchen all winter at $1.00 per week. The Army +had fitted him up, and he looked very respectable. + + +No. 64. + +Born in Germany. About forty years old. Single. No people living. +Followed the water. Out of work two months. In the Industrial Home three +weeks. The Army gave him clothes. He looked like a hard drinker, but +otherwise capable. Never worked in the country. + + +No. 65. + +Born in Cambridge, Mass. Irish parents. Forty-eight years old. Single. +Had no trade. Had travelled all over the country. Had been out of work +four months, and had been in the Industrial Home two days. Never worked +in the country. Looked like a hard drinker. + + +No. 66. + +Born in Lynn, Mass. American parents. About fifty years old. Single. Had +no trade. Out of work all winter. Had travelled widely and beaten his +way on freight trains. In the Industrial Home three times this winter. +Never worked in the country. Looked shiftless. + + +No. 67. + +Born in New York. Irish parents. Twenty-eight years old. Single. +Quarrelled with his people. A rigger by trade. Did not belong to the +Union. Out of work six weeks. In the Industrial Home ten days. Said he +drank a little. Looked capable. Never worked in the country. + + +No. 68. + +Born in Germany. About thirty years old. Single. People in Germany did +not help him. Waiter by trade. In the Industrial Home two weeks. Had no +steady work all Winter. Never worked in the country. Expected a position +in a few days. Looked stupid, but otherwise capable. + + +No. 69. + +Born in Philadelphia. Hungarian parents. Thirty-five years old. Single. +People dead. Had no trade. Out of work all winter. Different charitable +organizations had helped him. Had been in the Industrial Home one week. +Did not like to work. Worked in the country a little. Looked shiftless. + + +No. 70. + +Born in Jersey City. Irish parents. Fifty-five years old. Married. Wife +dead. Had no trade. Had travelled a good deal. Out of work all winter. +Had been in the Industrial Home six weeks. The Army fitted him out with +clothing. He said he was not going to drink any more, and looked +intelligent, but was getting old. Never worked in the country. + + +No. 71. + +Born in Germany. Twenty-six years old. Single. In this country six +years. Had people in Germany, and he expected help from them. Machinist +by trade. Did not belong to the Union. Out of work four months. In the +Industrial Home two days. Looked like a wild youth. Never worked in the +country. + + +No. 72. + +Born in Ireland. Forty-five years old. Single. Had no trade. Out of work +all winter. Drank heavily. Worked in the country two years. Had wandered +all over the States. Looked like a vagrant. + + +No. 73. + +Born in New York. American parents. Twenty-eight years old. Single. Had +no trade. Out of work all winter. In the Industrial Home four days. Army +gave him clothes. The missions had helped him. Never worked in the +country. Looked capable. + + +No. 74. + +Born in Scotland. Forty-one years old. Single. Had no trade. Out of work +four months. In the Industrial Home three days. Admitted that he drank +heavily. Never worked in the country. Looked like a tramp. + + +No. 75. + +Born in Chicago. American parents. Twenty-two years old. Single. People +in Chicago were poor. Left home two months ago and came to New York. +Spent all his money. The Army took him in, and for six weeks he had been +in the Home. He wrote home. Expected to get work shortly. Looked bright +and respectable. + + +No. 76. + +Born in Boston, Mass. Irish parents. Twenty-four years old. Single. Had +no trade. Had wandered a good deal. Never worked in the country. Had +been in the Industrial Home one week. Did not like to work. Looked like +a tramp. + + +No. 77. + +Born in Germany. Forty years old. Married. Wife lived in Germany with +two children. Had been in this country four years and expected his wife +next summer. Plumber by trade. Did not belong to the Union. Out of work +two months. In the Industrial Home one week, after a very hard struggle +around the streets. Said he drank a little. Appearance was very good. + + +No. 78. + +Born in Washington, D. C. Forty-five years old. Single. Had no people. +Had no trade. Belonged to the United States Army six years. Out of work +all winter. In the Industrial Home three weeks. Worked in the country a +good deal. Looked shiftless. + + +No. 79. + +Born in Ireland. Thirty-five years old. Single. Hod carrier by trade. +Belonged to the Union. Out of work five months. In the Industrial Home +four days. Looked capable and efficient. Never worked in the country. + + +No. 80. + +Born in Germany. Fifty-two years old. Married. Wife dead. Followed the +water most of the time. Out of work all winter. In the Industrial Home +three days. Appearance very poor. Never worked in the country. + + +No. 81. + +Born in New York. Twenty-eight years old. Single. People lived in New +York, but did not help him. Out of work all winter. Had no trade. Had +been in the Industrial Home one month. Looked like a dissipated +character. Never worked in the country. + + +No. 82. + +Born in Boston, Mass. Swedish parents. Thirty years old. Single. Iron +worker by trade. Did not belong to the Union. Had been out of work five +months. Had been in the Industrial Home five weeks. Never worked in the +country. He drank a good deal, but looked capable. + + +No. 83. + +Born in England. Eighteen years old. Single. In this country two years. +Had no trade. Out of work one month. Had been in the Industrial Home +three weeks. Had secured a position on a ship going to England, starting +in three days. Looked like a straight-forward boy. + + +No. 84. + +Born in Albany, N. Y. American parents. Twenty-four years old. Single. +Had no trade. Joined the navy two years ago. Deserted, was captured and +spent one year in jail. Had been out three months and had not worked +since. Had been in the Industrial Home one month. Appearance was good. +Never worked in the country. + + +No. 85. + +Born in Ireland. Fifty years old. Single. Had no trade. Had wandered all +around the world. Out of work all winter. In the Industrial Home two or +three times. Said he worked one year on a farm. He was crippled and +looked feeble. + + +No. 86. + +Born in Germany. Twenty-five years old. Single. People in Germany, but +he did not write home. Had no trade. In this country five years. Out of +work two months. Never worked in the country. Had been in the +Industrial Home one day. Seemed to lack ambition. + + +No. 87. + +Born in Denver, Colo. Irish parents. Fifty-five years old. Married. +Separated from his wife five years ago. Painter by trade. Did not belong +to the Union. Out of work all winter. In the Industrial Home three +weeks. Appearance was very poor. Never worked in the country. + + +No. 88. + +Born in Sweden. Twenty-two years old. Single. People at home sent him +money sometimes. He said he had also sent money home. Had no trade. Out +of work three months. In the Industrial Home four days. Used to work in +the country in Sweden. In this country three years. Looked capable. + + +No. 89. + +Born in Dublin, Ireland. Thirty-one years old. Single. In this country +two years. Had no trade. Out of work ten weeks. In the Industrial Home +three weeks. Worked in the country for a few months. Appearance was very +good. + + +No. 90. + +Born in New York. American parents. Twenty-five years old. Single. Had +people in New York, but had nothing to do with them. He wandered a lot. +Had no trade. Never worked in the country. Out of work all winter. The +Army and missions had helped him. In the Industrial Home three days. +Looked like a vagrant. + + +No. 91. + +Born in Germany. Forty years old. Single. Had no people. Followed the +water most of the time. Out of work seven months. Was in the German +Hospital three months with hip disease. He was still crippled and could +not work well. Had been in the Industrial Home three weeks. Looked very +feeble. Never worked in the country. + + +No. 92. + +Born in Washington, D. C. American parents. Twenty-six years old. +Single. Was in the navy five years. Had no trade. Out of work all +winter. In the Industrial Home three days. Never worked in the country. +Acted very queerly and evidently had weak mind. + + +No. 93. + +Born in New York. American parents. Thirty years old. Single. Carpenter +by trade. Out of work four months. In the Industrial Home six weeks. The +Army gave him clothing. Never worked in the country. Used to drink +heavily. Looked capable. + + +No. 94. + +Born in England. Twenty-four years old. Single. Had people in England, +and he wrote home sometimes. Had no trade. Out of work three months. In +the Industrial Home five weeks. Worked in the country one summer. Had +been in this country three years. Did not drink. Looked very intelligent +and capable. + + +No. 95. + +Born in Providence, R. I. Irish parents. Forty-five years old. Single. +Had no trade. Had beaten his way all through the country. Never worked +in the country. The Army had helped him a good deal. Had been in the +Home three months and said he had not taken a drink during that time. He +looked bright and responsible, but showed the signs of a hard life. + + +No. 96. + +Born in Ireland. Thirty years old. Single. People lived in Ireland. In +this country four years. Never wrote home. Had no trade. Worked in the +country one year. In the Industrial Home two weeks. Appearance was good +but dissipated. + + +No. 97. + +Born in Trenton, N. J. American parents. Twenty-five years old. Single. +Followed the water a good deal. Out of work all winter. Had been in the +Industrial Home eight weeks. Never worked in the country. Looked +capable. + + +No. 98. + +Born in Brooklyn. American parents. Twenty-six years old. Single. Had no +trade. Out of work all winter. In the Industrial Home two weeks. Army +gave him clothing. He looked intelligent and capable. Never worked in +the country. + + +No. 99. + +Born in Germany. Forty-five years old. People lived in Germany, but he +did not write home. Had no trade. Out of work all winter. He travelled +round a good deal and drank heavily. Had worked a good deal in the +country. Had been in the Industrial Home four months, and said he was +going to reform. Looked like a hopeful case. + + +No. 100. + +Born in Portland, Oregon. American parents. Twenty-six years old. +Single. Had no trade. Had travelled a good deal. Out of work all winter. +In the Industrial Home three months. Expected money from home soon, and +expected to go West. Said he had worked on a farm a good deal. Looked +stupid but otherwise capable. + + +No. 101. + +Born in Vermont. American parents. Thirty years old. Single. Carpenter +by trade. Belonged to the Union. Out of work all winter. In the +Industrial Home one week. Never worked in the country. The missions had +helped him a good deal this winter. Looked capable. + + +No. 102. + +Born in Boston, Mass. Irish parents. Fifty-two years old. Single. People +all dead. Had no trade. Out of work four months. In the Industrial Home +three weeks. Said he had ruined his life through drink. Was in the +hospital two months this winter. He never worked in the country. He was +crippled and could not work much. + + +No. 103. + +Born in Chicago. American parents. Twenty-five years old. Single. Had +people in Chicago, but ran away four years ago. Had no trade. Out of +work three months. In the Industrial Home two months. Never worked in +the country. Looked like a hopeful case. + + +No. 104. + +Born in Cincinnati, O. American parents. Thirty-five years old. Single. +Had no trade. Had wandered a good deal. Never worked in the country. In +the Industrial Home two weeks. Appearance was good but dissipated. + + +No. 105. + +Born in New York. Irish parents. Twenty-five years old. Single. Had +people in New York, but they were unable to help him. Had no trade. Out +of work all winter. Had been in the Industrial Home five weeks. Never +worked in the country. Said he drank a little. Appearance was very good. + + +No. 106. + +Born in Chicago. American parents. Twenty-five years old. Single. Had no +trade. Out of work all winter. In the Industrial Home three months. +Never worked in the country. The Army had helped him to become +respectable, he said. Looked capable. + + +No. 107. + +Born in Ireland. Forty-eight years old. Single. People dead. Had no +trade. Out of work two months. Had wandered a lot. In the Industrial +Home three weeks. Had worked in the country somewhat. Looked dissipated. + + +No. 108. + +Born in St. Louis, Mo. American parents. Twenty-eight years old. Single. +Had no trade. Out of work three months. The Army gave him clothes and he +had been in the Industrial Home two months. Never worked in the country. +Looked inefficient. + + +No. 109. + +Born in Sweden. Forty years old. Single. Had people in Sweden. Had no +trade. Out of work all winter. Had been in Industrial Home three months. +Army gave him clothing. Did not drink. Looked capable and efficient. +Never worked in the country. + + +Some Facts Brought Out in the 109 Industrial Examples.[36] + + Nationality. No. Percentage. + + American parentage 41 .376 + Irish parentage 30 .276 + German parentage 18 .165 + English and Scotch parentage 9 .083 + Italian parentage 3 .027 + Swedish parentage 3 .027 + Other countries, parentage 5 .046 + + Married 17 .156 + Single 92 .844 + Worked a little in country 16 .146 + Worked considerably in country 7 .064 + Men with regular trades 31 .289 + Union men 6 .055 + Men who looked efficient 38 .349 + Men who looked semi-efficient 21 .193 + Men who looked inefficient 50 .458 + + Ages. + + 15-20 2 .018 + 20-30 55 .504 + 30-40 23 .212 + 40-50 20 .183 + 50-60 8 .074 + 60-70 1 .009 + + Length of time out of work. + + Less than 1 month 8 .073 + More than 1 month 17 .156 + More than 2 months 16 .146 + More than 3 months.[37] 68 .625 + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[14] "Prospectus of the Salvation Army Industrial Homes Company." + +[15] "The Poor and the Land," p. 130. + +[16] Haggard places it at 500 in 1905; at the time of my visit, May, +1906, it was about 300. + +[17] "Hadleigh," p. 52. + +[18] "The Poor and the Land," p. 127. + +[19] "The S. A. and the Public," pp. 113-114. + +[20] _Ibid._, p. 114. + +[21] _Ibid._, p. 105. + +[22] "Hadleigh," p. 56. + +[23] Apparently no definite data are obtainable regarding these men +since the time of treatment. + +[24] Introduction, p. 10. + +[25] For instance, the president, vice-president and secretary and +treasurer are all Army officers of high standing. + +[26] The following extract is taken from the Salvation Army Social +Gazette of February 5, 1908: "Whether the Officer of the Salvation Army +takes charge of the industrial home to manage it in the interests of the +concern, or whether he takes charge of the corps, the one great purpose +of his whole life is to proclaim salvation to all with whom he comes in +contact." + +[27] See p. 36. + +[28] We think that this would probably be done, even though the presence +of the home in the particular locality was a great boon to the poor, and +although this would be contrary to the principles of the organization, +so strong is the idea which the company has of financial success. This +further strengthens the idea that the movement is drifting from its +original purpose of uplifting the down-fallen humanity to the purpose of +perpetuating and extending itself as an economic enterprise. + +[29] See "The S. A. and the Public," pp. 121 to 130. + +[30] A typical industry instanced to support this objection was the +manufacture of fire wood. See "The S. A. and the Public," p. 124. + +[31] The criticism here of course would be that, to the extent that the +army applies donations from the public to this industrial work, to that +extent it has an advantage over another business enterprise and differs +from it just to that extent in which it secures capital on which it need +pay no interest or return. To what extent this is done, we have been +unable to ascertain, but the Army is paying interest to investors who +furnish money to carry on this work. This point is dealt with somewhat +in the next paragraph. + +[32] See "The S. A. and the Public," pp. 122 to 127. Also "The Social +Relief Work of the S. A.," pp. 11 and 12. + +[33] Several leading officers have stated that they never undersell +paper or rags, the largest part of their business, and that the only +underselling done by them is in the retail store and that this is +slight. They justify themselves by the fact that the regular second-hand +men are tricksters and will rob the poor of their money, in most cases +carrying on a pawn shop, which the Army never does. + +[34] See Seager, "Introduction to Economics," p. 234. + +[35] See "Principles of Relief," p. 35. + +[36] To show the difference in the grade of the men at the Industrial +Homes and those at the Hotels, I have given separate tables for each. +The combined tables showing certain characteristics of the class of men +in general with which the Army deals will be found at the end of Chapter +IV. + +[37] This number includes all the inefficient men and the men who are +steadily working in the Industrial Home. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +THE SALVATION ARMY HOTELS AND LODGING HOUSES. + + +In a study of environment and its effects on the lowest classes of our +great cities, the cheap lodging house affords a favorable field. Here we +have crowding, unsanitary conditions, immoral atmosphere, and all the +attendant evils. A good description of such lodging houses in New York +City has been given by Jacob Riis, in the following words: + + "In the caravansaries that line Chatham Street and the Bowery, + harboring nightly a population as large as that of many a thriving + town, a home-made article of tramp and thief is turned out that is + attracting the increasing attention of the police, and offers a + field for the missionary's labors, besides which most others seem of + slight consequence"[38]. + +The cheap lodging houses of London and other great cities are similar in +their environment and effects. This field was early entered by the Army. +It was necessary that a very low rate of cost for the individual +concerned be maintained because of competition with the lodging houses +already existing, and because of the size of the prospective lodger's +purse. The first experiments were tried in London. There, at first, the +primary aim was to aid the needy and destitute, but later the Army +entered into a competition with the existing lodging houses and paid +more attention to the element of environment. It was soon definitely +proved that such a work could be carried on to advantage, that shelter +amid beneficial surroundings, could be provided to those almost +destitute, and that the work could be self-supporting. Since then this +work has extended to nearly all the larger cities of Europe and America, +but it is of greatest extent in England and the United States. Along +with this growth there has been differentiation. The hotels have been +graded to suit the requirements of the different classes to which they +appeal: the almost destitute class, and those who have steady +employment. Hence, besides treating of conditions common to both, we +shall describe special features of two grades of both men's and women's +hotels.[39] + +The location for a men's hotel must be determined partly by its +propinquity to the class of men which it is seeking to attract and +partly for facilities for ventilation, cleanliness and general sanitary +conditions. These last features are of the greatest importance in this +work. Led by the real need of the case, and working with regard to its +reputation, the Army has, in this respect, shown a great advance over +the general cheap lodging houses. Still, there is room for improvement +in the Army hotels.[40] One great difficulty lies in the lodgers, many +of whom are so habituated to uncleanliness in general, that it is with +great reluctance on their part that they are induced to cleanliness. +Especially in the lower class hotels is this true where the rough, +brutal element finds its way. Another difficulty lies in the fact that +the Army frequently takes old buildings and turns them into hotels, when +they are not suitable for the purpose. A favorable tendency to overcome +this, however, lies in the Army's desire to put up new buildings fitted +for hotels, and this is being done in many cities. + +In both the higher and the lower class men's hotels, the general plan is +to have two or three grades of sleeping apartments. The first grade is +in the form of dormitories, where each dormitory will contain from ten +to fifty beds in the smaller hotels, and from fifty to one hundred and +even two hundred beds in the larger.[41] For a bed in one of these +dormitories, 10c and 15c per night is charged in the United States, and +in England 2d up. This includes the use of a locker beside the bed, with +sometimes a nightgown, and sometimes a bath. The second grade of lodging +is in individual rooms, partitioned off, but inside rooms, for which the +charge is 15c in the United States, and 4d to 6d in England. Then +finally we have the third grade of lodging, which consists of individual +rooms which have outside windows, and for which the price varies from +20c to 50c per night according to situation and furnishing.[42] +Sometimes the three grades of lodging are found on the same floor, a +part of the floor being dormitory, and a part partitioned off into +rooms, the partitions running up to a height of eight or nine feet. This +method of partitioning off the rooms is almost universal. It is cheap +and to some extent sanitary, since by means of windows at either end of +the building a continual current of air can be maintained all over the +floor. In most of the higher class hotels one floor is given up to +dormitories and another to individual rooms, while the majority of lower +class hotels consist entirely of dormitories. Hotels are of all sizes, +and run from one floor up to eight or ten. + +The beds found in the Army hotels are iron, with mattresses usually +covered with American cloth or some form of leather, but sometimes with +strong canvas.[43] Each bed is provided with pillow, sheets, a coverlid, +and sometimes an additional counterpane. The individual rooms, in +addition to having better beds, contain a looking glass, a chair, a +small table, and other furnishings according to the price of the room. +In most cases washing facilities are only found in the lavatory, common +to the whole floor. + +Comparative cleanliness is enforced at all grades of hotels. Baths are +sometimes made compulsory, though often this rule cannot be rigidly +enforced. Usually each floor is provided with bath tubs and shower +baths. Nearly every hotel has a fumigating room, an air tight apartment +filled with racks, upon which clothing is hung. If a man's appearance or +clothing looks suspicious in any way, his clothes are placed in a sack +with a number corresponding to the number of his bed or room, and hung +in the fumigating room over night. Early the next morning his clothes +will be returned to him. The dormitories and rooms themselves, every few +days, receive a fumigating and cleaning. Thus, except in very rare +cases, no fault can be found with the cleanliness of the Army hotels. We +hardly ever visited any of them without coming into contact with the +scent of fumigation, or finding some individual working with mop and +broom. + +The above description, except where stated differently, fits both +classes of men's hotels. The higher class, intended for transients of +the better class of poor and for workmen with steady employment, has +some distinctive features. In addition to better equipment along the +line of furnishings, lavatories, etc., this class of hotels necessarily +has a better social environment than the other. For instance, there are +many lower class hotels where the reading room is dark, poorly +furnished, without attractive reading matter, and where it serves as +smoking room as well as reading room. While this might be improved, yet +so low are the occupants that such improvement would not be appreciated. +But when we come to the higher grade hotels, we find a difference. Take, +for example, the Army Hotel in the city of Cleveland, O., on the corner +of Eagle and Erie Streets. This corner building was built by the Army to +answer its purpose, at a cost of $100,000.00. There are no dormitories +in the building. The three upper floors are given over to the hotel, +which comprises 130 rooms, each room being steam heated and electric +lighted, and each floor being reached by elevators. Bathing facilities +and sanitary arrangements are first class. A comfortable reading room +and lounging room is provided for general use, where there are popular +magazines, daily papers and writing conveniences. As another example, +about the highest grade Army institution of this class is found in +Boston, and is called "The People's Palace." It is a large, five-story, +corner building, built by the Army for the purpose. In this institution +the social environment is especially emphasized. There is a reading +room, a smoking room, one or more social parlors, a gymnasium with a +swimming tank, and an auditorium with a seating capacity of 600. The +whole building, with its 287 single rooms, besides the above advantages, +is equipped with steam heat, electric service and other modern +conveniences. A special fee of 25c is charged for the use of the +gymnasium and swimming tank, but the other advantages are free to +lodgers. In this way, it is seen that the higher class hotels have more +opportunity for a good social environment and for social work. We think +that the addition of certain features, such as men's clubs, smokers, +popular lectures, etc., would be of great advantage to this class of +institutions. To overcome the difficulty of a transient population, +however, would require considerable ingenuity.[44] + +Along the line of religious environment we find the hotels differ a +great deal. In London there seems to be a strong influence of this kind, +most of the hotels of both classes holding gospel meetings frequently. +For instance, at the Quaker Street Elevator Home, which is partly a +hotel and partly an industrial home, meetings are held nearly every +night with good attendance, and at the Burne Street Hotel well attended +meetings are held every night except Wednesdays and Saturdays, these +nights being given over to the men for washing their clothes. But in the +United States we find, as a rule, that the Salvation Army hotels are run +with very little religious influence. In a few cases, meetings are held +regularly, but more often no provision is made for them. Meetings are +generally in progress somewhere in the neighborhood at the regular Army +corps, and the men are left to attend these meetings if they wish. +Generally they are willing to take advantage of the hotel, but do not +care for the sentimental form of religion preached by the Army. Hence, +in most of the hotels, we find the religious influence limited to the +texts on the walls, and to the attitude of the employees, who are not +always Salvationists or converted men. + +Some hotels of both classes are fitted with a kitchen and lunch counter. +This is nearly always the case in London, where the hotels have a +counter, over which the food is sold, and then taken to a seat by the +purchaser. In several cases the counter is divided so that it opens into +different rooms, and there are two grades of prices, the lower price +being paid for food somewhat damaged and stale.[45] + +We need not dwell long on the subject of the women's hotels, as that +does not form an important part of the Army's work. The women's hotels, +even more than the men's, have tended to fall into two classes. There is +a great difference between the hotel for women who are almost destitute, +and the hotel for respectable working girls, who have positions as +clerks and stenographers, and who happen to have no home of their own. A +typical hotel of the former class is situated near the Dearborn Street +Railway Depot in Chicago. It consists of three floors, and has +accommodation for fifty girls or women. The woman officer in charge +lives here herself, and seeks to have an environment as homelike as +possible. She states, however, that occasionally the women come in +noisily and are troublesome. There is a great difference between one +woman and another, and she wishes she had one floor with better +accommodation than the rest for the better element among them. The price +paid per bed at this hotel is 10 cents. A good example of this class of +hotel in England, is the one situated on Hanbury Street, Whitechapel, +London, where there are three floors, two upper floors given over to +dormitories containing 276 beds in all, and the ground floor containing +a dining room, kitchen, small hall, and office. Here, women are turned +away quite often because of lack of room. 2d. is charged for a bed, and +for food a scale of prices, such as tea, 1/2d.--soup, 1/2d.--bread, +1/2d.--etc. There are nine officers working here, and nine other +workers, six of the latter receiving 3s. per week, and three receiving +1s. per week. + +With the higher class hotels for women, the Army has not had much +success. This is easily understood, as the respectable girl does not +like to be connected with a hotel run by an organization which is +prominent for its slum and rescue work. These hotels charge a higher +rate for rooms and are situated in a good quarter of the city.[46] They +are frequented by shop girls, bookkeepers, clerks and stenographers. +Apparently, no great religious pressure is brought to bear on the girls +and women, but this would probably depend on the officer in charge. + +The growth of the Hotel Department of the Army's work, like that of the +Industrial Department, has, of recent years, been great. Soon after the +publication in 1890 of General Booth's book, "Darkest England," the +hotel work was started in England, and its progress has been rapid. In +the United States at first the work did not make much headway. When +Commander Booth-Tucker came to take charge in 1896, there were three +small men's hotels situated in the cities of Buffalo, San Francisco, +and Seattle. At the present time, nearly every large city in England +and the United States has one or more of these hotels, the latter +country having 71 men's hotels and 4 women's hotels, with a total +accommodation of 8,688. The tendency now is toward fewer of the lower +class hotels, and more of the higher class; in other words, toward fewer +hotels where beds can be had for 10c and 15c, and more where they will +cost 20c and 25c. The Army gives as its reason for this the fact that +the cheaper hotel cannot be maintained in a wholesome manner and be +self-supporting.[47] Similar to the Industrial Department in its +management, the Hotel Department has its divisions, its graded officers +with their various responsibilities, and its head officer in charge at +the national headquarters. In the United States, however, unlike the +Industrial Department, the Hotel Department has no separate financial +company, in the form of a corporation, behind it. In some instances, +deserving men are given bed tickets and meal tickets free, by officers +detailed for the purpose, and, to that extent the hotels are a charity. +This is done with due discretion and does not make an appreciable +difference. The amount of charity indulged in by the Army in this way +is, however, probably responsible for the fact that in 1907, there was a +loss to the Army in this department of $4,500.00, not a very large +amount, considering the number of hotels concerned. + +Coming to the value of the Army hotels from the point of view of the +social economist, care must be taken to discriminate between their +commercial and their philanthropic aspects. The public has a mistaken +idea of the work carried on by this branch of the Army. Many people have +an idea that thousands of homeless, starving men and women are nightly +taken care of in these Army hotels. Putting aside the question whether +such would be good relief policy or not, the statement itself is not +true. In a majority of cases the man or woman in order to gain +admittance must have the price, and in many instances, that price will +also admit them to the regular cheap lodging house outside of the Army. +We are not finding fault with the system of charging, since from the +point of view of true relief, provided that bona-fide, destitute cases +are not left without help, the price should be required, as it would be +a great evil to throw open the hotels to the crowds of regular beggars +and social parasites who constantly throng any institution supposed to +be charitable; but since the Army hotel movement claims to be a +self-supporting business, it is not to be regarded as different from any +other lodging business, except in those points in which it excels the +other. With this caution we believe that we still can distinguish two +lines along which credit is to be given the Army. The first is the +environment which the Army has created for its guests. It is not +necessary here to show what a great factor environment is in this case, +but simply to emphasize its importance. From our description of the Army +hotel, it is seen that, with certain exceptions, the Army maintains +cleanliness, cheerfulness, and a homelike atmosphere around its lodging +houses.[48] In this important respect then, the Army hotel is to be +commended. Secondly, the Army has indirectly, by its competition with +the ordinary cheap lodging houses, led them to adopt improvement for +purely commercial reasons. If a man has only ten cents, he is going to +invest that ten cents to the best advantage, and the old time lodging +houses have found it necessary to improve their conditions in order to +meet the competition of the Army. For this too, credit is to be given +the latter. In addition the competition reacts on the Army and tends to +make it keep up its own standard. + +In order more clearly to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of +cheap lodging houses, whether Army hotels or not, it would be well here +to consider objections to their existence. Three objections have been +raised to all cheap lodging houses in general. + +1. That they herd together a low class of vagrants and vicious +characters. + +2. That their cheapness lowers the standard of living. + +3. That they encourage the youth of the country to come to the city and +live in comparative idleness.[49] + +No one who has looked into the matter has any doubt about the accuracy +of the first objection. One glance at the faces of a group of men in the +smoking room of any such hotel reveals many of the low, bestial, +criminal type; many victims of dissipation and many who have acquired a +dislike for work of any sort. This harboring of the vicious element is +also true of the Army hotels of the lower class, but it is in company +with this element that we find the men for whom more or less can be +done.[50] + +The second objection must be considered more carefully. To repeat the +definition of the standard of living which was discussed in connection +with the Industrial Department, it is the scale or measure of comfort +and satisfaction, which a person or community of persons, regards as +indispensable to happiness. Now the question is whether these cheap +lodging houses lower this standard; whether their existence results in a +tendency to live with less effort and less ambition, and thus renders +men and women less productive and less proficient. This question must be +separated into a question regarding the community as a whole, and a +question regarding the individual. As regards the standard of living of +any single community, the answer would be that the standard is not +appreciably lowered by this hotel system, since the occupants are mostly +single men wandering around, and the standard of living of the community +is more concerned with the maintenance of homes in its midst, than of +transients. This, however, brings in the further question as to whether +the cheap living made possible by the lodging houses leads to the +breaking up of homes, since if it does so, it would bear decidedly on +the standard of living. We would answer this second question in the +negative, because life in the cheap hotel is not such a desirable thing +as to lead to the breaking up of homes. A man has already left home and +is already reduced in circumstances, before the fact of such cheap +living as the hotels and cheap restaurants of the Bowery in New York, or +of Whitechapel in London, ever comes to him as an advantage. But, on the +other hand, when it comes to the individual concerned, we think that the +standard is lowered and that in many cases the objection holds good. For +instance, take a man with a regular trade, say bricklaying or +carpentering. He is thrown out of work and gradually drifts down to the +cheap hotel. For months, possibly, he strives in vain to get work at his +trade. He exists, however, by means of odd jobs picked up at random; he +becomes shiftless; the life which consists of so much "hanging around" +and loafing, decreases his efficiency, and, in this way, his standard is +lowered. At the same time his character is affected, and even if no +worse development takes place, he loses ambition, and that lowers his +standard. Hence, in conclusion, we would say that the objection that the +hotel movement of the Army leads to a lowering of a standard of living +has no place as regards the community, but is sustained as regards +individuals. + +The third objection that the country youth are induced by this cheap +living to leave for the city is not a strong one and needs but short +notice. Some of the most successful men of our cities come from the +country, but very few of the lower and pauper classes. This has been +shown by the investigations of Mr. Fox in England, and by our own +investigations in the United States.[51] + +The consideration of these objections leads us to a closer examination +of the class of men frequenting the hotels of the Army. The men's work +being so much larger, let us look at the occupants of the men's hotels. +Here we must separate the comparatively few hotels of the higher class, +which, charging higher prices and harboring the working man, have a +different environment from the others. In these, the higher class, we +see a competition with the ordinary boarding and lodging houses which +single men frequent, a competition which, owing to the more healthful +social environment of the Army hotel, is to be welcomed and approved of +as a preventive of vice and degradation. The latter is often the result +of crowded, uncleanly, workingmen's lodgings, which drive their +occupants to the saloon. But the majority of the Army hotels are filled +with the lowest class of men, out of any steady employment. This class +is composed for the most part and under present conditions, of men who +are almost helpless cases.[52] Conditions can be conceived which would +result in the betterment of a certain percentage of these, but a large +number would always be hopeless. Many have been given their chances and +have thrown them away; some have had no chances, and some could not use +them if they had. Many are physical and moral wrecks. In their faces you +see no ambition. They simply exist as do animals. For such, except in +unusual cases, there is no remedy. Do all you can for them, and they +will slide back again; give them work, and if they are willing to take +it at all, they soon lose their positions. Some belong to the +pseudo-social class and are mere parasites feeding on society. Others +are anti-social, bitter and criminal.[53] + +These men are not those with which the Army is successful, in its +industrial institutions, although many of them have been tried. They +secure their ten cents or fifteen cents for a bed in a cheap hotel by +any means which comes along. They form a class, which especially in the +older countries of Europe and increasingly in the new world, presents a +problem that is the great puzzle of the statesman and the social +economist alike. + +The present tendency of the Army already mentioned to have fewer of the +lower class, cheap hotels and more of the higher class brings up some +important considerations. There are three points which come up for +particular notice here. First, as has already been stated, the present +tendency of the Army is to have fewer of the lower class or cheap hotels +and more of the higher class. One reason for this is that, although the +Army's competition has in many instances forced the ordinary cheap +hotels to better their equipment, still, in the long run, the Army +cannot successfully compete with the ordinary low class hotel and +maintain an equally good or better environment, without having its hotel +work subsidized by the public. The men whom we have just described do +not appreciate better surroundings sufficiently to pay fifteen cents for +a bed at the Army hotel, when they can get one for ten cents at another +place around the corner. Secondly, as the Army extends its work, there +is the ever present tendency of any organization to become an end in +itself. Hence the Army tends to forsake its field of the lower class for +the field of the working class for financial reasons. If it can carry on +a hotel which appeals to a higher class of working men who are willing +to pay $1.50 upwards per week for a separated room such as has been +described, they may do better financially than with a dormitory whose +beds are held at ten cents. This second point of consideration leads us +to a third, and that is, what is to become of this lower class of +vagrants and unemployables. This discussion hardly comes in the scope of +this book, but we might suggest in passing that the cheap, lower class +of hotels with which the Army has entered into competition should not be +allowed to continue as at present. In case of the failure to provide +competition, the city itself should provide a successful competition +under good environment, or should take measures for the segregation of +the vicious elements of the population from the merely weak, aged and +unfortunate.[54] + +On the other hand, among the occupants of these hotels a certain number +are men for whom there is hope; some victims of misfortune; others +degraded by dissipation and recklessness, but not entirely demoralized. +With these the Army can deal successfully in its industrial homes, and +some of them can regain a foothold without aid. For these men the Army +hotel is certainly a boon.[55] A man who has not lost ambition and who +can gather a few cents a day to sustain him, until some temporary +difficulty is past is glad to take advantage of such an institution. +Finally, regarding this class as a whole, something must be done with +them, and it is necessary for those who find fault with their +congregation in the Army hotels, to point out a better way of caring for +them. As long as they exist, they will tend to congregate somewhere, and +until some better solution is offered, we might as well take what is at +hand, and if it is the Army hotel, hold that institution to its best +efforts and its best environment. + +To sum up, then, our conclusions of this part of the Army's work, we +find that the hotels are commercial enterprises, with, as a rule, an +environment superior to the regular cheap hotels of the same price, and +that although there is an objection to the congregation of the vicious +and vagrant along with the unfortunate, and although there may be a +tendency to lower the standard of living of these people, individually +considered, yet there is a justification for the existence of these +hotels, as something must be done with this class of people, and this is +the best solution offered, inasmuch as a certain percentage of this +class is really aided and tided over temporary difficulty. At the same +time, there remains the need of the segregation of the class concerned, +with a more scientific, practical, individual treatment. Better work can +be done along this line. + + +EXAMPLES OF SALVATION ARMY HOTEL LODGERS. + +A collection of 76 cases made on seventeen different evenings during the +months of March and April, 1908, at two of the Salvation Army hotels, +both situated on the Bowery in New York City, one being a lower class +hotel and the other a combination of lower and higher class. These cases +were collected at first hand by the author and a friend of the author, +Mr. James Ward, both of whom mingled among the men in the disguise of +working men. In this way the facts were gained without much difficulty, +with the exception of information regarding the family of the man +concerned. Sometimes, therefore, this latter information is lacking. + + +No. 1. + +Born in New York City of Irish parentage. Twenty-five years old. Single. +Had no home and did not know whether or not his people were living. Only +trade was that of hotel porter but had done other things. Had worked a +little in the country. Had had no steady work for three months. Walked +the streets the previous night and had had coffee and rolls on the +"bread line." Received a bed that night through charity. Did not appear +dissipated but showed lack of ambition. + + +No. 2. + +Born in Ireland. About thirty years old. Single. Did not know about his +people as he did not write home. Had been in New York seven years. +Worked as stableman most of the time but had been out of steady work for +six weeks. Never worked in the country. Appeared dissipated and +inefficient. + + +No. 3. + +Born in Pittsburg of American parents. About forty years old. Single. +Had a brother, he thought, in Pittsburg but no other relatives alive. +Had no regular trade. Had travelled a good deal in the United States but +never west of Chicago. Had done odd jobs in the country. Evidently a +tramp. Looked stupid and incapable. + + +No. 4. + +Born in Germany. About twenty-three years old. Single. Wrote to his +people sometimes, but they were poor. Trade, a waiter. Had worked in New +York for five years. Had had no steady work for over two months. Had a +little money saved but that was nearly gone. Expected to go to Albany +the next day to work. Never worked in the country. Appeared to be a +capable, steady man. + + +No. 5. + +Born in Scotland. Fifty-three years old. Single. People all dead except +a married sister. Regular trade, a boiler-maker. In this country most of +the time for thirty-five years. Had travelled all around the world. +Never worked in the country. Had no steady work all winter, but obtained +work for one or two days every week and thus paid his way at the hotel. +Said he lived up to his salary when working steadily. Is growing old. +Sometimes went on a "spree" when he had money. Looked like a +hard-working, efficient man. + + +No. 6. + +Born in Ireland. About forty years old. Had married and separated from +his wife. Trade was brick-laying, but he was not a union man. Never +worked in the country. Came to New York at eighteen and had been there +most of the time since. Claimed to be a Mason, and said that he expected +help from a friend. Had been out of work all winter but worked +occasionally around saloons and nearly always had the price of a bed. +Admitted drinking heavily. Looked dissipated. + + +No. 7. + +Born in Buffalo of American parents. Twenty-eight years old. Single. +Waiter by trade. Parents were dead. Had two brothers but did not know +where. Had worked a little in the country but knew nothing of farming. +Had worked as waiter in New York for three years. Got into a fight three +weeks before and had his face disfigured. As a result lost his job. +Walked the streets two nights last week. Got coffee and rolls on the +"bread line." Worked in a stable yesterday and made $1.00. Appeared +somewhat dissipated but intelligent. + + +No. 8. + +Born in New York City. Father German. Mother Scotch. Thirty-two years +old. Single. His father lived somewhere in New York, and he expected to +get work shortly and live with him. Trade was a machinist. Had mostly +worked at bicycle repairing. Had travelled a good deal but never worked +on a farm. Went to Philadelphia this Winter and lost position. Worked +three days in a woodyard for board and lodging. Later had himself +committed to jail for one month. Came back to New York last week. Did +not appear dissipated, but looked bright and efficient. + + +No. 9. + +Born in Lawrence, Mass., of American parents. About twenty-two years +old. Single. Worked since a boy in Lawrence in the woolen mills until he +lost position six weeks previously. Always lived with his people. Had +never been hungry or without a bed. Came to New York two weeks +previously but had done nothing since. Had just money enough left to go +home, where he expected to obtain work again shortly. Looked thoroughly +capable and reliable. + + +Nos. 10 and 11. + +Two brothers born in New York of Irish parentage. Aged twenty-eight and +thirty-one respectively. Both single. Parents dead. Had trade of awning +makers, with plenty of work in summer but none in winter. Had never +worked in the country. Had been living by means of odd jobs and charity +all winter. Had received help from a mission and the Salvation Army. +Quite often walked the streets all night and got coffee and rolls on the +"bread line." Appeared shiftless and showed lack of initiative and +intelligence. + + +No. 12. + +Born in New York City of Irish parents. Twenty-six years old. Single. +Did not know where his folks were. His mother was dead. Worked sometimes +as a truck driver. Had worked at farm work in New Jersey. Had travelled +a good deal. Had received help from charities in different cities. Got +caught once riding a freight train through Philadelphia and spent ten +days in jail for the offense. Said he drank when he got the chance. Now +worked around the Army Hotel and received in return his bed and one meal +ticket a day. Expected to leave the city as soon as the weather got +warmer. Evidently a kind of tramp with a tendency to become worse. +Looked wild and unreliable. + + +No. 13. + +Born in Watertown, N. Y., of American parents. About thirty years old. +Single. Had lost track of his people. Worked as steward on ship running +to New Orleans. Was laid off three months ago. Expected to get position +as steward again in the spring. Had walked the streets quite often, not +being able to secure a bed. Had received help from several charities, +including the Army. Looked dissipated and unreliable. Had never worked +in the country. + + +No. 14. + +Born in England. Came to this country when sixteen. People all dead. +Thirty-two years old. Single. Never worked in the country. Regular trade +was that of a painter but was not a Union man. Got odd jobs from time to +time in paint shops. Made fifty cents the previous day. Had had no +steady work for three months. Had forty dollars saved when he left his +last steady job. Spent twenty dollars on a "drunk," and the rest had +gone since. Appeared capable and fairly intelligent. + + +No. 15. + +Born in Germany. Had come to this country with his people when young. +His people all dead except a sister who was married and lived in +Chicago. Single. About thirty-five years of age. Had no regular trade. +Had worked as laborer in both country and city. Said that the city was +best in Winter and the country in Summer. Expected to leave for the +country as soon as the weather grew warm. Appeared lazy and inefficient. +Had been aided by the Army. Evidently a tramp. + + +No. 16. + +Born in Pittsfield, Mass., of American parents. Twenty-four years of +age. Single. Ran away from home at seventeen. Did not know where his +people were. Had no trade. Had worked at everything. Was in the navy for +four years and afterward followed the water for several years working +mostly as fireman. Never worked in the country. Had been out of steady +work for six months. Secured lodging through charity but often spent the +night on the streets. Said he drank when he could get it. Looked +dissipated and demoralized. + + +No. 17. + +Born in New York City of German parents. About thirty years old. Married +but had left his wife. Had no regular trade. Had worked as waiter, +porter and liveryman. Made fifty cents yesterday but spent forty for +whiskey. Secured coffee and rolls on the "bread line." Had worked a +little in the country. Appeared shiftless. + + +No. 18. + +Born in Germany. Twenty-two years of age. Single. Wrote to his people +sometimes. Always followed the water. Had sailed from different points +to China and the Philippines. Drank and lost his boat. Made his way to +New York where he had been out of work for two months. Wrote home for +money which he expected shortly. Sold some of his clothing to get a bed. +Was trying to get work on a boat. Never worked in the country. Looked +wild and dissipated. + + +No. 19. + +Born in Boston, Mass., of Irish parents. Twenty-five years of age. +Single. Worked in machine shop when a boy and then joined the navy. +After the navy experience he had worked both on water and on land. Had +beaten his way on freight trains to different parts of the United +States. Said he often got help from missions. Often slept in the parks +in summer. Had been in jail several times. The last time for four months +for stealing. Got out in August and had done odd jobs since. Had been +several times in the Army hotel and several times in the City Lodging +House. Had worked for a day or so in the country but did not know +farming. Looked shiftless and demoralized. + + +No. 20. + +Born in Binghamton, N. Y., of American parents. About thirty-five years +of age. Single. Trade was lasting shoes in a shoe factory. Had worked in +different cities but never in the country. Came to New York three months +ago, as his factory had laid off a large number of hands. Had done odd +jobs since. Walked the streets three nights the previous week and got +coffee and rolls on the "bread line." Got a bed for the night this time +through charity. Expected to get work in a factory when the weather +became warmer. Drank occasionally but not often. Looked competent and of +average intelligence. + + +No. 21. + +Born in Ireland. Twenty-four years old. Single. Left home and had been +in America one year. Worked in New York as waiter and lost his position +three weeks previous to interview. Had some money saved but drank and +lost it all on the Bowery. Walked the streets for one week and +frequented the "bread line." Had a position, now, waiting on table +during the dinner hour. Used to work on a farm in Ireland, and said that +as soon as the weather got warm he would go to the country and look for +work. Looked somewhat dissipated but hopeful. + + +No. 22. + +Born in Brooklyn, N. Y. Twenty-six years old. Single. Had no trade. Had +lost track of his people. Had travelled a good deal by means of freight +trains and had been in several jails for vagrancy. Had never worked in +the country. Said when he could get money, he spent it in drink. Secured +a bed that night through an acquaintance. Looked like a confirmed tramp +and vagrant. + + +No. 23. + +Born in Hartford, Conn., of American parents. Twenty-one years old. +Single. Parents dead. Had a married sister living in New Jersey, but he +did not wish her to know that he was out of work. Had been working for +years as a carpenter's assistant and hoped to become a full-fledged +carpenter shortly. Had never worked in the country. Had been out of work +for three months. Spent his money in a vain trip to Philadelphia and +back looking for work. Had been doing odd jobs but had often gone +hungry. Did not like to ask for charity. Expected to work as soon as the +contractors began the spring building. Did not drink. Looked +intelligent, bright, and was a very hopeful case. Went through the +grammar school. + + +No. 24. + +Born in Boston of Irish parents. Fifty years old. Single. Had no people +living. Trade was a hardwood finisher. Never worked in the country. Got +out of work two months ago. Left Boston then and came to New York. Had a +little money, but it was almost gone. Was crippled but could still work. +Drank some. He was gray-haired and looked older than he was. + + +No. 25. + +Born in Ireland. About sixty years old. Had been married, but his wife +was dead, and he had no known relatives. Had been a seaman a good deal +but had no regular trade. He worked on a farm two months in the West. +Had travelled a good deal. He worked occasionally around the docks and +made just enough to maintain himself. When he had money, he spent it +rashly. Looked like a hard drinker. + + +No. 26. + +Born in Boston of American parents. Fifty-seven years old. Single. Had +no people. His trade was ship's cook. He had never worked in the +country. Said that he was too old to get a position. He secured a bed +that night through the kindness of a friend, also out of work. Had +wandered around a great deal. He did not look dissipated but he was +gray-haired and very feeble. + + +No. 27. + +Born in Philadelphia of German parents. About forty years old. Single. +Trade was that of a sign-painter. Said he had worked mostly in +Philadelphia and New York, and that he could get plenty of work, but +kept losing his positions through drink. Had never worked in the +country. Said he had people in Philadelphia but he did not write to +them. Looked dissipated. + + +No. 28. + +Born near Lynn, Mass., of American parents. Twenty years old. Single. +Had no trade, but worked as dish-washer or at anything he could get. +Said that he could run an engine and had been working on a boat in New +York harbor but had to leave three weeks ago, on account of sickness. +Was trying to get into a hospital. Money nearly gone. Was born and +brought up on a farm but ran away nearly three years ago and did not +want to go back, though his father and mother were living. Said he spent +his money freely when he had it. He did not look dissipated but appeared +to be a consumptive. + + +No. 29. + +Born in New York City of Irish parents. About thirty-five years old. +Single. Had no trade but had worked for years as driver on a horse-car. +Got out of work four months ago and had no prospect of any. Got a small +job cleaning out a saloon the previous day. Often walked the streets all +night and went to the "bread line." Did not look very dissipated but +evidently had no ambition. Did not know where his people were. Never +worked in the country. + + +No. 30. + +Born in Ireland. Sixteen years old. Single. Did not write home. Had +trade of a cook and had been out of work for two weeks. Then had $100.00 +and lost it all "on a drunk." Never worked in the country. Had walked +the streets three nights the past week. Was going to New Jersey to look +for work. Looked dissipated but otherwise capable. + + +No. 31. + +Born in Scotland. Fifty-five years old. Married in Scotland and came +with family to this country twenty-five years ago. Had no trade. Worked +at anything he could get. Wife dead. Two children living, unable to help +him. Had travelled widely. Obtained a steady job the previous month. +Held it two weeks, then went "on a drunk." Still had enough money saved +to keep him two weeks. Said that if he did not get work before then, he +would leave New York. He knew a little about farm work in Scotland. +Looked like a hard drinker. + + +No. 32. + +Born in New York City of Irish parents. Sixty years old. Single. People +all dead. Had no regular trade but had followed the water. Never worked +in the country. Had some cousins in New York who helped him out a +little. He looked dissipated and feeble. + + +No. 33. + +Born in Philadelphia. American parents. Forty-three years old. Single. +Salesman. Had been out of work all winter after losing a position +through drink. Had received help from several aid societies and missions +this winter. Had walked the streets a good many nights. Said he never +worked in the country. Looked dissipated and unreliable. + + +No. 34. + +Born in South Carolina. American parents. Twenty years old. Single. Did +not write home. Said he ran away and his people were angry. Had no +trade. Never worked in the country. Had walked the streets two nights +this week. Looked intelligent but wild. + + +No. 35. + +Born in Newark, N. J., English parents. Twenty-six years old. Single. +Had no trade but worked as a janitor. Was in the navy for three years +and had travelled widely. Had been out of work one month. Never worked +in the country. Said he worked for a while and then "went off on a +drunk." His people in Newark sent him money once in a while. Looked +dissipated. + + +No. 36. + +Born in Ireland. Thirty-eight years old. Single. When seven years old +came to America with his people. Had two brothers and one sister in +Schenectady, N. Y. Parents dead. His people did not aid him as he drank +so much. Never worked in the country. Got an odd job now and then. +Looked like a hard drinker. + + +No. 37. + +Born in England. Thirty-six years old. Single. Came to America with his +people when twelve years old. Went to Fall River, Mass., where his +people lived. Ran away from home at eighteen and had followed the water +since. Never worked in the country. Was paid off last Saturday. Went on +a drunk on the Bowery and lost his money and his job. Walked the streets +two nights, but received help from his people. Looked a little +dissipated but capable. + + +No. 39. + +Born in Yonkers, N. Y. American parents. Forty years old. Single. Father +lived in Yonkers but was unable to help him. Plumber by trade. Did not +belong to the Union. Was out of work for one month the past winter, but +now had a job and was renting a room in the Army hotel. Never worked in +the country. Looked like a hard drinker, but otherwise capable. + + +No. 40. + +Born in New Haven, Conn. American parents. Twenty-five years old. +Single. Relatives in New Haven poor. Was a telegraph operator and worked +at that trade for two years, but lost position on account of bad health. +Had worked on a farm quite a little, and said as soon as the weather got +warmer he was going to the country. He now had a room at the Army hotel +but his money was nearly gone. Looked intelligent and capable. + + +No. 41. + +Born in New York City. American parents. Twenty-four years old. Single. +Did not know where his relatives were. Had trade as truck driver, and +since losing a steady job two months previously had worked at odd jobs +about the docks. Spent two days at an Army Industrial Home and was now +at the Army Hotel. He looked like a hard drinker. Never worked in the +country. + + +No. 42. + +Born in Scotland. Twenty-three years old. Single. Relatives lived in +Scotland and sent him a little money sometimes. Had no regular trade. +Had worked on the water a good deal. Came to New York two years +previously, and had no steady work since. Had been nine months in the +hospital from which he had been discharged two weeks. Expected to return +to the hospital. Looked like a very sick man, but not dissipated. + + +No. 43. + +Born in New York City. American parents. Twenty-eight years old. Single. +No people alive. Had no trade. Had travelled around the world and never +worked when he could help it. Never worked in the country. Looked like a +regular tramp and hard drinker. + + +No. 44. + +Born in Newark, N. J. French parents. Twenty-four years old. Single. Had +two sisters in Brooklyn. Had no regular trade but had been working for +three weeks in a grocery store and thus had a room in the Army Hotel. +Never worked in the country. Looked capable and intelligent. + + +No. 45. + +Born in Brooklyn. American parents. Twenty-four years old. Single. Had +people in Brooklyn who were helping him. Had no trade but had worked all +his life at odd jobs. Could not work steadily because of bad habits. +Never worked in the country. Looked like a hard drinker. + + +No. 46. + +Born in Jersey City. Irish parents. Thirty-five years old. Single. Was a +painter by trade but did not belong to the Union. Had been out of work +three months. Some friends gave him clothes and a little money. Looked +intelligent but dissipated. + + +No. 47. + +Born in Brooklyn. Irish parents. Thirty years old. Single. Had no trade. +Worked on a farm in Long Island and hoped to go to the country shortly. +Had had no steady work the past Winter. Had been in the Army Industrial +Home six times during the Winter. Looked shiftless and dissipated. + + +No. 48. + +Born in Lowell, Mass. Italian parents. Twenty years old. Single. People +lived in Lowell. Had no trade. Never worked in the country. Came to New +York two weeks previously with a little money, but this was soon spent +and he had walked the streets two nights. Entered the Army Hotel through +charity. Had written home for money and expected to return there. His +appearance was very good. + + +No. 49. + +Born in New York. American parents. Forty years old. Married. Separated +from his wife three months ago because of his drinking. Had no trade. +Never worked in the country. Had been out of work three months. Picked +up odd jobs now and then, and thus secured a bed. Looked like a hard +drinker. + + +No. 50. + +Born in Germany. Seventeen years old. Single. Had people in Germany who +were unable to help him. Had been in this country nine months. Said he +was on a farm in New York State but ran away. The Salvation Army was +keeping him, and he worked a little around the Hotel. Looked like a +promising boy but rather wild. + + +No. 51. + +Born in Denver, Col. American parents. Twenty-three years old. Single. +Had people at home who sent him money now and then. Was an iron-worker. +Belonged to the Union, but said the Union had not helped him any. Had +been out of work some time. Never worked in the country. Had travelled a +good deal in the United States. Looked bright and promising. + + +No. 52. + +Born in Davenport, Washington. Twenty-four years old. Single. Had people +at home where he had sent for money. Had travelled widely. Came to New +York five weeks ago from Panama where he had been working for eight +months. Had to leave on account of sickness. Had $100.00 when he came to +New York but spent nearly all on doctors bills. Still had a little left. +Said he had worked a good deal on a farm. Looked capable and +intelligent. + + +No. 53. + +American, born in New York. Thirty years old. Single. People dead. +Bartender. Did not belong to the Union. Was out of work for one month +until two weeks previous to interview, when he got a job as bartender. +Was still working and had a room at the Army Hotel. Said he would be all +right it he could leave drink alone. He never worked in the country. + + +No. 54. + +Born in New York. Irish parents. Twenty-eight years old. Single. Had +quarrelled with his people who lived in New York. Painter by trade. Lost +his membership in the Union because he did not pay his dues. Had had no +steady work for a year, but had wandered all over the country doing very +little work, but receiving aid from charitable societies. Said he liked +the warm weather, so that he could sleep in the parks. Looked shiftless +and a typical tramp. + + +No. 55. + +Born in Norway. About thirty years old. Single. Had people in Norway who +did not help him. Came to New York from his native land two months +previously. A carpenter by trade. Was working in Jersey and lost +position two weeks previously. Had money in his pocket and was evidently +wise enough to keep it. Conversed in broken English. Said he worked in +the country in Norway. Looked like a capable man. + + +No. 56. + +Born in Scotland. Forty-five years old. Single. Came to this country +with his people when he was nine years old. People had since died. +Bookkeeper by trade. Had been out of work all Winter. The Scotch Aid +Society was keeping him, giving him bed and meal tickets. Said he had +received help from four different missions in New York. Looked incapable +and shiftless. Never worked in the country. + + +No. 57. + +Born in Jersey City. American parents. Twenty-eight years old. Single. +Had no trade. Did not work if he could help it. Came here from the West +by means of freight trains. Never worked in the country. Looked like a +regular tramp. + + +No. 58. + +Born in Chicago. Single. Thirty-years old. Had friends in Chicago who +sent him a little money. Had no trade. Never did hard work. Got odd jobs +and received aid from missions. Said he was a Christian and liked to +attend meetings. Had a room in the Army Hotel. Said he had been staying +there off and on for two years. Looked stupid and incapable. + + +No. 59. + +Born in Denver, Col. Fifty years old. Single. Plumber by trade. Belonged +to the Union but left eight months previously and had not paid his dues +since. Was in business for himself at one time, but lost it through +drink. Said he got help from the missions whenever he could. Never +worked in the country. Hoped to go West again shortly. Looked feeble and +dissipated. + + +No. 60. + +American. Born in Springfield, Mass. Fifty-five years old. Single. Said +his people in Springfield were wealthy but would have nothing to do with +him. Had no trade. In New York all Winter. Had walked the streets a good +many nights. Never worked in the country. Charity Organization Society +had helped him, besides other organizations. Said he had consumption. +Looked very weak and dissipated. + + +No. 61. + +Born in America. Jewish parents. Twenty-six years old. Single. +Stone-cutter by trade. Said he worked at the Insurance business at +times. Had been out of work nearly two months. Never worked in the +country. Looked bright and capable. + + +No. 62. + +Born in Cleveland, Ohio. American parents. Twenty-six years old. Single. +People lived in Cleveland, but did not help him. Had worked on a farm +nearly all his life. Left the farm two years previously and had wandered +most of the time since. He expected to be sent to the country by the +Bowery Mission shortly. Looked shiftless but not dissipated. + + +No. 63. + +Born in New York. American parents. About fifty years old. Married. Said +his people were dead. Had no regular trade. Did office work, but was +nearly always out of work. Said he was a Christian. He evidently +followed the missions and "got saved" every time he needed help. Never +worked in the country. Looked shiftless and inefficient. + + +No. 64. + +Born in Brooklyn. English parents. Thirty years old. Married. Quarrelled +with his wife five years previously and left her. Painter by trade. Did +not belong to the Union. Had not worked all Winter. Said he had been all +around the world and had beaten his way wherever he went. Had been in +jail several times, for vagrancy and drunkness. Never worked in the +country. Looked like a tramp. + + +No. 65. + +Born in Maine. American parents. Twenty-four years old. Single. Had +people in Maine from whom he expected help. Barber by trade. Came to New +York three weeks previously. Met some friends on the Bowery and lost all +his money. The Army was helping him. He had worked somewhat in the +country. Looked very stupid. + + +No. 66. + +Born in Scotland. About sixty years old. Single. Had no people. Had no +trade. In this country for forty years. Out of work all Winter. The +Scotch Aid Society had been keeping him now for three weeks. He never +worked in the country. He looked like a regular vagrant. + + +No. 67. + +Born in Boston. American parents. Twenty-four years old. Single. A +waiter. Had wandered a good deal, and beaten his way by freight trains. +Came to New York from the West one month previously. Had not worked +since, but had been aided by the missions and the Army. Evidently did +not like to work. + + +No. 68. + +Born in Poughkeepsie, N. Y. Irish parents. About thirty-two years old. +Single. Had no trade. Came to New York two weeks previously with some +money which he got from his people. He had sent home for more. Worked +somewhere in the country. Said he drank periodically and did not like to +work steadily. Looked very shiftless. + + +No. 69. + +Born in Ireland. Twenty-eight years old. Single. Had lost track of his +people. Had been in this country eight years. Had no trade. Had had no +steady work all Winter. Drank a good deal. Never worked in the country. +Looked very wild. + + +No. 70. + +Born in New Orleans. Spanish parents. About twenty years old. Single. +Left home two years ago and took to life on the water. Left the boat in +New York one month previously and had not worked since. Said he liked to +sail and see the world. His people lived in New Orleans, and he expected +help from them. Never worked in the country. Looked capable. + + +No. 71. + +Born in New York. American parents. About thirty years old. Single. Had +trade as a bartender. Belonged to the Union. Lost a steady job through +drink three weeks ago. Was now working four hours a day. Had a room in +the Army Hotel. Said he was going to change his line of business because +he drank too much. His appearance was good. Never worked in the country. + + +No. 72. + +Born in Germany. Looked like a Jew. About twenty-five years old. Single. +Had no trade. Had been out of work three months. Was now selling old +clothing and other things around the Army Hotel. Never worked in the +country. Evidently lazy and incapable. + + +No. 73. + +Born in Illinois. American parents. About twenty-eight years old. +Single. Ran away from home and was ashamed to go back. Had no trade but +had worked a good deal as cook on board ship. Had been out of work six +weeks. Said he was sick and had about $200.00, but it did not last long. +He was working round the Army Hotel a little every day, for which he +got his bed and one meal ticket. Never worked in the country. Said he +was going to join the navy. Looked bright and capable. + + +No. 74. + +Born in Lithuania. Twenty-three years old. Single. People at home were +poor. Had no trade. In New York three years. Out of work two months. +Obtained clothes in various ways and sold them. Was not dissipated, but +looked lazy. Never worked in the country. + + +No. 75. + +Born in Yonkers, N. Y. American parents. About sixty-five years old. +Single. Was an old sailor but had not been to sea for over a year. Was +working two days a week as janitor. Said he had been a hard drinker in +the past, but he did not drink much now. He looked aged, but still +capable. Never worked in the country. + + +No. 76. + +Born in Boston. Irish parents. About twenty-five years old. Single. Had +no trade. People did not recognize him. Had travelled all over the +country. Had been in jail twice. Never worked in the country. Looked +like a tramp. + + +SOME FACTS BROUGHT OUT IN THE 76 HOTEL EXAMPLES. + + Nationality. No. Percentage. + + American parentage 35 .461 + Irish parentage 20 .263 + English and Scotch parentage 9 .119 + German parentage 8 .105 + Other countries 4 .052 + + Married men 7 .095 + Single men 69 .905 + Worked a little in country 13 .169 + Worked considerably in country 5 .065 + Men with regular trades 26 .342[56] + Union men 4 .052 + Men who looked efficient 15 .197 + Men who looked semi-efficient 14 .184 + Men who looked inefficient 47 .619 + + Ages. + + 15-20 4 .052 + 20-30 42 .553 + 30-40 16 .211 + 40-50 6 .079 + 50-60 7 .092 + 60-70 1 .013 + + Length of time out of work. + + Less than 1 mo. 12 .157 + More than 1 mo. 13 .171 + More than 2 mos. 11 .145 + More than 3 mos. 40 .527 + + +FACTS BROUGHT OUT IN THE 109 INDUSTRIAL EXAMPLES AND THE 76 HOTEL +EXAMPLES COMBINED. + + Nationality. No. Percentage. + American parentage 76 .411 + Irish parentage 50 .270 + German parentage 26 .141 + English and Scotch parentage 18 .098 + Italian parentage 4 .022 + Swedish parentage 4 .038 + Other countries, parentage 7 .20 + + Married men 24 .149 + Single men 161 .851 + Worked a little in country 29 .156 + Worked considerably in country 12 .016 + Men with regular trades 57 .309 + Union men 10 .054 + Men who looked efficient 53 .287 + Men who looked semi-efficient 35 .189 + Men who looked inefficient 97 .524 + + Ages. + + 15-20 6 .032 + 20-30 97 .525 + 30-40 39 .210 + 40-50 26 .140 + 50-60 50 .082 + 60-70 2 .011 + + Length of time out of work. + + Less than 1 mo. 20 .108 + More than 1 mo. 30 .163 + More than 2 mos. 27 .145 + More than 3 mos. 108 .584 + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[38] "How the Other Half Lives," p. 38. + +[39] This differentiation is more pronounced in the United States, since +the work has been extended here more than in other countries. + +[40] For adverse criticism see "The Social Relief Work of the S. A.," p. +9. + +[41] At the Burne St. Shelter, the largest in London, one large +dormitory has 288 beds and another 265. + +[42] For rooms, special rates are given by the week; from some of the +examples given at the end of this chapter, it will be seen that these +are occupied by men with partial or poorly paid employment. + +[43] In London, the Army has a mattress factory which supplies its +institutions. + +[44] More headway is being made in this direction in the Industrial +Homes where the population is more permanent. We found in one home in +Chicago that the men were organized in the form of a club, and enjoyed +social meetings together. Also, at the largest Industrial Home in +London, called "The Spa Road Elevator," we found a regular cricket club +organized which played cricket games with other clubs. + +[45] Good examples of this are to be found in the Middlesex Street Hotel +and the Burne Street Hotel, London. The former hotel is regularly +provided, by a large baker firm, with food, which is one day stale, for +a very low figure. + +[46] The higher class hotel for women is to be found in Los Angeles and +Boston. + +[47] From an interview with a leading officer. + +[48] These exceptions are certain of the lower class hotels where +attempts along this line seem to fail. + +[49] See "How the Other Half Lives," Ch. VIII. See also "Social Relief +Work of the S. A.," p. 10. + +[50] See examples given at the end of this chapter, p. 77. + +[51] See the tables, pp. 97 and 98, showing percentages of these men who +had come from the country. For the work of Mr. Fox see p. 113. + +[52] See examples of these men, p. 77 fl. + +[53] See Giddings' "Principles of Sociology," p. 127. + +[54] Some light may be thrown on this subject by a perusal of Mr. W. H. +Dawson's book entitled "The German Workman," although conditions are +evidently vastly different in this country and England from what they +are in Germany. + +[55] See examples numbered 4. 5. 9. 23 and others, on p. 78 and fl. + +[56] While this percentage is larger than that in the Industrial Homes +(see p. 62), 62 per cent. of the examples in the Hotels having regular +trades were dissipated, mostly victims of drink, as against 19 per cent. +in the Industrial examples. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +THE FARM COLONIES OF THE SALVATION ARMY. + + +So many times has the cry been raised "back to the land!", so optimistic +have so many reformers become over the hope that the population could be +diverted from the city to the country, and so loudly have certain +enthusiasts prophesied a surely successful issue to colonizing +enterprises, that the Salvation Army colonies form a very interesting +and profitable field of investigation. What is needed is an experiment +that will prove or disprove the prophesied success of taking the people +back to the land. Once that is proved, with the great Northwest of +America almost untouched, with immense tracts of good land in Africa and +other continents, and with the United States about to open up millions +of acres of land, made fertile by means of irrigation, we shall be ready +to act and get rid of the surplus city population. But first we must +have the proof, and the question before us is whether the Salvation Army +has sufficiently proved the case. + +The matter was agitated before the English Government to such an extent +in 1905 that the Rhodes Trustees, contributing sufficient funds to cover +the expense, the Secretary of State for the Colonies nominated Mr. Rider +Haggard, the novelist, to visit the United States and inspect the three +Salvation Army colonies there, to make a report on the same, and to +include in this report any practical suggestions which might occur to +him. The following words were used in the letter of commission: "It +appears to the Secretary of State that if these experiments are found to +be successful, some analogous system might to great advantage be applied +in transferring the urban population of the United Kingdom to different +parts of the United Kingdom."[57] + +Mr. Haggard visited the three colonies in the United States, and made a +report to the English Government, favoring strongly the movement, and +recommending that the Government take it up, provide the capital and +utilize all ready existing organizations, such as the Salvation Army, in +carrying out its scheme. The matter was referred by the Government to +the Departmental Committee, who, after reviewing it and looking into the +question in 1906, issued a long report in which they discountenanced Mr. +Haggard's scheme on the ground that: + + 1. It was better for settlers from England to be scattered about + with experienced farmers as neighbors than to be placed in a number + together. + + 2. The Salvation Army or any similar organization was not a + desirable management for a colony dependent on money advanced by the + Imperial Government. + + 3. That Ft. Romie and Ft. Amity, the American farm colonies of the + Salvation Army, were not precedents upon which a large scheme of + colonization could be based.[58] + +The Committee gave reasons for arriving at the above conclusions, into +which, for the present, we need not enter, but their conclusions are +suggestive, and may be borne in mind while we make our study of the +subject. + +Gen. Booth, in his plans as outlined in "Darkest England," provided for +three main divisions of the work for the unemployed poor, viz., the City +Colony, the Country Colony and the Over-sea Colony, signifying by these +terms the City Industrial Work, the Country Industrial Colony, and the +Farm Colony.[59] The last named was to be on a larger scale on some +Colonial territory of England. This division has tended to persist in +the United States, and this country has been the field for special +experiments along this line. There are three Colonies in the United +States: Fort Herrick, situated near Cleveland, Ohio; Fort Amity, +situated in Southeast Colorado, and Ft. Romie, which is located at +Soledad in the Salinas Valley, California. At first there was no +differentiation between these Colonies, but latterly, the Colony at Ft. +Herrick, the smallest of the three, has been managed as an Industrial +Colony, and the other two have continued as regular Farm Colonies. The +plan of "Commander" Booth-Tucker, in charge of the Salvation Army in the +United States from 1896 until 1904, and the originator of these +Colonies, was, in brief, as he states it, to take the waste labor in +families, and place it upon the waste land by means of waste capital, +and thereby to convert this trinity of waste into a unity of +production.[60] His waste labor was the family struggling in the crowded +city; his waste land, the large tracts of public land about to be opened +up by irrigation; and his waste capital, if such a term can be used, was +the capital lying idle, or at least, making 2-1/2 or 3 per cent., when +according to his estimate, it could yield 5 per cent. The principles +which he laid down were as follows: + +1. There must be sufficiency of capital. + +2. The land must be carefully selected and laid out. + +3. The colonists must be well selected. + +4. There must be able supervision. + +5. The principle of home ownership must be followed. + +6. God must be recognized. + +From our investigations at Ft. Romie and Ft. Amity, we arrived at the +conclusion that No. 4 and No. 6 were the only ones thoroughly carried +out; that there was a weakness in the amount of capital (Prin. No. 1); +that an unfortunate selection of land was made (Prin. No. 2); that the +successful colonists did not entirely represent the class from which we +should wish them to be taken (Prin. No. 3); and that ownership gave way +largely to a system of renting-out by the Army (Prin. No. 5). For +verification of this, see the typical cases at the end of the chapter. + +Commander Booth-Tucker advanced the argument, which is sound, to the +effect that, when entire families were taken from the city and placed +on the land, the tendency to return to the city would be overcome. It +has been the experience of philanthropists, that when single men and +women were transferred from the city to the country, they always tended +to return, the reason being due to an acquired fondness of the +individual for intimate association with his fellows,[61] but when a man +has his wife and children, together with a plot of land and a home which +he may call his own, the attraction toward the city is overcome, by a +stronger one which keeps him where he is. Of course, this would answer +for the one generation only. + +Leaving out the small colony at Ft. Herrick, Ohio, which was changed to +an Industrial Colony, and which is considered in the chapter on the +Industrial Work, let us examine more closely the Farm Colonies at Ft. +Amity, Col., and Ft. Romie, Cal. The larger enterprise was set on foot +in Colorado, in 1898, where a tract of 2,000 acres was secured at a cost +of $46,000.00. In this year, fourteen families were brought from Chicago +and placed on the bare, unimproved prairie, where, however, there was +abundant water supply carried by a large irrigation company. These +colonists were all family men with two exceptions, and nine of the heads +of families had either been on farms or had worked on farms in the +past.[62] They were in narrow circumstances financially, and the +transportation expenses of all except one of these families were paid by +the Army. With this migration as a basis, the number of colonists was +greatly increased by families from different cities and also from the +surrounding country, until in 1905, there were thirty-eight families. +Several were brought to the Colony as experienced men to act as +pace-setters for the others.[63] Some came with a small amount of +capital. + +Owing to the fact that the land was covered by a heavy sod which needed +considerable working, no crops were raised the first year, and only +fair crops the second. During the first year, the colonists were +supported by cash loans which were charged against them. After the first +two years, crops were good[64], and the outlook was promising, in spite +of certain insect pests, but after about seven years a great difficulty +showed itself. The land on which the Colony was located was alkali land, +and bottom land, without any drainage. The result of constant irrigation +was that the alkali rose to the surface in larger and larger quantities, +until no good crop could be raised. The only salvation was to drain the +land and thus rid it of the blighting alkali. This meant an expense of +from $30.00 to $40.00 an acre. At the present time draining is being +rapidly pushed forward and is proving very beneficial, but it can be +easily seen what a discouragement the alkali has proved to the +colonists, and what an additional expense is laid upon them and the +Colony; an expense which it will take years of good crops to +overcome.[65] + +Up to 1905, about eighteen families, not satisfied with the results +obtained, had moved away, and their places had been filled by others. A +very few of the departing families moved because of ill-health; some +thought that they could do better elsewhere as farmers; some even had +considerable money as a result of their holdings in the Colony[66]. +Since 1905, there has been a good deal of changing, and at present a +large part of the Colony land is rented out by the Army to settlers; +some being from the country, and some from the city[67]. A small number +of the old pioneer colonists still remain and have done well with their +holdings in spite of all difficulties.[68] + +The Army stated in 1905, that the financial standing of this Colony +showed a net loss to the Army of $23,111.50, and a gain to the colonists +of $37,943.77. It considered its loss a cheap price for the experience +gained, but thought that it had erred in giving the colonists too +liberal terms.[69] By this time the loss to the Army is considerably +greater, owing to the increased expense of drainage.[70] + +At the present time (January, 1908), the population of this Colony is +about 200. Nearly all the land is occupied in one way or another, either +by colonists who own, or partially own, their land, or by renters, who +are also called colonists. Several homes are vacant, but it is expected +that they will be filled by renters before the Spring season opens. The +little village consists of several stores, a blacksmith shop, a +substantial railroad depot, a post office, a small hotel and a school +house. A good many of the homes are built of stone, quarried on the +Colony, and present a good appearance. Up on the higher land is situated +a large stone structure, built by the colonists at an expense to the +Army of $18,000.00, and first used as an orphanage, then as a +sanitorium, and now abandoned. Irrigation ditches with a good flow of +water are in evidence, and preparations for draining the land are under +way. That this is necessary is forced upon us by the many white patches +scattered here and there where the water, having evaporated, has left +the destructive alkali salt on the surface of the ground. + +When we come to consider the other Farm Colony, Ft. Romie, situated at +Soledad, Cal., in the beautiful Salinas Valley, we receive a more +favorable impression, although we find that the Colony here has had many +difficulties with which to contend. The Colony is smaller than that at +Ft. Amity, but the land is better. The original 500 acres has been +increased by the addition of a lease of 150 acres with the option of +buying. In the year 1898, eighteen families were taken from the poor of +San Francisco and placed upon the Colony, but unforeseen conditions +prevailed, and, as a result, but one of these families remains +to-day.[71] The great mistake was made of settling colonists upon land +which needed irrigation, before that irrigation was provided. This +mistake was brought out the more vividly, in that the three first years +of the Colony's existence were years of drought, bringing evil to most +parts of the State, and especially to that land which, like the Colony +land, only received a slight rain-fall at best. The result of the first +years of this experiment, then, was an abandoning of the land by the +colonists, and a loss to the Army of $27,000.00. + +The experiment was continued, however, but with very different +conditions. An excellent irrigation system was established, and a new +lot of settlers brought to the Colony; not, this time, from the city, +but from the surrounding country. These people were poor, but accustomed +to the land. The result, as might be expected this time, was more +favorable. It was stated in 1905 that no colonists had left since +1901.[72] In May, 1903, there were nineteen families ranged according to +nationality as follows:--Thirteen American; Two Scandinavian; One Finn; +One German-Swiss; One Dutch and one Italian. There are now twenty-five +families, and about one hundred and forty-five persons on the Colony. +The nucleus of a town is to be seen with two or three stores, a +blacksmith shop, and a good sized Town Hall. Near the Colony is a school +house with an attendance of about fifty children, most of them being +colonists' children. + +An irrigation plant has been established and is now owned and worked by +the colonists, formed in a joint-stock company. The colonists raise +beets, potatoes, alfalfa, fruits of different kinds, and stock. A large +part of their income is derived from the dairying industry. They ship +their cream to a creamery at Salinas, about twenty-five miles distant. + +Much could be said about the healthy appearance and happy life of the +members of this Colony, but as they have not been brought from the +unhealthy, squalid misery of the city, this is not of so much interest. +The women work in the vegetable gardens and with the stock, as well as +in the home; and the older children help their parents. + +Along the lines of co-operation, in both colonies there are interesting +features. At stated intervals, the colonists meet in the form of a +Farmers' Club, and discuss questions relative to the success of their +individual farms and to the Colony as a whole. They also have lecturers +come from a distance to address them on the latest phases of +horticulture, agriculture, fertilization and irrigation. The colonists +also embark in business enterprises like the stock company formed in the +California Colony for the control and management of the irrigation +plant. In this plant, one of the colonists is engineer, and another the +superintendent of water supply. Another important institution of this +same Colony is the Rochdale store, which does most of the retail +business in the Colony. This store, in its management and organization, +follows the co-operative Rochdale system, which has attained strength in +England and is growing in the United States. The store is incorporated +in the State of California as a co-operative corporation, and holds a +membership in the State Rochdale Wholesale Co. It has already extended +beyond the limits of the Colony and counts among its members others than +colonists. The colonists also take active interest in local affairs of +all kinds. In one colony, the rural mail carrier is a colonist, and the +school teacher the wife of a colonist. At Ft. Amity, a colonist is now +sheriff of the County for the second time. + +Social and religious life is also fostered in the Colonies. A variety of +religious sects is represented, and no compulsion is exercised towards +any one of them. At Ft. Romie the Army has an organized corps, which +holds meetings once in the week and once on Sunday, also having a +Sunday school for the children. At Ft. Amity similar conditions prevail. +On both colonies a good moral influence is found and there are no evil +surroundings; hence in neither colony is there a local officer of the +law. In the contract which every colonist signs on taking his land there +is a temperance clause to this effect: + + "And party of the second part hereby agrees to and with party of the + first part that, in consideration of the benefits derived from this + contract, he will not bargain, sell, barter or trade upon said land + any intoxicating liquors, or otherwise dispose of as beverages any + intoxicants, at any place upon said premises or any part thereof, or + permit the selling of the same, or any illegal traffic or any act or + acts prohibited by law." + +The same clause goes on to provide for the return of the land to the +Army in case of its being violated. + +From this brief description it is seen that much of the success of these +colonies must rest on the management. The manager must be large-hearted +and broad-minded. He must be supervisor, instructor, moderator, +counsellor and friend. The Army has been very fortunate in placing fit +men in these positions, and if in other things it had been equally +fortunate, its colonies would have made a better showing. + +As regards the financial methods of the Army in dealing with the +colonists, the following extract from a memorandum of information issued +by the Ft. Romie Colony, California, gives typical information. + +1. Land: Twenty acres of land are sold to each colonist. The price of +unimproved land at this date, 1904, is $100.00 per acre. This price, +however, is liable to be increased at any time.[73] + +2. Buildings: Houses, barns and other buildings are constructed by the +colonists. Materials are furnished in quantities by the Army according +to the size of the colonist's family, somewhat after the following +schedule. For a family with one or two small children, a two-room +house, about 14×24 outside measurement, for which we appropriate not +over $125.00. This is to include a small barn or shed for horses, cows, +etc. For a family with three or four small children, a three-room house +about 18×24, costing with barn, etc., not over $175.00. For a larger +family, perhaps a four or five-room house, limiting the appropriation +for the same to $225.00. Colonists can suit themselves as to the style +of the house, but must satisfy the manager that it can be erected within +the limits of the appropriation named. The colonist can add to the size +of the house as he gets on his financial feet. + +3. Terms: On land breaking and other permanent land improvements, the +colonists are given 20 years' time. The principal and interest are +payable in installments each year. + +4. Outfit: To colonists unable to purchase them, the Army furnishes the +necessary implements and stock, consisting of the following: Team of +horses, cow, hogs, chicken, seed, etc., secured by chattel mortgage. The +interest on outfit and loans is fixed at 6 per cent. It is expected that +the principal and interest will be repaid in installments each year. All +outfits and loans are to be repaid within five years.[74] + +We have briefly outlined the most prominent features of the Farm +Colonies, but the final questions now arise, is the movement sound; what +does it signify, and what development does the future hold for it? For +one thing we must not be led astray by the statements of the Army. The +continued existence of the colonies, in the face of great difficulties, +through the term of eight or nine years they have been carried on, is +not in itself an argument for the soundness of the movement. From ocean +to ocean and throughout the world, the Army has advertised its success +in colonizing enterprises, and hence it had a set purpose in maintaining +and continuing its colonies, even though they should be failures from +our point of view, and even though they should not fulfil the purpose +originally intended by the Army itself. As has been remarked with regard +to the industrial colonies, so here, we would emphasize the fact that +the Army has no need to fear acknowledgement that the colonies have not +been successful, because it has other credit upon which to depend for +its reputation for usefulness. After looking at it from all sides, we +come to the conclusion that the two experiments considered in these +pages do not justify an extension of this work. This conclusion is based +on several reasons: + + 1. Many of the successful colonists are not men who needed help the + most, and many are not from the City at all. + + 2. The colonies have been, and are, an undue expense to the + organization. + + 3. The same amount of energy and money would be more beneficial to + the unemployed if used along other lines. + + 4. The principles advanced as essential by the originators of the + movement were only partially carried out.[75] + +Our first reason is based partly on personal investigation, and partly +on the statements of the Army itself.[76] There are, as will be seen +from examples given, certain places where families from the city without +previous experience have made a success of the colonies, but these are +greatly in the minority[77]. If, in the case of the California Colony at +Fort Romie, when seventeen out of the original number of families taken +from the city, left on account of the lack of water, the next group of +settlers had again been chosen from the city, after water had been +secured, a more conclusive experiment would have resulted, but instead, +the second group were, "farmers by profession."[78] This looks as though +the Army itself at that time doubted the ability of the city families to +succeed on the land. At any rate, the fact that the majority of the +families at the present time on the colonies are not from the city at +all, shows that, as an experiment of removing the surplus population of +the city to the country, the colonies are a failure. But further, when +we take the minority, the families now in the colonies who came from the +city, we find that, in most cases, they are not people who needed help +the most, and those who have succeeded on the colonies, have succeeded +because of elements in their character which would have led them to +succeed in the long run anywhere, with favorable environment. In this +case then, the only advantage in taking these people from the city was +to leave more room there for somebody else, and this is not much of an +advantage, since that "somebody else" is quite likely to come from the +country to the city, and thus not be one of the city's submerged ones at +all. Again, if, as we have just stated, men succeed in the country +because of the same elements of character which would lead them to +succeed anywhere, then the reason for their failing to succeed in the +city would lie in an unfavorable environment, and to change their +environment, it is not necessary to carry on a system of paternalistic +colonies. This leads us to the question of assisted emigration, which we +will discuss in connection with our third objection to the colonies. + +As regards the second reason, that of undue expense, Mr. Haggard in +1905, found a loss to the Army of $50,000. While, since that time, in +the case of the California Colony, there has been no further loss, yet +in the case of the colony in Colorado, there has been much expenditure +which should be added to the original loss. The Army states that it has +been too liberal in its dealings with its colonists, but we note that, +in spite of its liberality, there has been a constant tendency for the +colonists to leave, hoping to do better elsewhere.[79] The Army might +reply that this is no argument, and that the fact that they were able to +leave with funds on hand was in itself a proof of liberality on the +Army's part, but to prove the success of its experiment, it must show +that those who have left have done better elsewhere, and not drifted +back once more to the city. The Army might further state that in future +a better selection of land might be made, and that other unfavorable +things might be avoided, but we are dealing here with these two colonies +and not future experiments. As regards such, there would always be +unforeseen difficulties of every kind.[80] + +Coming to the third reason for our conclusion, the reason that money +might be expended in other ways with greater advantage to the +unemployed, and with greater relief to the congestion of cities, we +refer again to the recommendations of the Departmental Committee +appointed by the English government to consider Commissioner Haggard's +report.[81] In their report they recommend a system of emigration from +the city to the English possessions, such as Canada, aided by the +government, in preference to the system of colonization. With this we +agree. A man once transported from the city and then thrown on his own +resources in a favorable rural environment, will be more likely to +succeed than a man who is taken out with a number of others to form a +colony. The man left to his own resources will rise to the occasion, as +so many have done in both Canada and the United States, who have +migrated from city to country and made successful farmers and citizens, +while, on the other hand, the man who feels dependent on an +organization, which is responsible to the public for his success, and +its own, will blame it for his own lack of efficiency. The Army itself +claims a successful work done along the lines of emigration. In 1905, +through the agency of the Army, 2,500 men were sent out from London to +Canada. This number has since increased every year until in 1907 over +15,000 men were sent out. Many other emigration societies have been very +successful in this work.[82] The emigrants sent out with some +assistance, in many cases, gain new ambitions in life and make +pronounced successes on the new soil. As regards the cost, the following +quotation may be submitted. "The cost of emigration to Canada from +England does not amount to more than £10 a head, and some of the +societies, especially those maintained by women, seem to be successful +in securing repayment of at least a part of the money advanced. In other +words, $300,000.00, which Mr. Rider Haggard assumes as a necessary sum +for forming a colony of 1,500 families, would enable at least 6,000 +families to go out as emigrants."[83] With regard to conditions in the +large cities of the United States and other countries, we believe that +the same arguments would apply, and that, in every case, assisted +emigration will be found far more feasible and beneficial than any +system of colonization. Again, for reasons already given, in addition to +there being six thousand families aided by emigration, for the same sum +as fifteen hundred families could be by colonization, the relief given +would be far preferable. In other words, emigration has been proved +successful, while colonization has not. + +Coming back to the conclusions reached by Mr. Haggard on his +recommendations to the English government: Mr. Haggard, after stating +that the two experiments, outside of a slight failure of finance, seemed +to him to be eminently successful, says that, given certain requisites, + + "It will, I consider, be strange if success is not attained even in + the case of poor persons taken from the cities, provided that they + are suited in character, the victims of misfortune and circumstances + rather than of vice, having had some acquaintance or connection with + the land in their past life, and having also an earnest desire to + raise themselves and their children in the world." + +Now two of the "requisites" he mentions are, "that the land should be +cheap as well as suitable" and "that markets also with accessibility +and convenience of location should be borne in mind," two rather +difficult requisites to be found together. Again, in the above quotation +he lays down other provisos; among these being one that the people +selected should have had some acquaintance or connection with the land +in their past lives, a rather indefinite proviso in itself, but, from a +list of poor men out of work or in irregular or casual employment in +London and the other large cities in England in 1901 and 1906, compiled +by Mr. Wilson Fox, we find that out of a total of 8,793 such men, ninety +per cent were town born.[84] We also find in New York City in the spring +of 1908, that out of a total of 185 destitute men, about eighty per cent +were town born.[85] That then leaves ten per cent in the case of England +and twenty per cent in the case of New York City from which to select or +choose the ones needed for a colonizing enterprise. + +Mr. Fox has also shown in his investigations: + +1. That the countrymen who migrate to London are mainly the best youth +of the villages. + +2. That the incomers usually get the pick of the posts, especially +outdoor trades. + +3. Country immigrants do not to any considerable extent directly recruit +the town unemployed who are, in the main, the sediment deposited at the +bottom of the scale, as the physique and power of application of the +town population tends to deteriorate.[86] + +The conclusion is then, that it would be difficult to get the men +according to Mr. Haggard's requirements, and difficult to get the land +according to his requirements, and even if such were obtained, for +reasons already stated there is no justification for a large colonizing +enterprise in the two experiments described in this chapter. + + +Examples of Colonists taken from Ft. Amity by the author in January, +1908. + + +No. 1. + +Elderly man. Widower. Had three grown-up children in the Colony at +various times. Had one son a colonist with farm of his own. Was not a +Salvationist. Came from Chicago where he was a tailor. Had a farm near +the railroad depot which he considered valuable. Had two small houses. +Rented one. Raised alfalfa. Was sole agent for a coal company. Claimed +he made $1,500.00 last year, mostly in the coal business. Said draining +now being done on the Colony was very expensive. Considered the Colony a +good thing. + + +No. 2. + +Middle aged man. Married. One child. Had experience in the country +before coming to the Colony. Had forty acres of Colony land which he had +rented, and which he wished to sell at $106.00 per acre. Had mostly +worked for the railroad in the station office. Wished to leave the +Colony. Said he could not raise a vegetable garden owing to alkali and +insect pests. + + +No. 3. + +A new man. About thirty years old. One year out from Chicago, where he +worked at different trades. Had wife and one child. Rented a house on +the Colony and worked in one of the Colony stores. Had no money saved +and saw no immediate chance of betterment. Liked the country better than +the city, because his wife had better health. + + +No. 4. + +Young married man. No children. Son of a Colonist and married to a +daughter of a Colonist, whose father was sheriff of the County. Had good +looking cottage and barns. Was doing well. + + +No. 5. + +About fifty years old. Salvation Army officer. In the Colony six years. +Had son twenty-one, and together they worked a farm of sixty acres. He +owned twenty and rented forty. His life was despaired of by the doctors, +but he was enjoying good health at time of interview. Doing well +financially. + + +No. 6. + +About forty-five. Original Colonist. Married. Had four children. Came +from Chicago, where he was a carpenter. Owned land in the Colony which +he rented out. Ran a hardware store in the Colony and was partner in the +Colony bank. Had property valued at $5,000.00. Had no capital when he +came to the Colony. + + +No. 7. + +About forty-eight years old. Original Colonist. Married and had nine +children. Was railroad clerk in Chicago at $12.00 per week. Owned a +corner lot on the town site where he ran a grocery store. Had property +in Chicago worth $1,000.00 when he came to the Colony. Was worth +$8,000.00 at time of interview. + + +No. 8. + +A farmer, from surrounding country, induced by Colony management to +invest in Colony land and tract as a "pace-setter" to the other +colonists. Thus secured forty acres at $70.00 per acre. Had introduced +the sheep industry. Bought up young lambs in Mexico, fattened them, and +sold at a profit. Had been two years on the Colony. Made $5,000.00 net, +per year. Had four thousand sheep. + + +No. 9. + +Middle aged man. Married. Original colonist. Was expressman in Chicago, +but previous to coming to the Colony had to leave family and go to work +in the woods while the wife worked. Had taken out a government homestead +outside of the Colony. Gave up his holdings on the Colony and was +working as farm boss for a neighboring farmer while his wife ran a +boarding house. + + +No. 10. + +Scotchman. About fifty years old. Married. Had five children. In the +Colony for six years. Arrived there with $25.00. Was carpenter in +Chicago. Was worth $1,000.00 when interviewed. Was arranging to sell his +holdings and go away, as he thought he could do better elsewhere. + + +No. 11. + +About forty-five years old. Belonged to the Army. Married. One child. +Came from Baltimore, Md., where he worked as a teamster. The Army paid +family's fare to the Colony. Made a failure of his holding on the Colony +and was making a bare living by running the Colony hotel and doing +teaming. His failure was due to alkali and insect pests. His wife was +sick before coming, but became better and was evidently the more +efficient member of the partnership. + + +No. 12. + +Thirty-five years old. Married. Two children. Brother of Army officer +and son of example No. 1. In the Colony eight years. Used to be +street-car conductor in Chicago. Gave up one holding in the Colony on +account of alkali and took another, where he was doing well at time of +interview. + + +No. 13. + +About forty years old. Married. Came from the country. Rented a house on +the Colony and worked as a section-hand on the railroad. + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[57] "The Poor and the Land." Introduction, p. VI. + +[58] "Report of Departmental Committee," pp. 8, 9, 10. + +[59] "William Booth," p. 83. + +[60] "The S. A. in the U. S.," p. 15. + +[61] See Giddings' "Principles of Sociology," p. 291. + +[62] "The Poor and the Land," p. 75. + +[63] See example No. 8 at the end of the chapter, p. 115. + +[64] About this time, Mr. Curtis, describing the colony in the Chicago +Record, said "There is no neater group of houses in Colorado, and no +more contented community in the world. Nearly every one has written to +friends urging them to join the next colony that comes out, and thus I +judge they are enthusiastic over their success and the pleasures they +enjoy." + +[65] See principle No. 2, p. 101. + +[66] "The Poor and the Land," p. 78. + +[67] See principle No. 5, p. 101. + +[68] See several examples at the end of this chapter, p. 137. + +[69] "The Poor and the Land," p. 82. + +[70] See principle No. 1, p. 101. + +[71] "The Poor and the Land," p. 39. + +[72] See Pamphlet, "Review of Salvation Army Land Colony in California." + +[73] The price of land at Ft. Amity would be different, and there, too, +the Army sometimes rents to the colonists an additional acreage. + +[74] "Memorandum of Information Respecting the Salvation Army Colony at +Ft. Romie, California." + +[75] For these principles see p. 101 of this chapter. + +[76] See "The Poor and the Land," p. 40 and fl. + +[77] See examples at end of chapter. + +[78] See "The Poor and the Land," p. 47. + +[79] See the "Poor and the Land," p. 82. + +[80] See "Report of Departmental Committee," p. 14 and fl. + +[81] _Ibid._ + +[82] Mr. John Manson in his book "The Salvation Army and the Public," p. +133 and following, states that in this work the Army has merely acted +the part of a business agency. We think that he has ground for this +statement, but we also think that the Army would be far more useful +along these lines than an ordinary business agency. + +[83] See Report of Departmental Committee, p. 6. + +[84] See Report of Departmental Committee, p. 3. + +[85] See tables p. 98 of this book. + +[86] See Report of Departmental Committee, p. 30. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +THE SALVATION ARMY SLUM DEPARTMENT. + + +So much has been written on the question of the slums in the past few +years; so many settlements, evening recreation centers, summer +playgrounds, clubs, visiting nurses' associations, and kindergarten +associations have been organized; so much has been done by tenement +house commissions and tenement laws; so many churches have turned from +their original efforts to the slums; that we wonder why so little is +heard of what the Army, the organization supposed especially to +represent the poor, is doing in this direction. To tell the truth, if we +go down into the slums, either those of Deptford, Whitechapel, or of +Westminster, in London; or those of the Jewish, the Italian, the Negro, +or the Irish quarters in New York, or those of the Slav or Jewish +quarters in Chicago, expecting to find there the work of the Army much +in evidence, we shall be disappointed. What slum work is done by the +Army in these densely populated corners is done with love and earnest +hearts, with sacrifice and the best of intentions; but apparently it +does not bear fruit in the same proportion as does the work of the +settlement, whether church settlement or secular, or in the same +proportion as many of the kindergartens, summer playgrounds and evening +recreation centers. Nevertheless, the slum post of the Army is doing +valuable work and should be supported. + +A sweeping tenement house reform can do more than any number of +settlements; a settlement can do more than the Army slum post; but +neither the tenement reform nor the settlement does the work that a slum +post does. Probably the work done by other organizations most nearly +allied to that of the Army slum post is that done by the various +organizations of church deaconesses, which have been growing rapidly in +late years, in which women are employed by the churches to visit the +poor in their homes, and nurse the sick, besides other duties. If we +depend or count largely on the Army slum work to reform the slums, we +shall be disappointed in learning that, after years of successful growth +in the Industrial and Social Departments, the Army has but twenty slum +posts in the United States[87], some of these being very small, and that +it has no large number in other countries. Such as it is, the work is +well worth while. But let us examine its origin, present status and the +reason for its relatively small growth. + +In the beginning of the Army movement, Mrs. Booth, the late wife of +General Booth, supplemented her husband's work by a personal visitation +of the people in their homes. She proved the utility of this work and +also its place among the works of women. From her early efforts has +sprung the more widely organized department of slum work. + +The slum work may be divided into three divisions: visitation work, the +slum nursery, and the maintenance of the slum post. Wearing a humbler +garb, even, than the regular Army uniform, the lassies start out on +their daily tours of visitation. They take care of the sick, and at the +same time, they clean the home and put everything in order. Often they +come upon cases of need and of want, and then they provide the little +necessaries: a sack of coal, a supply of food, or some needed clothing. +They take the children from the worn-out woman and amuse and instruct +them, while the mother does her work; and, wherever they go, although +most plainly dressed, they are clean and neat, and they strive to make +everything else clean and neat. + +While this visitation work is going on, another most urgent need is +being supplied by the slum nursery. Here the mother can leave her +children in the morning, when she goes to her work, and find them safely +waiting for her in the evening, clean and happy. A charge of five cents +per day is made to cover the expense of feeding the children. During the +day they are well cared for, the younger ones properly nursed, and the +older ones taught simple little kindergarten games and songs. Sometimes +children are brought here and never called for again, in which case the +Army lassies in charge must find some permanent home for them, but this +does not often happen, as the mothers of the children are usually known +by the Army workers. At the slum nursery in Cincinnati there is also a +free clinic, where sick women and children go for treatment. Two of the +most efficient physicians of the city furnish free aid, and the +medicines necessary are provided. + +In addition to the visitation work and the nursery, the maintenance of +the slum post means the keeping of slum quarters and a slum hall. The +"quarters" are the two or more rooms where the lassies live, and they +are located where most can be accomplished in the way of example and +influence. The hall is for the carrying on of slum meetings, for these +are regularly held. In these meetings the roughest crowd of men, women +and children is awed into respect and reverence by the simple slum +lassies with their songs and music. Again, in this little hall, the +children of the neighborhood are gathered in a Sunday School and taught +by the slum officers. It is a most interesting spectacle to watch these +children. Many different nationalities are represented, the dark races +and the light. As children, these nationalities mingle together more +freely than in adult life. + +A special aspect of the slum post is the distribution of charitable +relief to the needy. It is specially situated, and has advantages for +this purpose; hence it becomes the distributing depot for bread, soup +and coal in winter, and ice in summer. For instance, from one slum post +in New York during the winter of 1907-8, 2,800 loaves of bread were +given out in one week, and for some months, an average of from 300 to +1,000 loaves, besides an average of two tons of coal per week. Some of +this, naturally, would go to the undeserving, but the slum officers, as +a rule, know the people of their immediate neighborhood, and can +exercise due discretion. + +The failure of the Army slum work to increase in the same proportion as +its other branches of the social work, and its non-existence in many +quarters of our cities where it is most needed, is due to two causes. +One is the fact that the Army slum post, more than the Army industrial +home or the Army hotel, is a religious institution, and is continually +advertising and pressing on the public its peculiar doctrines. The slum +officers are imbued with the idea that personal salvation according to +the doctrines of the Army is the all-essential need. They would not be +engaged in this work themselves were it not for the hold these doctrines +have upon them. The slum post holds its regular meetings, exhorting its +hearers to get "saved," in its own original way. At Sunday School, the +children are taught that certain things are wrong and sinful, and these +very things are common-place in their own homes though, possibly some of +them of not much detriment. But, in a community almost entirely Catholic +or Jewish, such aggressive evangelism is not likely to increase the +influence of its advocates. Many settlements have learned with grief, +this very same lesson. Another reason for the lack of success is the +mental calibre of those engaged in the work. However, the devotion and +self-sacrifice of the Army slum sisters is one of the most touching and +sublime elements of the slums, and it is all the more touching when it +is to some extent misdirected and misplaced. To see the tact, patience +and perseverance of these "Slum Angels" as they are often called, is a +divine object lesson in itself, and much of their work is not done in +vain, as many would testify. + +A useful experiment is under way at one former slum post, 94 Cherry +Street, New York City. In place of the old building formerly rented by +the Army here and used as a slum post, the Army has built a commodious +six-story building, which it calls a settlement. One floor is given to a +hall and parlor. Two floors are given over to rooms to be used as class, +club and kindergarten rooms. One floor is fitted up with a dining room +and kitchen, and another with a large dormitory and living room, to be +used as a Girls' Home. On the roof, preparations are under way for a +roof garden and play-ground, while washing facilities are provided in +the basement, where poor mothers can bring their clothes and wash them. +Already the New York Kindergarten Association has two kindergartners +busy here. Two sewing classes, averaging thirty-five members, are +organized. Mother's meetings are held, and a regular Army Corps is +organized, consisting of sixty members. This settlement may prove an +auspicious advance of the Army along these lines. + +To sum up, the Army Slum Department is doing valuable work in the slums, +tending the sick, exercising and bringing out some of the better traits +of humanity, and offering relief in times of need; but it suffers from +an over-desire to spread its own peculiar doctrines of salvation, and +from the lack of grasping the whole situation which is characteristic of +its workers. + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[87] This number has continued the same for five years. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +THE SALVATION ARMY RESCUE DEPARTMENT. + + +In the United States and Great Britain, the question of the social evil +has never been thoroughly investigated and faced systematically as a +whole. In some of the large cities in the United States, notably in +Chicago and New York, the question has been taken up in various ways by +different reform societies. Probably the best investigation made thus +far has been the work of the Committee of Fifteen, in New York City, +which issued its report in the year 1902, but the problem does not +appear to have been faced by us as a nation as it might have been. Other +countries, especially France, have paid a great deal of attention to +this form of vice. Nearly every phase of the question has been examined +by some French investigator and reported on, but when we look for +reports or investigations on the part of American or English students, +we find very little of value. + +As regards the United States, all attempts at reaching a true estimate +of the extent of this evil have failed. Apparently, there is no way of +obtaining such information. We have seen estimates regarding some of the +cities in past years, and such estimates are given as 40,000 prostitutes +for New York City,[88] 30,000 for Chicago and 35,000 for San Francisco. +But these figures have evidently been derived in a very unscientific +way. The evil is probably worse in the Western states than in the +Eastern, but we are not satisfied of the accuracy of such estimates as +35,000 for San Francisco and only 30,000 for Chicago. + +The work known as the Rescue Work of the Salvation Army is, to a certain +extent, related to the Slum Work. The slum officers can often work +hand-in-hand with the Rescue officers, inasmuch as their field is often +on the same or adjoining territory. At the same time, it is essential +that the Rescue officer be more highly specialized than the slum +worker. During the past few years the percentage of successful cases of +reform brought about by the Army Rescue Homes has reached as high as 80 +or 85%, according to the Army's statistics. They, however, are unable to +keep in touch with all the girls sent out, and hence this percentage +would not be final, but even allowing 25% off for failures not known to +the Army, it is doubtful if there is any other reform agency along this +line which is as successful as is this force of trained rescue +workers.[89] In the United States this force works in conjunction with +twenty-two Rescue Homes scattered throughout the States. These homes are +especially fitted for the work, some having been built for the purpose. +There are work rooms for the girls, where they can do sewing and laundry +work. There is a reading room and sitting room, dining room, and +different dormitories and sleeping apartments. Then special facilities +are provided for the care of babies in the way of proper nurseries. + +There are two ways in which these girls come under the influence of the +Homes and Rescue workers: either the girls come voluntarily to the +Homes, expressing their desire to leave this form of life for a better +one, or they are brought to the Home by the direct influence and touch +of the Rescue officer. These Rescue officers make regular tours through +the districts where the girls are to be found. They watch their +opportunities, and whenever they think it wise, they speak to the girls +personally. When this is not possible, they make an advance by way of +literature. One method is to open up a conversation by means of a little +card, upon which is printed the address of the Rescue Home, and the +offer of help to any girl who is in trouble of any sort. Some of the +officers tell us that they get to know the faces of the girls through +their regular tours, and whenever a new girl comes they are able to +recognize her at once, both by her features and her actions. In this +way there have been some instances of real prevention without the need +of any curative means whatever; instances where young girls have been +rescued from the very brink of their evil fate. One way of reaching the +girls is visitation and nursing when they are sick. Another way is +through the police courts. In some of the latter a woman Army officer is +in regular attendance, and the judge frequently hands certain cases over +to her charge. + +Many of the girls received into the Home have had no practical training +in life; many, very little moral training, and in the case of those who +have had good training in earlier years, the life they have been leading +has so undermined their old ideals, that the training must be repeated. +Hence, the aim of the Home is two-fold. First, the aim is to lay a +strong foundation morally. When the girls reach the Home, in most cases +they are already penitent, and ready for a change, but to make such a +complete change as is necessary to lead them back to a normal life means +the individual revolution of desire and interest. Here is where the +importance of the moral influence of the Home is realized. Step by step +the girl is led on by the simple teaching of Christian and social +ideals, until in reality she is a changed individual. Often she looks +back on her past life with such repugnance and shrinking, that her only +desire becomes that of doing something to retrieve her past, and she +becomes an active agent in the betterment of the conditions of other +girls around her. + +Meanwhile, the second aim of the Rescue Home is being realized. The +girls are taught the means of practical livelihood. They are instructed +in cooking, the care of the kitchen and nursery, and general +housekeeping. Sewing is made a prominent feature, and in every Home a +laundry is maintained, where the girls do their own washing and +sometimes outside washing. In some Homes the fund realized from the +laundry and from the sale of clothing made by the girls is quite a help +toward defraying the general expenses. Again, at some of the Homes, +such work as book binding and chicken raising has been successfully +carried on. Independence is encouraged, and as soon as possible the girl +is made to feel that, by aiding in the work of the Home, she can help +meet the expense which she caused. + +To the girl who has possibly never done sewing, never known anything +about proper cooking or the care of a home, there is much that is new in +this training, and, on the other hand, great patience is required on the +part of her instructors. A fit of anger or despondency, and in a very +short time she has left the Home and its care, and returned to her old +life. Some do this even more than once and again return, having, upon +reflection, realized the force of its love and shelter. Others, of +course, leave and never return, but a large number are sent back to +their own homes or out to fill situations of various kinds. + +A great difference is found between one girl and another, due to the +different status of life and surroundings from which they originally +fell; hence, some girls are reformed with greater ease and in a shorter +time than are others. The average time that a girl is retained in the +Home is about four months. The Army aims at keeping in touch with them +afterwards. + + "Personally," says one of the leading Rescue officers writing on + this point, "I attach by far the greatest importance to the work + done with our girls after they leave the Home. If we ceased our care + for them when they went out to service, we should have, I fear, many + failures. I have by my elbow, as I write to you, a current record of + 120 girls, not picked out but taken just as they come, which tells + just where each one is, what she is doing, what was her spiritual + condition when last seen or heard from, what day visited, etc. That + list is taken from a record kept of every girl who passes through + our hands. On one page is her previous life story; on the other, her + career after leaving the Home. It is the most important record we + keep."[90] + +Along with other departments of social service in the Army, this +department has been considerably extended during the past few years. +Figures are at hand for the United States only. In 1896 there were five +Rescue Homes with a total accommodation for 100 girls, and there were, +in the Rescue Work, 24 officers. In 1904 we found twenty-two homes, with +a total accommodation for 500 girls, and there were 110 specialized +officers engaged in the Rescue Work. During the eight years prior to +1907 15,000 girls were helped.[91] Speaking of the year 1903-4, +Commander Booth-Tucker says: "More than 1,800 girls passed through the +homes during the year, and of these 93% were satisfactory cases, being +restored to lives of virtue, while some 500 babies were cared for."[92] +During the past few years, also, some valuable properties have been +acquired for the purposes of Rescue Homes. Among these are two Homes in +Philadelphia worth $20,000.00; the Home in Manhattan, New York City, +valued at $35,000.00; the Home in Buffalo, costing nearly $40,000.00; +the Home in Los Angeles, worth more than $15,000.00, and others. + +In conclusion it may be said that although this great social question +presents almost overwhelming problems for solution, yet there is no +agency that deals with the evil in a curative way so successfully, and +on such a scale, as does the Rescue Department of the Army. One +difficulty of the work is that, while so many departments of the Army +work are self-supporting, this work cannot be made so. Another +difficulty is the lack of those who are willing to sacrifice their lives +to such noble effort. Mrs. Catherine Higgins, former Secretary for this +department, in her report, said that she had a great need of 100 more +workers, and that she could use many times that number in the +furtherance of the work. + +While it is rather the part of society to strike at the very causes of +this social evil and root it out entirely, still, such successful +combating with the evil itself, right on the battle-field of flagrant +vice, should receive the hearty support of all. + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[88] Mentioned in Josiah Strong's Social Progress, 1906, p. 243. + +[89] In Great Britain in 1903, the proportion of re-admissions in the +Rescue Homes was about one in seven. In that year, about one-sixth of +the new cases were unsatisfactory. (The S. A. and the Public, p. 131.) + +[90] "Social Service in the Salvation Army," p. 71. + +[91] Pamphlet "S. A. in the U. S." + +[92] _Ibid._, p. 26. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +SOME MINOR FEATURES OF THE SALVATION ARMY SOCIAL WORK. + + +There are a number of features of the Salvation Army Social Work, which +for the sake of brevity we shall group together in one final chapter. +These are, (1): Christmas dinners, (2): prison work, (3): the employment +bureau, and (4): work among the children. Taking up the subject of +Christmas dinners, we find here what seems to be an advertising scheme +more than a systematic form of relief. Sentiment, doubtless, has its +place, even with the masses, and yet, in this great winter feast, there +is more sentiment than there is real practical good accomplished. To the +quiet, calculating student the question arises whether it would not be +far better to utilize the vast amount of energy and financial outlay, +which it gives to gorging the multitude for one day, in a better and +more lasting way; the question whether there is not, in these Christmas +feasts, a likeness to the old time feast of pagan Rome. In every city of +any size throughout the country the pots and kettles on the street +corner are familiar objects. At each Corps or other location of the +Army, tickets are given out entitling the bearer to a Christmas dinner, +or, in certain cases, to a basket with a dinner for a family. A good +deal of trickery is indulged in by the professional beggars, by means of +which it often happens that several dinners go to the same person. And +yet, as we have watched those 5,000 baskets containing food for 25,000 +persons go out, to bring cheer and comfort to the hungry in their homes, +and as we have gazed on that vast banquet of 3,000 guests seated at one +sitting, we could not but feel glad that these poor brothers and sisters +of ours might realize the force of human sympathy for once in the year +at least.[93] + +Another minor feature of the Salvation Army work is the prison work. +The majority of the jails, local, county and state, are visited at +intervals by certain members of the Army set aside for that purpose in +each community. In one State's prison there is a regularly organized +corps of Salvation Army soldiers, who are all prisoners, some of them +for a life term. In most prisons the Army provides literature, sees to +the correspondence of the prisoners and holds meetings with them. But it +is not so much the work with the prisoners in the jail that counts, as +it is the influence gained over them, which leads them to come to the +Army and make a new start in life when they get out. Many who find +themselves behind the prison bars are not to be classed as regular +criminals. A man is often classed as a criminal who is a victim of +misfortune only, and has no inherent criminal instincts. It is with the +criminal "by occasion," as Lombroso puts it,[94] that much successful +work can be done in the way of reform. The Army has a regular +organization known as the Prison Gate League. When a prisoner is +discharged he is met by one of this league and invited to go to work at +one of the Army's institutions. After being influenced and helped in +this institution for a certain length of time, if he seems to justify +it, he is sent out to work in some position. There are no definite +statistics recorded of those of this class who have been permanently +bettered. + +Still another minor feature is the employment bureau system. While +mentioned here as merely one of a group of minor features, this system +is one of great importance to the industrial world. It is being taken +into consideration in many places by thoughtful men, and there is +promise of its assuming national, if not international proportions. The +general term, employment bureau, serves to bring to our recollection the +accompanying evils of the contract wage system and industrial slavery, +against which there has been agitation in the past, but it is because of +these accompaniments that the importance arises of securing a system +which shall be free from them. In Germany considerable work has been +done along these lines, municipalities and provinces have taken up the +work, and an all-round effort is being made to place labor in the right +position for work at the proper time.[95] New York City is to-day +swarming with many agencies, which are conducted by men and women, who +may rightly be classed as extortioners. In spite of the rigid rules on +the subject, the ignorance and poverty of their victims makes evasion of +the law comparatively easy. Jacob A. Riis, speaking of this subject, +says: + + "It is estimated that New York spends in public and private charity + every year around eight millions. A small part of this sum + intelligently invested in a great labor bureau that would bring the + seeker of work and the man with work together, under auspices + offering some degree of mutual security, would certainly repay the + amount of the investment in the saving of much capital now much + worse than wasted, and would be prolific of the best results."[96] + +In regard to the work of the Army in this field every large city +contains an employment bureau conducted by it and maintained for the +free use of the unemployed. Some of the men, who secure positions have +been in one of its own institutions, and the Army workers know whether +or not to recommend them for a certain position. Outside of giving men +work in its own institutions, the Army, during the year 1907, found +employment for 55,621 persons in the United States alone. + +Contrary to expectation, the children's work of the Army has not +attained a magnitude in proportion to the other lines of work which have +been developed. This may be accounted for in part by the fact that there +are more institutions open for children to which the Army can turn for +help than there are institutions of other types. Thus, while the Army +can often get a child taken into some orphanage already existing, either +public or private, in the case of the drunkard, the unemployed or the +fallen woman, the Army finds it necessary to furnish its own +institutions. Again, the Army states that wherever possible, some friend +is found who is willing to adopt a child. Of course, this is far +preferable to placing the child in some institution, inasmuch as +adoption restores the home in a real sense. + +The work among the children may be divided into temporary work and +permanent work. By temporary work we do not mean work that is +superficial, for it may be the most permanent and lasting in its +results, but we mean work that is undertaken which influences the +children for a limited amount of time only. The slum nursery or +kindergarten is of this type, but as we have already described it in +connection with the Slum Department, it needs only mention here. Another +line of temporary work is the Sunday School work of the Army, but that +comes under the religious work and not the social. + +An important line of temporary work, however, is the summer outing for +the poor children. In each of our large cities these excursions for the +poor children have been carried out on a large scale. Arrangements are +made with a railroad or a steamboat company; the children are collected, +hundreds at a time, and cared for by parties of Salvationists, they are +taken out to the country for the day. Children who have never seen the +country, and who do not know what a tree, a green hill, or the running +water looks like, are thus given an entirely new outlook upon the world, +and a lasting impression is made on their minds. In Kansas City, this +line of work has been developed still further. One of the large parks +has been handed over to the Army by the city authorities, and in it has +been established a summer camp. Tents are pitched on the grass under the +trees, and poor families are brought out here for a week at a time. In +this way hundreds of families have experienced a little of summer +vacation who otherwise would never have left their slum dwellings. + +The permanent handling of the children as opposed to the temporary, +begins with the Maternity Homes which are managed in connection with the +Rescue Homes, and continues on through the Orphanages. The children +cared for in this permanent way are the babies from the Maternity Homes +and orphans. From this it must not be supposed, with regard to the +Maternity Homes, that there is any intentional separation or even a +suggested separation of the child from the mother, but in many cases, +after a time, a partial separation is necessary. The mother is +influenced and taught to care for and love her offspring, but after +spending some months in the Home, she may take a situation of some sort, +often as a domestic servant, and here she cannot take her baby. Hence, +in such cases, the mother is expected to visit her child frequently, and +to provide for its support. + +The other class of children dealt with in a permanent way are those who +are picked up from the street, or who otherwise fall into the hands of +the Army, often after being deserted by their parents. While Orphanages, +as already stated, are not an important item in the Army's work, there +are several in England and four in the United States. For the situation +of an Orphanage, a country location is sought. For instance, one near +New York City is located on a beautiful piece of property at Spring +Valley. Another is at Rutherford, N. J. One of the largest is situated +near San Francisco, California, and one of the latest additions for this +purpose has been the securing of a fine piece of property at Lytton +Springs, Cal. In all, there is accommodation for two hundred and +twenty-five children in the United States. + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[93] The author refers here to the annual Christmas dinner given in New +York. + +[94] "The Criminal," p. 208. + +[95] "The German Workman," ch. XVII + +[96] "How the Other Half Lives," p. 253. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +CONCLUSION. + + +We have now covered the work of the Salvation Army social movement in +its different branches. We have described the work, the extent and the +management of each department. We have also considered the criticisms +and objections to which each department is open, and we have attempted +to estimate the value of each department to society. We have arrived at +the conclusion that the work of the Industrial Department, leaving out +the Industrial Colony, is a practical, deserving and successful effort +to put unfortunate men once more on their feet, at no expense to the +public, saving a slight embarrassment to those already engaged in the +salvage and second hand business; that the Army lodging house is the +best so far offered for the housing of the lower homeless class, +although not entirely satisfactory; that the Slum Work is good, but +limited in its scope, owing to the religious sentiment attached, and the +mental inferiority of its workers; that the Rescue Work is about the +best of its kind; and that good work is being done in other directions, +such as the prison work, the employment bureaux and the children's work. +On the other hand, we have found that the two Industrial Colonies and +three Farm Colonies are not successful enough to warrant any additional +expenditure on them or on any new colonies. This is due to the fact that +the class most needing help in the cities is not the class to succeed on +the land, and to the fact that men are more successful as pioneers on +the land, when they are scattered and left to rely on themselves, having +experienced farmers as neighbors, than when they are grouped closely +together in one colony. Also there is nothing in favor of heavy +expenditure for Christmas dinners, since the same amount of money can be +put to better advantage in other ways. + +But, having reached these conclusions regarding the separate departments +of the Army social work, what about the movement as a whole? The +critics have advanced a good many objections against the Army. Some of +these objections relating to special departments and not to the Army as +a whole, we have already dealt with in our discussion of those separate +departments. There remain six principal objections: + +1. That the organization is narrow and not willing to cooperate with +other organizations. + +2. That the highly centralized military form of government is likely to +lead to disastrous consequences. + +3. That the Army, in its financial dealings, does not take the public +sufficiently into its confidence. + +4. That the Army collects funds, on the strength of its social work, and +applies these funds to religious propaganda. + +5. That there is a lack of accuracy in its reports of work accomplished. + +6. That the Army, as an organization, has become more of an end in +itself, than a means to an end. + +Regarding the first objection, the narrowness and lack of cooperation, +we think there is a good deal of truth in it. The Army has made a great +success as an organization, and the work of its founder and his +assistants is one of the most remarkable achievements of the age. Things +apparently impossible have been accomplished, and obstacles apparently +unsurmountable have been overcome. The result is a self-confidence and +assurance, amounting in many cases to bigotry. The members of the +organization look upon it as especially favored by God, and as above any +other organization. Hence, we find many of the leaders far from humble +in their bearings, whatever their profession may be, and entirely +uninclined to cooperate with other organizations. This fact has been +brought to the foreground of late years in England and America by a +certain amount of antagonism between the Army and the Charity +Organization Society, the Army claiming that it can do its work along +its own lines and get along without any alliance with the Society, and +the latter claiming that much economy would result if the Army would +unite its efforts along social lines with the Charity Organization +Society. The controversy cannot be discussed here, but it seems a pity +that some sort of union cannot be entered into in which both +organizations would be represented in a manner satisfactory to both. One +great difficulty, evidently, is the religious element in the social work +of the Army, which tends to prejudice the Charity Organization Society +in some degree against the Army, and tends to keep the Army aloof from +any organization considered secular. However, we find many leading +officers in both organizations with friendly feeling, and there is hope +that the time will come, when the controversy will be at an end. + +Coming to the second objection, that the highly centralized military +form of government of the Army is likely to lead to disastrous +consequences, we think that, if continued, this form of government must +indeed lead to disaster. It is evident that this might happen in +different ways. In an organization held together by one man or by one +idea, disintegration would tend to take place in the one case by the +failure or death of the leader, and in the other case by the expansion +of the idea. The Army is held together by both the man and the idea, and +we need not turn away from its own history to get examples of this +disintegration in both ways. Take the first bond of union, the man of +striking, hypnotic personality. Since the very inception of the +movement, time after time, men who have gained influence in the Army, +have separated from its ranks and started a movement of their own of +more or less formidable dimensions. The instance most applicable here is +that of the division which took place a few years ago in the United +States. At that time the Army in this country had been very successful +under the leadership of one of General Booth's sons, Ballington Booth +and his wife, Maud, the latter especially being a most attractive and +talented personality and gifted, persuasive speaker. Mr. and Mrs. +Ballington Booth were flattered by attention from all sides, and by the +worship of the soldiers and officers under them. Orders came from +General William Booth, commanding them to give up their leadership in +the United States and take control of some other country. But they had +no idea of giving up their position in this country, and, elated by +success, confidently announced their leadership of a new movement, the +Volunteers of America, which is still in existence. While the other +element, that of the expansion of the idea, showed itself at this time +in a revolt against the narrow, despotic methods of General William +Booth, the main element in this division was that of personality. Taking +up the second bond of union, that of the central, controlling idea and +purpose, we find the whole movement at the present time is tending to +disintegrate through the expansion of this idea. This is shown by the +continual departure of men from the ranks of the Army, who see that its +methods and machinery are too cramped for their efforts, and also by the +different attitude of the remaining members towards the movement itself +and its leader General William Booth. + +It is possible, however, that there will gradually be effected a change +in the form of government of the army which will allow for enlargement +and differentiation within the movement itself. General Booth, the sole +head of the movement, cannot live much longer, and at his death, changes +already threatening will demand attention. He has maintained a +remarkable control over his world-wide following, in spite of numerous +outbreaks and dangerous splits, and has legally arranged with great +care, we are told, the succession to follow him. But that there will +ever be a second General Booth, or that there could be a series of +General Booths, able to hold the organization as he has, is incredible. +We have talked with leading officers of his Army on this subject and +find that they too, are looking for changes. The fact that the social +work is having such a remarkable growth, while the spiritual work is +apparently unable to hold its own, is in itself a feature demanding a +change. The Army of industrial and social officers and employees will +not be bound by the same ties to the General as his former Army of +spiritual officers and soldiers. The latter were possessed with an +emotional, fanatical enthusiasm which blinded them to everything save +the service of their much adored General. The former have a different +outlook on life. They are the new Army, a result of tendencies inherent +in the growth of the movement. They look at humanity and individuals +from other standpoints than that of the salvation of the soul. The +material side of society, with its institutions of business, and +practical forms of charitable relief, occupies a large amount of their +attention. This has already led to considerable differentiation of +government and control. Take, for example, the corporation, "The +Industrial Homes Company" controlling eighty-four industrial +institutions in the United States, and managed by a board of directors +in New York City. This example is opening the way toward a future +government by a board of some sort for other departments of the Army, +and in time for the spiritual department, and then the further step of +representation of members on these boards will not be far distant. At +any rate we see reason for hoping that, while other improvements are +taking place, the government of the Army will not be a handicap to the +movement. + +By the third objection, that the Army in its financial dealings does not +take the public sufficiently into its confidence, is meant that complete +records of detailed expenditure are not issued. The public provides for +a large part of the income of the Army, and it has a right to know just +how and where that income is spent. The man and woman who is being +continually confronted by a lassie on the street with a little box for +the receipt of contributions, after contributing again and again, is +likely to ask the question, just where is this money going; and it would +be of advantage to the Army itself, if it would issue a more definite +statement of the use to which it puts public money. Some people are +satisfied with the general report that "the Army is doing good," but +there are many who would contribute more largely, if they knew directly +for what they were contributing. In reply to this criticism, the Army +states that it deposits regularly with the state authorities a +statement showing the disposition and state of the finances of its +corporations, such as "The Reliance Trading Company" and "The Salvation +Army Industrial Homes Company." + +The Army also issues every year a balance sheet which shows its assets +and liabilities on a large scale. But this is not sufficient. The +ordinary person can receive no light from either the statement deposited +with the state authorities or the yearly balance sheet published by the +Army. In fact, although the Army uses the services of an expert +accountant in getting out this balance sheet, for all that the public +knows, it may be using the funds entrusted to it in any way it wishes. +This should be remedied by a regular statement, clearly revealing the +disposition of every cent donated. + +A discussion of the preceding objection leads us to the fourth +objection, that the Army collects funds on the strength of its social +work, and applies these funds to the carrying on of its religious +propaganda.[97] The Army denies this, but admits that there is a good +deal of money collected for the general work, there being no specific +object implied when it is collected, other than a statement of the +various departments in which the Army is working, and of their extent. +Of course, the social work comes in for strong presentation on the +statement, but the money not being collected for any one object, the +Army is at liberty to apply it to any branch of its work whether +spiritual or social. This again shows the need of greater definiteness +and accuracy in the Army's report to the public. + +A fifth objection is the lack of accuracy shown by the Army in its +reports of work accomplished.[98] This has special reference to the +statistics published by the Army, and is a good criticism. At different +times and in different parts of the world, statistics are given out, +which seems to emanate from no one authority, which are often +contradictory, and which create confusion in the mind of the person +wishing to get at the facts. As a result of a good deal of recent +criticism on this point, all future statistics of the Army in the United +States are to come from one point only, are to be in charge of an +expert, and no publication of statistics is to be allowed without the +consent of the National Headquarters. + +The sixth and last objection is a very important one and one which has +been seen in the history of organizations without number, viz: that the +organization tends to become an end in itself, instead of a means to an +end. This objection is also allied to a former one regarding a lack of +cooperation on the part of the Army with other organizations. More and +more an organization, formed as is the Army, feels complete in itself, +and works continually for its own interests and its own glory. In a +large number of instances the objective point that was once humanity and +the glory of God tends to become the advancement of the Army. While +feeling that this objection is a serious one, it still cannot be +considered as anything but unavoidable, considering the government and +general character of the movement. If it were possible for the Army to +be governed locally, and to some extent, nationally by boards, a part of +whose membership represented the public, we believe that the tendency to +advance its own interest would be diminished. Study out the workings and +control of this organization, and it is found a machine, ever seeking to +increase its power and field of work. If this machine could be +controlled to some extent by the public which feeds it, it might be kept +as a useful servant, but otherwise, in spite of the great service which +it does society to-day, the tendency to get away from its object and to +become an object itself, will be more and more dangerous. + +In conclusion, then, we find that these objections advanced by the +critics are not without foundation, and while some may be more +tendencies than actualities, it lies with the organization to guard +itself from them. We have found the Army an efficient worker along +several lines, and society owes it a considerable debt for past service +and lessons learned from it. Hence it would be a great pity for its +efficiency as a great public servant to be lessened by a lack of +publicity regarding its finance, or by a narrow, self-centered policy, +or by a too centralized form of government. Some of the Army leaders are +men of great hearts and strong minds, and it is to be hoped that, +whenever in the future, the opportunity offers to make a beneficial +change of policy in its duty toward the public or toward its sister +organizations engaged in charitable work or in its own internal +administration, that these leaders will stand firmly for what they +believe, and demand the necessary change. + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[97] See the "S. A. and the Public," Ch. 5. + +[98] See the "Social Relief Work of the S. A.," p. 4. + + + + +BIBLIOGRAPHY. + + American Journal of Sociology, Volume III. + + Besant, Sir Walter, + The Farm and the City, + Contemporary Review, 72-792. + + Booth, Bramwell, + I. A Day with the Salvation Army, + S. A. Press, London, 1904. + + II. Illustrated Interviews, + S. A. Press, London, 1905. + + Booth, Charles, + Life and Labor of the People, + The Macmillan Co., New York, 1899. + + Booth, Commander Eva, + Where Shadows Lengthen, + S. A. Press, New York, 1906. + + Booth, Florence E. + A Peep into My Letter Bag, + S. A. Press, London, 1905. + + Booth, William, + I. In Darkest England, and the Way Out, + S. A. Press, London, 1890. + + II. Social Service in the Salvation Army, + S. A. Press, London, 1903. + + III. The Doctrines of the Salvation Army, + S. A. Press, London. + + IV. The Why and Wherefore of the Rules and Regulations + of the Salvation Army, + S. A. Press, London. + + V. Orders and Regulations for Field Officers, + S. A. Press, London. + + Booth-Tucker, Commander, + I. William Booth, Life of + S. A. Press, New York, 1898. + + II. The Salvation Army in the United States, + S. A. Press, New York, 1899. + + III. Social Relief Work of the Salvation Army in the + United States, + S. A. Press, New York, 1900. + + IV. Our Future Pauper Policy in America, + S. A. Press, New York, 1898. + + V. Prairie Homes for City Poor, + S. A. Press, New York, 1899. + + VI. A Review of the Salvation Army Land Colony in California, + S. A. Press, New York, 1903. + + Coates, Thomas F. G. + The Prophet of the Poor, + E. P. Dutton & Co., New York, 1906. + + Dawson, William Harbutt, + The German Workman, + Chas. Scribner's Sons, New York, 1906. + + Devine, Edward T., + The Principles of Relief, + The Macmillan Co., New York, 1905. + + Hadleigh, + The Salvation Army Colony, + S. A. Press, London, 1904. + + Haggard, H. Rider, + The Poor and the Land, + Longmans, Green & Co., New York, 1905. + + Higgins, Mrs. Catherine, + Love's Laborings in Sorrow's Soil, + S. A. Press, New York, 1904. + + Huxley, T. H., + Social Diseases and Worse Remedies, + The Macmillan Co., New York, 1891. + + Manson, John, + The Salvation Army and the Public, + E. P. Dutton & Co., New York, 1906. + + Precipices: A Sketch of Salvation Army Social Work, + S. A. Press, London, 1904. + + Report of Committee of Fifteen, + The Social Evil, + G. P. Putnam's Sons, New York, 1902. + + Report of the Departmental Committee, Appointed to Consider + Mr. Rider Haggard's Report on Agricultural Settlements in + British Colonies. + Wyman & Sons, London, 1906. + + Riis, Jacob A., + I. How the Other Half Lives, + Chas. Scribner's Sons, New York, 1902. + + II. The Children of the Poor, + Chas. Scribner's Sons, New York, 1902. + + III. A Ten Years' War, + Houghton, Mifflin & Co., New York, 1900. + + IV. The Peril and Preservation of the Home, + Geo. W. Jacobs' & Co., Philadelphia, 1903. + + Ruskin, John, + Sesame and Lillies, + Donohue, Hernneberry and Co., Chicago. + + Seager, Henry Rogers, + Introduction to Economics, + Henry Holt and Co., New York, 1908. + + Selected Papers on the Social Work of the Salvation Army, + S. A. Press, London, 1907. + + Solenberger, Edwin D., + The Social Relief Work of the Salvation Army, + Byron & Willard Co., Minneapolis, 1906. + + Swan, Annie S., + The Outsiders, + S. A. Press, London, 1905. + + Warner, Amos G., + American Charities, + T. J. Crowell & Co., New York, 1894. + + + + +VITA. + +The author of this dissertation, Edwin Gifford Lamb, was born in London, +England, December 22, 1878. He attended private schools in that city and +then spent three years in Northwestern Canada without schooling. After +this he went to California where he prepared for college in the +preparatory department of the University of the Pacific. He became a +citizen of the United States as soon as eligible and graduated from +Leland Stanford Junior University in 1904, with the degree of A. B. In +the year 1904-'05, he was a student at Union Theological Seminary and +Columbia University. During the year 1905-'06, he held a scholarship in +Sociology at Columbia University. At this institution he studied under +Professors F. H. Giddings, John B. Clark, H. R. Seager, H. L. Moore, J. +Dewey, F. J. E. Woodbridge and W. P. Montague. Since that time he has +been an instructor in the Harström School, Norwalk, Connecticut. + + + + +Transcriber's Note: + +Inconsistent hyphenation and capitalization have been left as in the +original text. The same is true for inconsistent abbreviations for U. S. +states and inconsistent placement of footnote markers. + +CHAP. III. (in the original text) has been changed to CHAPTER III. for +consistency. + +Punctuation has been standardized. Spelling mistakes have been +corrected, except for the items listed below, which have not been +changed. + +The book seems to use fl., rather than ff., as an abbreviation that +refers to the pages following a number. + +This book refers twice to the title "Sesame and Lillies." In other +sources, that title is sometimes spelled as "Sesame and Lilies." + +On the list of "Examples of Salvation Army Hotel Lodgers," under No. 3, +the city name Pittsburgh is misspelled as Pittsburg in the original +text. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Social Work of the Salvation Army, by +Edwin Gifford Lamb + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 30295 *** |