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diff --git a/40122-8.txt b/40122-8.txt deleted file mode 100644 index b9f2a59..0000000 --- a/40122-8.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,9165 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of Glimpses into the Abyss, by Mary Higgs - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with -almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org - - -Title: Glimpses into the Abyss - -Author: Mary Higgs - -Release Date: July 1, 2012 [EBook #40122] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK GLIMPSES INTO THE ABYSS *** - - - - -Produced by Annie R. McGuire. This book was produced from -scanned images of public domain material from the Google -Print archive. - - - - - - - - - -GLIMPSES INTO THE ABYSS. - - - - -GLIMPSES INTO THE ABYSS - - -BY -MARY HIGGS - -Author of "The Master", "How to deal with the Unemployed" - - -LONDON: -P. S. KING & SON -ORCHARD HOUSE, WESTMINSTER -1906 - - - - -AUTHOR'S PREFACE. - - -The author has conducted social research for a number of years on an -original plan. - -Securing a lodging where a destitute woman could be accommodated, and -providing cleansing and dress, she has steadily taken in through a -period of six years every case of complete destitution that came to her, -willing to undergo remedial treatment. The work grew; accommodation for -four was provided, with two paid helpers. The small cottage used acts as -a social microscope, every case being personally investigated as to past -life, history, and present need, and dealt with accordingly. The writer, -as Secretary to the Ladies' Committee of Oldham Workhouse, next became -personally acquainted with the working of the Poor-law and studied it by -means of books also. By degrees the Rescue work came to cover -Police-court and Lodging-house work, and, as there was no other Shelter -in Oldham, cases of all sorts came under her notice. She thus studied -personally the microbes of social disorder. - -By degrees she came to understand the existence of certain "classes" -(classifying them much as observation led her to classify objects -observed in physical studies). Also, she clearly perceived that causes -were at work leading to rapid degeneration, and was led to pre-suppose -currents working for social destruction. - -She then commenced investigating remedial agencies and interrogating -social observers. She found among them a similar experience of great -waste and lack of salvage through defects not to be remedied by private -action. - -This led her more and more to consider national aspects of the question. -She visited personally Hadleigh Farm Colony, questioned experts at West -Ham, visited and interrogated Police, Prevention of Cruelty to Children -officers, Vigilance officers, and others; and by degrees obtained a -mass of information. But still the root problems of poverty remained -dark to her, and she became convinced that nothing but accurate and -scientific exploration of the depths would reveal the currents leading -to degradation. - -After the idea dawned upon her, some months elapsed before she felt able -to arrange to face the ordeal, but during this time proofs accumulated -of the uselessness of any other methods. She reflected that exploration -was the method of science, and became herself an explorer of "Darkest -England." The results amply justified the experiment. She has now -carried through the following explorations, each time with increasing -knowledge:-- - -(_a_) A tour through West Yorkshire, embracing one municipal, one common -lodging-house, two tramp wards, and a women's shelter. - -(_b_) An investigation into a Lancashire tramp ward. - -(_c_) Investigation of a Salvation Army Women's Shelter. - -(_d_) An investigation into the lodging-house conditions in a -neighbouring town. - -(_e_) An investigation into conditions in women's lodging-houses in a -Lancashire centre. - -(_f_) Investigation into a London casual ward; also enquiry and -investigation as to women's lodging-houses in London. - -These investigations have placed her in possession of facts which form -the basis of the introductory essay. - -In addition, however, her possession of experience and knowledge have -opened to her many sources of information not available to the general -public. She has received much private information embodied in these -pages, and has had the privilege of attending and taking part in -official discussions. Also by visits to a common lodging-house she -obtained much light on the views of the class that occasionally find -themselves in the tramp ward. She has also collected information from -the Press, and studied the literature obtainable which threw light on -vagrancy legislation in other countries. - -Recently she has visited Denmark and had the privilege of investigating -the working of the Poor-law system. The official view was obtained, and -workhouses, etc., visited, and the system seen in operation. But also by -a visit to Salvation Army Headquarters in Copenhagen, and from other -sources, she obtained as thorough an idea as possible of the actual -working of the nation's remedies for poverty. Also the connection of the -Poor Law with the Municipality was studied. - -She also undertook a literary investigation into deterioration of human -personality, viewed from the psychological, medical, and religious -points of view, writing an essay which won the Gibson Prize at Girton -(1905). - -It seemed to be the necessary corollary to the acquisition of a wide -collection of facts to form some unitary theory capable of correlating -them. - -A very simple theory, which will be found to accord with Plato's -diagnosis of the degeneration of a State or an individual, with Meyer's -"Disintegrations of Personality," and with James' "Phenomena of -Religious Experience," therefore underlies this essay; but it is apart -from its objects to do more than state it. It is enunciated more fully -in an article in the _Contemporary Review_, now out, entitled "Mankind -in the Making." It is this:-- - -(_a_) The psychology of the individual retraces the path of the -psychology of the race. - -(_b_) In any given individual the _whole_ path climbed by the foremost -classes or races may not be retraced. Therefore numbers of individuals -are permanently stranded on lower levels of evolution. _Society can -quicken evolution_ by right social arrangements, scientific in -principle. - -(_c_) Granted that any individual attains a certain psychical evolution -in _normal_ development, either evolution or devolution lies before him. -Wrong social conditions lead to widespread devolution. The retrograde -unit retraces downwards the upward path of the race, and can only be -reclaimed along this path by wise social legislation, bringing steady -pressure to bear along the lines of evolution, (barring extraordinary -religious phenomena, which often reclaim individuals or communities). - -(_d_) Society has now arrived at a point of development when these facts -must be recognised, and the whole question of the organisation of -humanity put on a scientific basis. It will then be possible to reduce -the sciences of sociology and psychology to scientific order, and our -national treatment of such questions as vagrancy will be no longer -purely empirical.[1] - - NOTE.--The Committee on Vagrancy, before which the author appeared - as a witness (see Appendix IV.), was sitting during the months - occupied in the writing of this book. Its conclusions, with which - the author is in substantial agreement, are therefore added in the - form of notes and appendices. - - This Preface was not originally written as such, but formed the - introduction to the Gamble Prize Essay, in connection with which - the essayist was required to furnish a history of personal - research in connection with the subject chosen. - -FOOTNOTES: - -[1] See pp. 83-86. - - - - -CONTENTS. - - - CHAP. PAGE - I. VAGRANCY: AN ESSAY AWARDED GIRTON GAMBLE PRIZE, 1906 1 - - I. Vagrancy as an underlying social factor, p. 1--II. Vagrancy - from the commencement of the nineteenth century, p. 7--III. - Special legislation for vagrancy, p. 11--IV. Examination of - vagrancy as it exists at present: statistics, p. 17--V. Further - (personal) investigations, p. 23--VI. Indictment of the tramp ward - (correspondence with a working man), p. 33--VII. The common - lodging-house, p. 46--VIII. Summary of results of investigation, - p. 52--IX. Vagrancy legislation in other countries, p. 54--X. - Tentative attempts in England, p. 64--XI. Reforms having reference - to vagrancy, p. 71--XII. Conclusion, p. 82. - - II. FIVE DAYS AND FIVE NIGHTS AS A TRAMP AMONG TRAMPS 87 - - I. A night in a municipal lodging-house--II. A night in a common - lodging-house--III. First night in a workhouse tramp ward--IV. - Second night in a workhouse tramp ward--V. Night in a woman's - shelter. - - III. A NORTHERN TRAMP WARD 136 - - IV. A NIGHT IN A SALVATION ARMY SHELTER 175 - - V. THREE NIGHTS IN WOMEN'S LODGING-HOUSES 197 - - I. First night--II. Second night--III. Third night. - - VI. COMMON LODGING-HOUSE LIFE 232 - - I. In a northern town--II. In a northern city. - - VII. LONDON INVESTIGATIONS 255 - - I. London lodgings--II. A London tramp ward. - - VIII. A SYMPOSIUM IN A COMMON LODGING-HOUSE 269 - - IX. VAGRANCY: ITS RELATION TO THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION 284 - - -APPENDICES. - - I. TRANSFER OF CASUALS TO POLICE SUPERVISION 303 - - II. SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS OF VAGRANCY COMMITTEE 305 - - III. LABOUR COLONIES: SUMMARY 309 - - IV. WOMEN: REPORT OF VAGRANCY COMMITTEE 312 - - V. EVILS OF SHORT SENTENCES 316 - - VI. PREFACE BY CANON HICKS, OF SALFORD, TO - "FIVE DAYS AND NIGHTS AS A TRAMP - AMONG TRAMPS" 317 - - VII. IMMORALITY AS CAUSED BY DESTITUTION AMONG WOMEN 319 - - VIII. COMMON LODGING-HOUSES _versus_ SHELTERS 324 - - * * * * * - - INDEX 329 - - - - -CHAPTER I. - -VAGRANCY. - - -INTRODUCTION. - -The word "vagrancy," from the Latin _vagare_, to wander, now implies a -crime against civilised society (Vagrancy Report, p. 3, footnote). Laws -to restrain or abolish it form part of the code of European and other -civilised States. - -Nevertheless, the _fact_ of vagrancy is one deep rooted in human nature. -The tendency to it recurs both in the individual and in the race. In one -stage of development the child, unless restrained by watchful care, is -essentially a vagrant, and a "roaming fit" seizes many of us at times. -Before considering therefore historically, the legislation and remedies -applied to the _crime_ of vagrancy, it will be well to dwell briefly on -the underlying reasons for it. - - -I. VAGRANCY AS AN UNDERLYING SOCIAL FACTOR. - -If we take the history of any country we find that human life has -covered it at different times much as geological strata cover the face -of the earth. In Victoria Cave, Settle, for instance, human remains and -relics of the corresponding animal and social life were actually found -stratified. If you take the lowest stratum of society in any country the -aboriginal man was, and still is, in countries where aborigines survive, -a vagrant. The nomad is the foundation stone of human society. He is -therefore a _survival_, and should be treated as such.[2] So long as -mankind was nomad, the only way in which a man could be a vagrant in the -modern sense of the term would be by some crime that excluded him from -the companionship of his fellows like that of Cain. A man with his hand -against every man would be a vagrant. A whole tribe might become vagrant -relatively to other tribes, as the Bushmen of South Africa, or the -gipsies of all countries. - -As civilization proceeded they remained as representatives of a prior -stratification of humanity. - -As by degrees men became pastoral and acquired flocks and herds, the man -of no possessions would be relatively left behind as the unabsorbed -nomad. But the world was wide, the best land alone was appropriated, and -even when England had become largely agricultural there was plenty of -room for Robin Hood and his merry men, and doubtless countless others, -to lead the nomad life. - -Though the great majority of the population was settled on the land, -there was an amount of authorised travelling that, relatively to the -facilities for travel, was considerable. Pilgrimages to shrines and -military expeditions and merchants' journeys led many on to the roads -with money in their pouch, and the less wealthy could make use of the -hospitality of abbeys. Fuller describes the old abbeys as "promiscuously -entertaining some who did not need and more who did not deserve it" -("Church History," ed. 1656, p. 298). Even the funds of the Church did -not suffice for the number of people roaming the country in idleness and -beggary, as by degrees the country became settled, land enclosed, and -the opportunity for sustenance by a vagrant life less and less -certain.[3] - -As far back as the reign of Richard II., in 1388, it became necessary -for the protection of society to legislate against vagrancy.[4] The -natural thing when society was almost wholly agricultural, and -stationary in villages or towns, was to legislate against and forbid -vagrancy. Beggars impotent to serve were to remain where the Act found -them, and be there maintained or sent back to their birthplace. This is -the germ of the law of settlement, by which every Englishman was -supposed to have a birthright in his native parish. The laws were made -stricter and stricter, yet vagrancy did not cease, even when the penalty -was whipping, loss of ears and hanging for the third offence.[5] - -Even now society does not recognise that units squeezed out of true -social relationships _must_ become vagrants, as surely as soil trodden -on the highway becomes dust. - -The amount of vagrancy, _i.e._ of those obliged to revert to primitive -conditions, depends as surely on the drying up of means of sustenance as -the highway dust on the absence of refreshing showers. - -Any change in society that displaces a large number of units is sure to -result in increase of vagrancy. Of those forced out many cannot regain a -footing if they would.[6] - -But as time went on another class was added to the nomad as akin to it, -and yet its origin is wholly different. The man unable to settle because -of his affinity to a roving life is one thing, the man _squeezed out_ of -the pastoral or agricultural life is another. The latter is akin to our -"unskilled labourer," a social unit unfitted for any but a primitive -kind of existence, unfitted for industrial development, but not -essentially nomad.[7] - -As early as Henry VIII., 1531, we find a second class, that of the -"incapable," those who could not work, who were "licensed to beg." - -The formation of this class was accelerated by the failure of the Church -to provide for the assistance of the poor, by suppression of abbeys, -etc., at the same time that the abolition of villeinage, which was still -recent, threw off from organised society dependents very unfit to live a -self-supporting life. (See Note 2.) Thus again the drying up of means -of subsistence created as it were another layer of easily drifting dust. - -These two classes, that of the "poor, impotent, sick, and diseased," -_i.e._ the incapable, and of the "lusty," form the foundation of our -Poor-law system.[8] - -It is thus seen that changes in the social organisation left behind -another stratum to be provided for by legislation. So long as the -half-feudal, half-ecclesiastical framework of society existed, there was -nutriment for the individual who was left stranded. He was shepherded in -some way or other either by church or lord. But when social change left -him unshepherded the charge fell on _the nation as an organised unit_. -The Poor Law began. The necessity for it arose at once when "all parts -of England and Wales be presently with rogues, vagabonds, and sturdy -beggars exceedingly pestered, by means whereof daily happened in the -same realm horrible murders, thefts, and other great outrages." - -Since, therefore, a transition period leaves behind such a layer of -social _débris_, it is only to be expected that we should find the third -great change that has passed over society, which is still recent, -namely, the change to the industrial epoch, to be productive of another -layer of social _débris_ or dust. - - -II. VAGRANCY FROM THE COMMENCEMENT OF THE NINETEENTH CENTURY. - -If society was profoundly affected by the change from agriculture to -sheep farming that took place in the Elizabethan period, and other -social changes that followed, how much more must we expect to find the -effects of such a tremendous change as the Industrial revolution! John -A. Hobson points out (in "Problems of Poverty," p. 24) that "the period -from 1790 to 1840 was the most miserable epoch in the history of the -English working classes." It is doubtful indeed whether we have really -recovered from the "sickness" of that period. The rise in wages has -largely been swallowed up by the enormous rise in rent, estimated by Sir -Robert Giffen at 150 per cent. in fifty years, which in city life is -felt most oppressively. "Classes" have, it is true, risen out of the -"masses," including the upper working class, but the poverty of large -populations is still extreme. It is a matter of grave moment for -civilized society that in London, for example, according to Charles -Booth's investigations, it can still be said that out of a population of -891,539, 111,000 might be swept out of existence and "no class nor any -industry would suffer in the least." For the origin of such a mass of -hopeless poverty, we must look to the miseries of the early factory -times, and the oppressive pressure of capital on labour, only slowly -being counteracted by legislation. - -We have in fact added to the class of hereditary vagrants and those -driven from means of subsistence by incapacity and helplessness, a third -class which we may call "inefficient." The origin of this class is -directly due to the incoming of the factory system and the -specialisation of industry. As the demand for labour in towns grew, -numbers of poor were attracted. Of these some were capable of attaining -industrial skill, others were not. The latter became hangers-on to the -rising industries. It is not sufficiently recognised that the pressure -of the demands of capital on labour are continually increasing, and -that, therefore, many fall below the standard of efficiency _now_ who -originally would not have done so. For example, in cotton mills the -number of spindles per worker has greatly increased, and also the -"speeding" of the machinery. A man who could work at the old pace might -not be able to work at the new, and would therefore be rejected as -"inefficient," but he would only be _relatively_ "inefficient." Yet such -is the skill necessary in British industries, that "low-skilled labour" -is all that numbers of working lads can ever attain to, through defects -in physique or education. It will easily be seen that this mass of -"low-skilled" labour furnishes a third class from which vagrancy may -easily be recruited, by slight relative changes in the prosperity of the -community.[9] - -Also there is another change, due to wide social differences in -organisation, between the preceding century and the nineteenth, which -has a direct bearing on the question of vagrancy, but has been little -noticed. It is evident that _facilities for migration_ must have some -relation to amount of migration. In the days when it was a formidable -journey to travel from London to Manchester, the fact affected all -grades of society. The coming of the steam engine has meant more than -industrial revolution, it spells social revolution. It has acted as a -disintegrating as well as an integrating force. On the one hand the -_community_ is more closely bound together by newspapers, common -customs, facilities for intercourse, and quick transit. On the other -hand family ties are loosened, and a vagrant habit of migration, -seasonal and otherwise, makes residence in a strange place no longer -formidable. As a social solvent the effect of the railway can hardly be -exaggerated. But an _individual_ separated from family or social ties -is easily loosened, if means of support fail, and quite a new form of -vagrancy arises from "inefficient" industrials migrating in search of -work.[10] - -We must therefore consider next the attempt of the social organism to -provide for the vagrancy of the new era, the reasons for its -ineffectiveness, and the remedies most likely to succeed. - -(1) The _attempt_ we shall find in the provision of the tramp ward. - -(2) The reasons for its ineffectiveness will best be elucidated by an -examination of the actual conditions of things in respect to vagrancy at -present. This will be given largely as a result of research work done by -the writer, or of facts she has collected. - -(3) It will then be necessary to examine first some remedies tried in -other countries. - -After this some attention may be paid to tentative experiments in our -own country. - -(4) It will then remain to sketch the lines of future development and if -possible elucidate scientific outlines of possible progress from the -collected facts. - -The mass of these is so great that for the sake of brevity this historic -prelude has been made very short. A most interesting historical study -could be made of the relation of vagrancy to the ebb and flow of -national life. - - -III. SPECIAL LEGISLATION FOR VAGRANCY. - -With the disturbances due to a change of condition of the working -classes, and to the oncoming of a new epoch, arose an impulse towards -repression, similar to that which in Elizabeth's time led to the laws -against "sturdy beggars." The pressure of poverty, driving off -individuals into the unattached or "dust" condition, causes of course an -increase of beggary. This is resented by the upper classes, and if they -constitute the main proportion of government, the natural consequence is -sterner legislation with a view to putting down the evil. Thus, in 1824 -was passed an Act, still in force, by which a beggar wandering alone, or -asking alms in public places, may be punished as an idle or disorderly -person with imprisonment for one month with hard labour. If already -sentenced, with three months' hard labour. If again sentenced, twelve -months' hard labour with whipping.[11] The severity of this law has been -mitigated by the magistrates' unwillingness to convict for "the first -offence." - -But all legislation is unavailing to control vagrancy by _repression_ if -it springs from widespread social evils. The state of England under -heavy tariffs grew worse and worse. Rose in his "Rise of Democracy" says -that duties were imposed on 1,200 articles--"a system which was -disastrous to the nation's finance, and to the manufacturers and -operatives who formed the backbone of the nation. Manufacturers had -enormous stocks of unsaleable goods, operatives had the bitter -experience of an empty larder." "The state of society in England," wrote -Dr. Arnold to Carlyle in 1840, "was never yet paralleled in history." -"Alton Locke" and Cooper's "Autobiography" reveal something of the -prevailing wretchedness. Lord Rosebery (speaking at Manchester Chamber -of Commerce, November 1st, 1897) gave a picture of Manchester in 1839: -"118 mills and other works were standing idle; 681 shops and offices -were untenanted; 5,490 dwellings unoccupied. In one district there were -2,000 families without a bed among them; 8,000 people whose weekly -income was only 1_s_. 2-1/2_d_. In Stockport 72,314 people had received -relief whose average income was 9-1/5_d_." Wheat was at 65_s_. a -quarter. Strikes followed in 1842 and 1844. - -Such a state of things must inevitably have led to the gradual breaking -down of numbers into vagrancy. The process is a slow one. Homes -successfully resist disintegration, often for a surprising length of -time, but if trade depression continues they yield. First the worst go, -and then better ones follow. This leads to pressure on public -accommodation, at first hardly noticed, but as it increases there arise -rumours of need for fresh legislation. This again is accompanied by -investigation, often lengthy, and tentative experiment also covers -ground, and so time passes.[12] It is not surprising, however, to learn -that by degrees workhouses came to be regarded as "poor men's hotels," -that the roving vagrant population seriously increased, and that -pressure on accommodation led at last to legislation. In London -especially the number of "sleepers-out" increased so much that the -existence of a poor class practically outside the law of settlement and -requiring at any rate temporary accommodation was recognised.[13] It was -at first a _humane_ measure to supplement the old severe Vagrant Act, 5 -Geo. IV. c. 5, of imprisonment for one month with hard labour for -wandering about, begging and neglecting family, or for three months, -with hard labour if previously convicted, or found in uninhabited -buildings, or if vagrants without visible means of subsistence. This was -supplemented by the Metropolitan Houseless Poor Acts, 1864 and 1865 (27 -& 28 Vict. c. 116, and 28 & 29 Vict. c. 34), which provided for -destitute wayfarers and wanderers and foundlings shelter for the night. - -But the creation of a new pauper class, _i.e._ CASUALS, needed a very -wise statesmanship. We shall see later that the same need in other -countries has led to much wiser measures. - -In England, by the extension of this system to all workhouses, the -CASUAL WARD was created in 1871.[14] Legislation since has principally -been directed to making it deterrent and severe. It has never been a -_provision_ for migration such as the _German relief station_ affords. -It does not deal effectively with either vagrant, incapable, or the -special product of the industrial period, the ineffective. The charges -to be made against it must, however, be backed up by evidence. It will -be sufficient now briefly to sketch what can only be considered as a -national costly experiment which has failed in its purpose.[15] At first -only _shelter_ was provided, then _food_ to obviate beggary, but of the -most meagre description[16]: in many unions still only bread and water -and a small portion of cheese is given, even with hard labour,[17] At -first the casual was only detained till 11 A.M. or till completion of -task. But as the numbers were found to increase, by the Casual Poor Act -of 1882 (45 & 46 Vict. c. 36) it was ordered that the casual poor should -be detained till the second day and discharged at 9 A.M., after a full -day's task. There are still, however, many unions where this is not -enforced.[18] - -A task of work in return for food was first demanded in 1842 after the -commencement of the tide of vagrancy of which I have spoken. - -It will be seen what a tremendous national experiment thus gradually -arose under most unfavourable conditions. The nature of these adverse -conditions may be summarised thus: - -(1) The legislation was at best "hand to mouth," not taking into account -the real causes at work. - -(2) It was the result to a large extent of class prejudice, and all -homeless wanderers, from whatever cause, are lumped together as -"vagrants." - -(3) It was impossible for the Local Government Board, however much it -wished to do so, to secure a _uniform system throughout the country_. It -does not even yet exist. - -(4) The system attempted to deal with a class without any effective -control over them. There is less control over vagrants than over -paupers. - -(5) Considerations of self-interest would obviously cause guardians to -attempt to keep down casuals, regardless of statistics of sleeping out -and beggary. - -(6) Official opinion would hardly be in favour of a troublesome class, -and grave abuses might easily arise. - -To show that the casual ward is ineffective and costly, and open to -grave abuse, evidence will now be given. It must be clearly noted that -_provision for migration_ is a new need of the Industrial age, and -should not be confused with repression of vagrancy. _Vagrancy proper_ -was the _crime_ of individuals who dropped out of a settled, mainly -agricultural, society into the wandering life. _Vagrancy as induced by -modern conditions_ may be no crime. It is not a crime for a man who -cannot obtain work to migrate to find it, or for a man to return home on -foot from a distance. Yet, if there is no proper provision for -_migration_, a man may, by contact with vagrants proper and -degeneration, become incapable of settled existence. To prevent this -should be the aim of social legislation. This would be _true_ repression -of vagrancy. - - -IV. EXAMINATION OF VAGRANCY AS IT EXISTS AT PRESENT. - -STATISTICS OF INVESTIGATION. - -It is very difficult at first sight to examine the phenomena of -vagrancy. Statistics covering the whole nation are comparatively -useless, except that a great _general_ rise, such as has recently taken -place, has grave significance. The policy of guardians in different -parts of the country changes. Severer tasks and harsher conditions -naturally reduce the number of candidates for the casual ward. Therefore -statistics of reductions in inmates may be most misleading.[19] Mr. -C. H. Fox, of Wellington, Somerset, has for a long time taken pains to -observe the tide of vagrancy flowing through his union, which receives -casuals journeying northward. The stringent order of the Local -Government Board, February 25, 1896, asking for the detention of casuals -for two nights instead of one, and advising the separate cell system, -had the following results: "The number of casuals applying for police -orders in Somerset from July, 1895, to July, 1896, twelve months before -the more stringent order, was 25,062; and the number from July, 1896, -seven months after the more stringent order, was 19,789. This shows a -diminution of 21 per cent., and the current saying was 'Behold the -success of their severity.' But, alas! during the latter period the -cases of begging in the country rose no less than 83 per cent. and -sleeping out 39 per cent., showing that severity only drove men to beg -and find lodging where there was no imprisonment." The same observer -shows how casual statistics depend upon statistics of unemployment by -the following observation: - - "He lived on one of the main arteries of nomadic travel from - London and the north to Plymouth and the west, and had peculiar - opportunities for observation, of which he freely availed himself. - Casuals applying for police orders 1890-91 (years of fairly good - trade), 2,109; casuals applying for police orders 1893-94 (years - of depressed trade) 4,705. Certainly the additional 2,596 were not - "professional tramps," but, as usual, unfortunate _inferior - workmen who were the first to receive notice when trade was - bad_."[20] - -That the same results are occurring now, namely, the crowding into the -tramp ward of unemployed workmen travelling in search of work, I have -ample evidence. A few facts will suffice to elucidate this point, but it -must also be remarked that in addition to _increase_ there is also an -actual _displacement_ of the ordinary vagrant by the unfortunate -ineffective or even effective workman out of work. The reason for this -is not far to seek. Times of general distress and unemployment are -_harvest times for the man who lives by preying on society_. He who is -not ashamed to beg can easily invent a "moving tale," and find his -harvest of charity ready. Consequently, he is seldom too hard up to get -a bed in the common lodging-house. "Mouchers" of all descriptions, both -infirm and otherwise, may be found enjoying themselves, getting usually -plenty of drink and food, while the "genuine working man" roams the -country with a sinking heart and empty stomach, sleeping in the open or -forced into the casual ward.[21] - -This little-noticed fact is attested in various ways. - -Here are the statistics of male casuals examined in Rochdale by an -expert workhouse official during the closing weeks of 1903: "Of 936 -persons reported on, the majority were in the prime of life. There were -only 26 under the age of 21, and 34 over 66. Only 62 were married; 133 -were widowers and 741 single. There were 391 skilled artisans, 555 -'labourers,' 125 ex-soldiers and sailors (many with excellent conduct -records), and one was an ex-member of the Royal Irish Constabulary." - -Thirty-nine admitted that they had lost their work through drink. -Doubtless there were others of whom the same could be said (Dr. Pinck, -the workhouse medical officer at Rochdale, is of opinion that a -comparatively small proportion of true vagrants owe their poverty to -intemperance.) Of all the 936 persons reported on, the workhouse master -said _he could not describe more than 33 as habitual vagrants_. Mr. -Leach himself, who has made a close study of the subject, is convinced -that a large proportion of the men on the road are tramping because they -want work and cannot find it at home. The report continues: "Upon these -the present regulations press with senseless severity." - -A similar investigation, summarised in the "Toynbee Record" for -February, 1905, gives the result of two voluntary investigations in the -months of November and December, 1904, conducted at Whitechapel casual -ward. Of 250 men only 15 admitted marriage, 56 per cent. were between 30 -and 50 years of age, 20 per cent. had been in the Army. Dockers and -labourers were numerous, but other occupations were represented by quite -a few members apiece. There was only one tailor. The investigators "were -surprised at the thoroughly decent appearance of a large proportion of -the men."[22] - -Okehampton found (winter 1904-5) that "a large proportion of tramps were -discharged soldiers from the Army, 25 or 30 per cent."[23] At a -conference on vagrancy in Manchester (winter 1904-5), attended by -masters, matrons, relieving officers, and guardians, similar reports -were given, and a unanimous resolution was passed in favour of fresh -legislation, while the failure of the present system and its result as -_manufacturing_ vagrants was freely acknowledged. With regard to the -growth of vagrancy as a result of bad trade, the following investigation -may be of value. It will illustrate also the _irregularity_ of -treatment, and the natural tendency of wanderers to go where the -treatment is less harsh. - -It is self-evident that large increases in vagrancy in consecutive years -cannot possibly be due to a _normal increase_ in vagrancy, but _must_ be -due to extraordinary pressure forcing individuals into it. Thus the -relation of vagrancy to unemployment is amply demonstrated. (See note -19.) - -_Investigation into 54 Unions in Eastern Division by Lynn -Guardians._--43 replies; 4 had no vagrants; 37 show a striking increase -for September, 1904. September, 1903, 2,859 vagrants; September, 1904, -4,082; increase, 1,223. Decrease in 6 unions. - -_Task._ - - In 16. Oakum picking, Remainder. Sawing wood, - 4 lbs. unbeaten, 8 lbs. beaten stone breaking, or working - oakum. on the land. - - _Dietary:_ 8 oz. of bread and water ... Breakfast. - 8 oz. bread, 1-1/2 oz. cheese ... Dinner. - 8 oz. bread and water ... Supper. - -In a very few gruel. - -_Smallburgh._--Task, 12 cwt. granite. September, 1903, none; September, -1904, 9. _This task is considered remedial, as by it the number of -vagrants was reduced from 173 (January to November, 1903) to 52 (1904)._ - -_Cosford._--50 per cent. increase. - -_Henstead_, after introducing oakum picking, found "a remarkable falling -off." Year ending Lady Day, 1897, 2,337; Year ending Lady Day, 1904, 62. - -_Docking Union._--Decrease. Task, pumping the well and working on the -land. - -_Freebridge Lynn._--September, 1904, only 4 men. Task, oakum picking. In -1893 the number of vagrants relieved was above 900, but "the tramp of -late has given the place a wide berth." Only 24 have been admitted. -"Probably the road-army came by another route than Docking and Gayton to -the 7-cwt. stone-breaking at Lynn, fighting shy of oakum-picking and -well-pumping." _But they come, and the decrease in these two unions has -resulted in an increase at Downham, Wisbech, and Lynn._ - -At _Thetford_ "the cells and stone-breaking have prevented any material -increase in the number of vagrants." - -At _Halsted_, in spite of oakum-picking, there have been 41 vagrants, -compared with 9 in September, 1903. - -At _Chelmsford_ there were 205, September, 1904, as against 126, -September, 1905. - -At _Walsingham_ a slight decrease, owing to oakum picking being -enforced. - -So great is the pressure, however, that even oakum-picking or -stone-breaking and corn-grinding have not prevented a large increase in -Maldon, Ipswich, Saffron Walden, Norwich, Dunmow, Swaffham, and Wisbech. - -_Downham_ increased from 64, September, 1903, to 167, September, 1904. -No task is imposed save gardening. - - -V. FURTHER INVESTIGATIONS (PERSONAL). - -Investigations from the official point of view are interesting and -instructive, and, if conducted in a scientific spirit, would eventually -be of great value in solving social problems. But in the present -confused state of things there is also special value in the observations -of witnesses who, by descending into the abyss, explore its conditions, -and form an independent judgment. So far as my personal observation -goes, everyone who has done this expresses surprise at the result, -namely, that the impression that the vast majority of so-called -"vagrants" are "loafers," vanishes, and the inmates of the casual ward -are mostly found to be seekers for work. Little short of a revolution -may be made in preconceived opinion by actual experience. - -We all know that a rise in pauperism has taken place. In the year ending -Lady Day, 1904, £587,131 was expended in poor relief in excess of the -corresponding period 1903; 869,128 received relief, as against 847,480 -in 1903, on January 1st. But these increases in _actual_ pauperism -represent enormous increases in _potential_ pauperism. The hold of a -family or of an individual on sustenance gradually loosens, and the -least competent or more unfortunate are shaken off and drop into the -abyss. At a meeting of the City Council of Manchester in the winter of -1904 it was deliberately stated that "between 40,000 and 50,000 people -were on the verge of starvation." An investigation undertaken by the -Rev. A. H. Gray in an area between All Saints' and the Medlock, in -Ancoats by the University Settlement, and in Hulme by the Lancashire -College Settlement, revealed in 3,000 houses about 900 people without -employment, "of whom 442 were heads of families." In addition, numbers -were only partially employed. One man "trudged once every week to a -smaller town 18 miles off where one or two days' work have been -procurable." - -It will be seen, therefore, that changes in _averages_ of unemployment -must result in increase of vagrancy. The average of unemployed returned -by trade unions in January for 10 years (1894-1903) was 4.7 per cent.; -in January, 1903, it was 5.1 per cent., and in January, 1904, 6.6 per -cent. (See p. 76.) Of course, unskilled and unorganised industries are -still more affected. - -Mr. Ensor, who tramped for a week, 150 miles, in the northern counties, -and whose experiences were given in the _Independent Review_, relates -that "where to obtain work" is a "burning question" among the inmates of -the vagrant ward. It can hardly be imagined how soon a destitute man is -forced of necessity to wander; in the absence of money, being even too -poor to buy a newspaper, he is dependent on vague information received -"on the road," and naturally is driven to seek food and shelter wherever -it is to be had. A slightly more humane treatment in any part of the -country may lead to an influx of these unfortunates.[24] Thus the -comparative comfort of Welsh workhouses led in the winter of 1904-5 to -an "incursion of tramps." Even the prisons were filled by tramps who -rebelled against regulations. "Two or three times a week batches of -tramps have to be removed from the prisons of Carnarvon and Ruthin to -Shrewsbury and Knutsford, and even to gaols in English towns." With -regard to this result of the present vagrancy regulations, there is much -to be said. A working man cannot sustain himself in a condition fit for -work on the tramp ward dietary.[25] I have personal experience of the -exhaustion consequent upon it. Unless supplemented by begging, a man -must inevitably lose strength if he tramps from ward to ward. Mr. Ensor -himself saw a young man throw up work and triumphantly march to prison -from sheer hunger. Tramp ward regulation rations (including gruel) -contain only 21-1/2 ounces of proteid as against 31-1/2 ounces _in the -lowest prison fare_. But this does not represent the real state of the -case. In many workhouses there is only dry bread with a small portion of -cheese, the gruel being omitted without substitute. (See note 16.) The -bread is often coarse, dry and crusty, leavings from the workhouse, and -most unappetising. Then dry bread _alone_ can scarcely be eaten, and -even water is not always to be obtained to wash it down. (Pp. 112, 124, -152.) The following are reports given by tramps themselves as to food to -the writer. - -A man said he was too disturbed in mind to eat it, but if he could have -done so "he could not have lived upon it." This man "had been in two -situations over thirty years," and appeared clean and respectable. He -said the majority of men in with him at Bury were also working men out -of employment. - -One man said he had been in a workhouse where the "skilly" was brought -in a bucket, and the men had to dip it out as best they could in -jampots. - -In this investigation, conducted personally by the writer, there was a -general consensus of opinion that prison was less hard.[26] (See also -Chap. VIII.) - -The actual difference in legal dietary is appended:-- - -_Prison Dietary--Lowest Scale._ - - Breakfast ... 8 oz. bread, 1 pint gruel. - Supper ... 8 oz. bread, 1 pint gruel. - Dinner ... 3 days, 8 oz. bread, 1 pint porridge. - 2 days, 8 oz. bread, 8 oz. potatoes. - 2 days, 8 oz. bread, 8 oz. suet pudding. - -_Daily Average_, 28-1/2 oz. solid, with 2-1/4 pints gruel, 1/2 pint -porridge. - -_Prisoners' Task_, 5 or 10 cwt. stones, 2 lbs. oakum. - -_Legal Dietary for Casual Paupers._ - - Breakfast ... 6 oz. bread, 1 pint gruel. - Supper ... 6 oz. bread, 1 pint gruel. - Dinner ... 8 oz. bread, 1-1/2 oz. cheese. - -_Daily Average_, 21-1/2 oz. solid, with 2 pints gruel. - -_Casuals' Task_, 14 cwt. stones. - -Evidence comes from all over the country of increase in prison -statistics through crimes due to a desire to escape from tramp ward -conditions and preference for prison fare.[27] - -Such instances as this are continually occurring. - -"What am I to do if I cannot get work?" asked John Rush, a tramp, when -brought before the King's Lynn magistrates on a charge of refusing to -break stones in the casual ward. - -"You are to go to prison for twenty-one days," replied the magistrate. - -Rush had been required to break 7 cwt. of stone. He asked to have it -weighed, as he was of opinion that it was 12 cwt. His request was -refused, and he declined to do the work. - -A large number of tramps at Andover were sentenced to twenty-one days' -imprisonment for refusing to do their task. - -"Seventeen vagrants were marched from the workhouse to the police-court -at Canarvon (_North Wales Chronicle_, 25th February, 1905), handcuffed. -Seventeen out of twenty-three inmates refused to work. They alleged that -they had been forced to sleep on a wet tiled floor and were 'almost -perishing.' They were sent to prison for a month with hard labour." - -Such incidents come from all over the country and are backed up by -prison statistics. Prosecutions for offences of this kind rose in 1901 -to 5,118, and have risen further. In one prison, Devizes, they doubled -the inmates. - -It must be remembered that pressure on the tramp ward, as our country's -provision for destitution, has been much lightened by the rise of many -large shelters. These deal mostly, however, with the town unemployed. It -has not been sufficiently considered that owing to the massing of -population in towns, the destitute unemployed are sure to appear in the -tramp ward, but that our present system _forces_ them to migrate, at any -rate in a small circle, as after claiming the tramp ward they cannot -claim shelter again in the same place _for a month_, except under -penalty of four nights' detention. All masters of workhouses witness how -this tends to make a _forced migration in a limited circle_.[28] -Therefore to the town unemployed the shelter is a boon, as it enables -him to remain in one place and look for work, and the testimony of all -who are working shelters and labour bureaux is that numbers who avail -themselves of them _do_ obtain employment. But if they belong to the -"inefficient" class this employment cannot be permanent.[29] So much is -the tramp ward disliked, and so useless is it as a remedy for -destitution, since at best it affords only a night's shelter with poor -food and hard labour, that numbers prefer to "sleep out." The London -County Council's census of the homeless poor, Friday, 29th January, -1904, revealed 1,463 men, 116 women, 46 boys, and 4 girls walking the -streets, and 100 males and 68 females sleeping in doorways, etc., a -total of 1,797 homeless poor in a small area in London (from Hyde Park -in the west, to the east end of Whitechapel Road, from High Holborn, Old -Street and Bethnal Green, in the north, to the Thames, in the south). In -the winter 1903-4, no fewer than 300 people were known to be sleeping -out every night in Manchester. - -The fate of many unfortunates is a career of gradual physical and moral -deterioration from which there is, humanly speaking, no escape. - -A man may _begin_ a prison career accidentally. An incident related to -me is as follows:--A man went to a place where there was a local -merry-making, hoping to pick up a little. There was no room either in -tramp ward or lodging-house; he slept out, unfortunately for him, on -private grounds. For this he got three months' imprisonment. (See Chap. -VIII.) - -The case of those who sleep out may end otherwise, but as tragically, -after long privation. Here are two examples:--"Alfred Mather, aged -about 33, no fixed home and no occupation, latterly on the tramp. Found -ill on a seat opposite Temple Gardens, and taken by the police to Bear -Yard Infirmary five days before death. Died from epilepsy accelerated by -exposure." "Jos. Lucas, no fixed abode, 'knocked up and down mostly,' -getting odd coppers when he could, found dead in yard of White Hart, -Royton." Such incidents might be multiplied, but the facts of disease -and death are masked, because people suffering from illness in the -street usually obtain pity. Recent statistics show that the percentage -of the death rate in common lodging-houses is appalling. (See Appendix -IX., Vagrancy Report.) No one who has been in a tramp ward can fail to -have been struck by the low vitality and even serious illness of -inmates, yet by common report it is difficult to obtain the services of -a doctor, and illness is constantly taken to be "malingering." - -With regard to evidence as to actual tramp ward conditions, however, no -clearer account can be given than the following. The writer is -personally known to the author of this paper. He is extremely truthful, -and where investigation has followed, his statements have been fully -endorsed. They furnish most valuable evidence. He is himself a working -man of superior education, driven by misfortune into restless habits and -occasionally to the tramp ward. Let him speak for himself. - - -VI. TRAMP WARD. FURTHER INVESTIGATIONS. - -EXTRACTS FROM A CORRESPONDENCE WITH A WORKING MAN. - - "I was an interested listener to your address on casual wards and - common lodging-houses. Your experience coincides with mine, with - the exception of the casual wards. Your description was much too - favourable. - - "I have been in several. This is an account of the last one I was - in. After walking twenty miles with nothing to eat before I - started or during the day, I was received, had a bath, and was put - to bed. They gave me nothing to eat or drink; out next morning at - six o'clock: for breakfast had a drink of water and a tinful of - broken crusts, seven pieces in all, and I should say not more than - six ounces. I suppose they had been left by the children or at the - infirmaries. Same for dinner (six pieces), with a small piece of - cheese; for supper, water and five crusts. On going out next - morning, water and six crusts. I should put the value at one penny - altogether, and that for cheese; the bread was simply waste. - - "This is what I did for the value I received, Sweep, wash, and - scrub out twelve or fourteen cells; ditto eighty-seven square - yards of cement flooring; ditto a flight of stone steps (about - fifty), four feet wide with three landings; ditto one bath-room - and two lavatories; clean bath and closet pans; and polish - sixty-seven sets of brasses. I started at seven o'clock and had - done at 4.30, and was then locked up in the cell. I forgot to say - that I had twopence when I went in, which the porter annexed, - which, as he said, 'would help pay expenses.' - - "I was free from vermin when I went in, but was not when I came - out; and whatever the chairman may say about coming out of their - place clean, I say it is impossible to do so. - - "I may say that I get my living on public works, and this as you - know may take you across the country." - -SECOND LETTER. - - "The remarks made by your chairman on stone-breaking were very - misleading. He said, 'The stones required to be broken by a man - were ten hundredweight. Why, he knew a man who could easily break - two and a half yards in a day, and in each yard was twenty-two - hundredweight, so that his hearers could see that the casual's - task was not hard.' - - "He did not say that the stones his man broke were probably twice - the size of those broken by the casual, and that he had no grid to - put them through, which takes almost as long as the actual - stone-breaking. - - "With regard to entering the casual ward early, I myself when I am - on the road always make a point of doing twenty miles a day. Is a - man after doing twenty miles fit for work? Navvies and men - working on public works like to get from one job to another - without delay. Very often a man will start, we will say from - Yorkshire to Devon: if he can pick up a day's work on the way he - will do so; but his object is to get to Devon, and he is going to - get there as soon as possible. He is pretty certain of work when - he gets there because he is known either to the ganger or the - agent, or some one in a position to start him, which is really the - reason he goes such a distance. As a rule he sets himself twenty - or twenty-five miles a day, and he does it unless it is very wet. - He therefore wants a rest at the end of the journey, not work." - -Replying that this was not the class for whom the casual ward was -intended, I received the following:-- - - -THIRD LETTER. - - "I should suggest, for the benefit of the man looking for work, - that in all casual wards there should be cells set apart for him - at a charge, say of threepence per night. He should be taken in as - early as six o'clock and let go next morning at six o'clock; if - there is any work going he would stand a chance of getting it: you - would not be pauperising him--he would be no charge on the rates, - and your pauper returns would be greatly reduced. Very likely the - argument would be that the guardians would be interfering with - private rights, _i.e._ lodging-houses. In answer to this, I have - to say that in a great many towns there are no lodgings of any - kind, and in others they are so bad that no decent man will sleep - in them. I have paid for a bed in such places as Birkenhead, - Chester, Wrexham, and others, and after seeing what they were like - have left them, not caring to sleep there. Also the lodging-house - keepers, if they found the new system reducing their takings, - would waken up to the fact that decent beds may bring them their - trade back. - - "Many a man is spent up when he left a job to look for another, - because if money is found on him in the workhouse he loses it. - Give him the opportunity of paying and he will do so if he can get - a _decent bed_. - - "As regards those on the road who can work but will not, the - authorities would not be interfering with the liberty of the - subject in taking them off the road and making them work for their - keep, and in doing so he need not be classed as a pauper. - - "There are others who cannot work, old men and women and children; - in all cases such as these I should have them sent to the place of - birth, no matter how long they had left there they must go back. - There would be a chance of reclaiming them when they knew they had - to go back, and there would also be an inducement for their - friends and relations to show what they are made of by helping to - keep them. Of course there are numbers who do not know where they - are born, also foreigners; these the Government should take in - hand. It's the policy of the Government to let destitute - foreigners land here, you must therefore make them responsible for - them. - - "These suggestions could be easily worked out to the satisfaction - of the people at large; you would rescue a great number from - self-imposed misery; you would be clearing the roads of a disgrace - to the country; and I have not the slightest doubt that you would - do away with a great deal of disease and crime. I have noticed on - more than one occasion that when small-pox has broken out in a - part of the country it has been reported that the cause has been - traced to tramps. - - "I remember going in at T ... when several of us were in the - bath-room at one time, and of course one hot water for all. I - noticed one man who had stripped was covered with sores, raw, - festering sores. I did not object to his bathing, but of course - refused to be bathed in the same water. After drawing the - attention of the attendant to the man's state he was sent off - without his bath; he was given the usual rugs, which of course - were placed with the others next morning, and not stoved, because - they have no stove there. This man had been going from place to - place, and could not get to see a doctor, he told me himself, and - I can well believe him. I have had occasion to ask for the doctor - myself and have been refused.[30] Also on this night there were - more tramps than they had room for, we had to sleep two in a cell, - one on the board let down from the wall, and the other on the - floor underneath. In the cell next me one of the men wanted to go - to the w.c., but could get no answer to his repeated calls. Now - under these circumstances if disease breaks out who is to blame? - - "I think that if the rules laid down by the L.G.B. were strictly - carried out things would be better, but there is too much left to - the discretion of the guardians, which means the workhouse master - and his subordinates, with the result that they do pretty much as - they please. - - "I think it is generally allowed by guardians that the most - successful master is the one who can keep down the number of - casuals. Why that is I do not know, because if a man is found - sleeping out or begging he goes to prison. I have never been in a - prison myself, but from what I hear I should say that he is better - off than the man under the thumb of a workhouse master.[31] - - "It ought to be generally known that it is only by starvation and - heavy tasks that a master can keep down his pauper returns. In - passing I should like to say that I have found it a pretty general - thing for several men to go through one lot of water." - - * * * * * - -After travelling from Kent to Devon, finding employment very bad (winter -1904-5) correspondent came north. He travelled to East Yorkshire to a -harvest job where he was expected, but found the harvest short and only -got two days. He found that numbers of men who usually found harvest -employment could not obtain it, and that hard-working men were roaming -from place to place, and, being forced to take refuge in the tramp ward, -were fast losing heart. The following is his experience in a tramp ward, -where he was forced to take refuge one rainy day. Usually he slept in -the open. - - -FOURTH LETTER. - - "On going in you have your bread, and before you have time to eat - it you are taken to the room for undressing. This is not very - large, only for nine or ten to sit down, and there were many that - night. You will see that room was limited. There were two - dirty-looking baths there, but how many made use of them I could - not say. I did not. Your clothes are tied into a bundle and put - all together into a heap in the room you undress in. Your clothes - may be good and clean and free from vermin when you undress, but - what will they be like in the morning? - - "You have a shirt and two rugs given you, and go to the sleeping - room on the boards. Some have a board for their head. I had not. - It is a large room, and it need be, for there were twenty-four of - us in it. It is infested with bugs. The shirts and rugs, I should - say, have not been washed for months, and are full of vermin. Mine - was, and the complaint was general, so I suppose they were all - alike. Sleep is impossible. You get up, have your bread and cold - water, and are put on the pump, eight on and eight off, every - half-hour. There are two pumps kept continually going all day, so - it cannot be for the want of water that dirt reigns supreme. - Cheese and bread for dinner, bread _and bread_ for supper, and - then the awful night to go through again. Get up and have some - bread and water. Then you are turned out. It was raining in - torrents. I was soaked in twenty minutes after I had left." - -Walking north in the vain search for work, my correspondent crossed to -Lancashire and encountered the following experience. - - -FIFTH LETTER. - - "I was admitted at 8.10. They gave me coffee and bread, and sent - me to a very nice large and well-ventilated room, a room large - enough to sleep fifteen men in easily. There were three others - there, and after waiting till nine o'clock, during which time nine - more arrived, they started bathing us. There are four baths there, - three for each bath, and how many more after used the same water I - do not know. Given a shirt, you are sent to the cells. I noticed - on going to mine that there were eleven cells on the right, and - nine on the left. My cell was four from the top on the left. The - right side was full, and the three on the left above mine also - full. I noticed three pairs of boots outside each cell; a - pleasant prospect. There were two men already in my cell. I made - the third. That made forty-five men for the fifteen cells, then - there were the eleven men I left in the bath-room, who would fill - four others, that would make fifty-six men in nineteen cells. Now - when I tell you that these cells are four feet six inches wide, - and my two comrades were bigger men than me, and I am not a small - one, you can fancy the situation. What I suffered from cramp alone - was punishment enough for a lifetime. You have one rug each, not - enough to keep you from coming in contact with the other men's - flesh. As soon as you are in the door is closed and you are in - black darkness, yet the gas is burning in the passage all night. I - could see it by the crack in the door, and if they would cut a - hole in the door it would serve both for ventilation and light. - - "I can safely say that I had never such a night in my life. Sleep - was out of the question, even if you had not been disturbed by the - groans and curses that were going on more or less all night, a - sort of song you would fancy they sing in the Inferno. - - "One of my mates was an old man. He had been drinking. Some one - had given him a couple of pints of 1-1/2_d_. beer, and I suppose - he had had an empty stomach, anyway he said it upset him. - 'Diarrhoea,' he called it. Now the foul air arising from other - causes was bad enough, but when I tell you."... Here follows a - description of consequences. "The old man said it was useless to - call to the attendant, he had been in before." When at 5.30 the - door was opened it was only to fetch rugs and shirts. Permission - to leave the cell or empty the vessel was refused by two - attendants, and also to men in other cells. "It's a mercy I did - not go off my head," my correspondent remarks concerning that - horrible night. - - "The second attendant also brutally refusing to allow the vessel - to be removed 'because it was against rules,' said 'it would do to - go with the ham and eggs.' - - "'Ham and eggs' in the shape of coffee and bread appeared at seven - o'clock, and those who could consume it had to do so in that - atmosphere of horror. We were kept locked up until about 8.20, and - then let out. I shall never forget the feeling in all my life. - - "I have noticed on more than one occasion that when small-pox has - broken out in various parts of the country, that it has been taken - there by tramps. Now supposing small-pox broke out in a place - having such a tramp ward, who would be to blame? - - "The guardians cannot say they had not the room, there is the room - I have mentioned. There were another row of cells I noticed, about - twenty, that had the appearance of being unoccupied. There were - certainly some of them empty; the doors of others were closed so I - cannot say if all were, but that can easily be found out. - - "There were thirty-four men kept in, and about twenty of us were - sent to the wood-yard. I had asked to see a doctor. I was too ill - to work, but was told to go to the yard. I went but did nothing. I - could not. I felt I had not the strength of a baby, and had a hard - matter to keep on my feet. - - "At about ten o'clock the labour master came round. At least he - was pointed out to me as the labour master, but as I did not see - him again all day, I doubted it. Anyhow he asked me what I was - doing; I told him I could do nothing, and wanted to see the - doctor. He told me that I was a malingerer and that I should not - see the doctor. 'Doctors are not for such as thou,' says he, and - that I should have no dinner. I asked him to send me before a - magistrate: I would have done a month gladly if I could have made - this statement before a magistrate. I had forgotten to mention the - state of the cell; it was very damp and coated with dirt and spit, - quite enough to spread disease. - - "Although I was to have no dinner, I was given some, but gave it - away, as I could eat nothing until I was coming out next morning. - I did not work till the afternoon, when I felt a little better and - very cold. I thought I would see what I could do, but I could not - do much. At 4.30 o'clock work ceased and we had a roll each. - Afterwards I noticed that a number of men crowded round the door - leading to the cells. Thinking there was something in it, I got as - near the door as possible. At 5.30 this door opened. The rush of - boys on opening the doors of a penny gaff was not in it. It turned - out that on the second night there are two rooms to be slept in, - each containing nine bedsteads, hence the rush. The first eighteen - would get them--I was the lucky eighteenth. - - "There were thirteen in the room I was in--four on the floor. I - could not say if the remainder slept in the other room or not; I - had a better night than the one previous. We were up at 5.30, and - after having roll and coffee were let out at 7.30. - - "I see some of the northern counties are holding a conference, - under the chairmanship of Sir John Hibbert, in order to study the - vagrant problem, and he quoted the punishment of vagrants in Henry - VIII.'s time. I think if Sir John had studied the matter he would - have seen that at that time vagrants were favourably dealt with in - comparison with their betters. There was many a better head than - even Sir John's stuck on Temple Bar for only saying what they - thought. - - "One of the favourite complaints at this conference will be the - burden to the ratepayers, and the cost of their maintenance will - be supplied to them by the various union masters. Now, how does it - work out? - - "The thirty-four men who were kept for the two nights and a day - had 170 rolls, thirty-four portions of cheese, and 102 lots of - coffee. This during a year would mean a considerable sum. For - this the ratepayers think they would have to do a day's work--but - do they? There were twenty-two men put to wood sawing, and here I - assert, if the whole of the wood cut during the day had been - equally divided between these men, and given to them as a task, it - could have been done in two hours. Now, why were these men kept in - their cells from 5.30 to 8.20?--why were they not sent to the - labour yard at six o'clock and worked for this two hours, given - their breakfast, and sent about their business? The ratepayer - would have the same amount of work done, and have saved the price - of 102 rolls and thirty-four lots of coffee, and thirty-four - portions of cheese. To give an instance of the work done. There - were two men nearest me who started to saw a sleeper with a - cross-cut saw at nine o'clock, they had not finished at three - o'clock, and the old man took one away, and I helped to finish it - myself. This was the style of work all round, there is no task - there; the old man in charge is an inmate and is laughed at, and - they do what they like. The professionals dearly love a day's rest - and an extra night's rest, and the working man is not going to do - much for no pay if he can help it. - - "If you want to study the ratepayer, take a man in a night, turn - him out after two hours' work, he will have earned his twopenny - feed in that time, and it does not cost more. You will give the - man looking for work a chance, you will reduce the number of - casuals, for you will soon break the professional tramp's heart, - and greatly relieve the ratepayer. - - "In conclusion, may I say that if you consulted half a dozen men - who understood the game, you may be able to solve the tramp - problem." - - -VII. THE COMMON LODGING-HOUSE. - -Before we can pass in review the results of investigation into the -working of the tramp ward, it is necessary to correlate with it the -examination of the common lodging-house. It is not sufficient to look on -the tramp ward as a _deterrent from vagrancy_; it is evident from the -evidence already given that it most imperfectly fulfils another -function, namely, that of a _refuge for wayfarers in extremity_. - -How is it that such a need has arisen? It has arisen from a -little-considered change in social customs, which has gradually led to -accumulating evils. In old times there was a double provision for -travelling, for rich and poor, the hospitality of the abbey and that of -"mine host" at the inn. When the abbey was suppressed, more must have -devolved on the inn. Accommodation there could be found both for rich -and poor, though that for the latter might be only a bed of straw.[32] -But by degrees, as travelling became common, the rich absorbed the -accommodation of the inn, which itself evolved from "hostel" into -"hotel," and catered for the rich only. A travelling poor man therefore -was put to it to find some other shelter. Hospitality is most freely -exercised still by the very poor. By degrees some individual became -known as willing to entertain strangers for a small charge, and so by -degrees also evolved the _common lodging-house_. A description of one -such formed by natural evolution will be found in Chap. II., pp. 97 _et -seq._ It was simply an old house, probably once a farmhouse, now -situated in a slum quarter of a northern town. The sanitary arrangements -for numerous lodgers were a sink in the common kitchen, and a w.c., -perfectly dry, and in a dreadful condition. The house was kept by a -widow woman, who could exercise no effective control over the motley -inmates. Men, women and children were crowded in the dormitory, -separation of sexes being quite insufficient. Insect pests abounded, and -cleanliness was but of a surface character. Yet this, and one reputed to -be worse, constituted the only accommodation for working-class -travellers, men and _women_, in a fairly large town. - -Investigation in another direction, on the main route from Manchester to -the south, revealed a similar state of things. The "best lodging-house -in the town" contained no separate sitting-room for women, and a small -sink without water laid on was all the accommodation for washing -purposes. This was in the common kitchen, and water had to be fetched -from the single men's room. The bed slept on was infested with -vermin.[33] A London investigation revealed that similar accommodation, -which in the north cost 4_d_., cost 6_d_. A description is given by a -male investigator of the state of such a lodging-house. The common -sitting-room was a half-cellar with a concrete floor, very dirty, -_débris_ of meals and dust were just swept under the tables. Spitting -was in evidence everywhere. In the dormitory of another a notice was -posted that "Gentlemen are requested not to go to bed in their boots!" -Nevertheless it was evidently not obeyed. The state of the beds was such -that my informant left without trying them. (See Chap. VII., p. 257.)[34] - -It is true that a somewhat perfunctory "inspection" is supposed to -enforce sanitation. But inspection is insufficient where the -accommodation is not of the right kind to begin with, and it appears to -be easily evaded. The fact is that it is not to private interest to -provide anything but _minimum_ requirements. Nor is it likely that -there will be _sufficient_ accommodation for the maximum demand. It is -reckoned "lucky" to get into some lodging-houses if you apply even as -early as seven o'clock for a bed. It is quite possible to be crowded -out. - -Dr. Cooper, of the London County Council, said recently: - - "No civic community ought to allow what is going on at the present - time. No man can afford to build really good lodging-houses, - because the return for his money is so small. This is a public - danger, both as regards the safety of the streets, and also the - character of those who are unfortunately homeless." He thinks that - "the whole of the outcasts should be absorbed into London County - Council shelters." - -The following is an account of the state of things at a lodging-house -_repeatedly warned_:--"The floors of the kitchens and bedrooms were in a -very dirty state. The beds and clothing were very dirty and -insufficient. The bedding was so filthy that on the lodging-house -keeper's attention being called to it he took the sheets off and put -them in the fireplace."[35] Defendant was fined £3 and costs, but the -lodging-house was not suppressed. - -Such places as this breed disease, yet an honest working man travelling -with money in his pocket to pay for his bed cannot be _sure_ of a -cleanly place. Even in a _municipal_ lodging-house there may be only -"surface cleanliness." (See Chap. II., p. 33.) _Every one not sanitary -is a centre of contagion._ - -There exists even in the mind of such social adepts as Mr. John Burns, a -prejudice against "Rowton Houses," and other "poor men's hotels," -possibly grounded on the supposition that they cater for and encourage -the life of vice and idleness. But the fact is one that cannot be -denied, that in the present precarious condition of things these masses -of homeless men exist. It would seem more sensible to bring them under -effective sanitary control, and by investigation of their needs remove, -if possible, obstacles to matrimony than to condemn them to -insanitation, disease, and death. The following account gives an inner -view of a Rowton House. It is not to be supposed that the majority of -inmates would _prefer_ such a life, if only they knew a way out. - - "It is possible to live there fairly comfortable on 10_s_. a week, - and to exist on about 7_s_. Of course, there are all kinds of men - there; some of them have known considerably better days. A lot are - working men. A lot of men there seem to live by addressing - envelopes; they have a nice warm room to sit in and work, but it - is a heart-breaking job when all is said and done, for they only - get 3_s_. per 1,000, and it will take a good man to do 1,000 a - day. I made a good many enquiries about labour bureaux; they are - to be avoided like poison, except the Polytechnic, the others keep - you moving about the place, and you are lucky if you don't get - charged heavily for doing so." The isolation and selfishness of - the life impressed my informant. It was by no means one to be - sought. - -It will at any rate be seen that the question of absolute destitution -and the question of provision for migration are bound up with the -question of proper sanitary lodging-house accommodation. Before a -travelling working man, even with money in his pocket, there lie at -present three alternatives:-- - -1. He can find a common lodging-house, which means too often dirt, or -worse. - -2. He can enter the tramp ward. To do this he must make away with his -money or hide it. He will, it is _supposed_, get clean accommodation, -but endure hardship and degradation. - -3. He may "sleep out." This is best; if he can find a cosy corner he can -"keep himself to himself," and sleep clean. But it is _illegal_. Numbers -of men are condemned all over England even in the depth of winter for -this offence.[36] Unauthorised promiscuous herding in the open, such as -occurs on Manchester brickfields, is a grave social evil. "A night on -the Thames Embankment" is hardly an "earthly paradise." But neither is a -night in a doss house or a tramp ward. It will be seen that there is -_real need_ for social provision of shelter for the homeless or -migrating poor. - - -VIII. SUMMARY OF RESULTS OF INVESTIGATION. - -We may summarise results as follows: - -1. There exists at the bottom of society the hereditary vagabond or -"tramp" proper. He is the remains of a vagrant class squeezed out of -society and preying upon it. He may be "born" or "made." He knows how to -get his living, and is usually to be found in the "doss-house"; if he -frequents the tramp ward, it is for cleansing purposes or casual need. -These are estimated by experts to be only about ten thousand in all -England.[37] - -2. There exists also a class of "incapables," _i.e._ those infirm, old, -blind, lame, epileptic, etc. These are supposed to be provided for by -our Poor-law system, and should be inside workhouses. But numbers of -them are allowed to wander in penury and beggary. They "earn" a -precarious livelihood, and often drift into tramp wards, but cannot as a -rule fulfil the labour conditions, which often are not demanded from -them. (See Chap. III., p. 148.)[38] - -3. There exists a large class of "inefficients," the special product of -the Industrial revolution. It is not probable that they will disappear -as a factor in social evolution, save by means of wise social -arrangements, because: - - (1) They are continually renewed from the lower levels of the - population, who breed quickly. - - (2) The standard of industrial requirements rises, and leaves many - behind stranded. - - (3) Employment after middle age is difficult to obtain. - - (4) The shifting of industries and changes in employment leave - units unprovided for. - -It is evident therefore that the whole legislation of our country must -be remodelled, for _it is on the social organism as a whole_ that social -provision now devolves. - -Green relates that the whole mass of Elizabethan poverty was absorbed -into healthy life by a wise poor law. - - * * * * * - -It will be our next duty to examine how far other nations furnish us -already with an object lesson in this respect. - -We may summarise the case against the tramp ward as follows: - -1. It makes no attempt to classify. - -2. It pauperises without relieving distress. - -3. It is unequally and often unjustly or defectively administered. - -4. It provides for destitution a worse treatment than that of prison for -crime. - -5. It therefore exerts pressure towards vagrancy and crime instead of -acting as a true deterrent. - -6. Its existence blinds the public to the fact of _the absence of public -provision for migrating_, and the evils of sleeping out and unsanitary -lodging-houses accumulate. - - -IX. VAGRANCY LEGISLATION IN OTHER COUNTRIES. - -We have now to consider the treatment received by vagrants in other -countries. Have they been more successful than ourselves? If so, why? -Count Kropatkin shows in "Farms, Fields, and Factories," that the -Industrial revolution is not confined to England. Belgium for instance -is a country with large manufactures. It is also a small country, and it -is easier to examine the entire working of a Poor Law in a small country -than in a large one. A most interesting account is given in a pamphlet -printed by W. K. Martin, 290, High Street, Lincoln, of the Belgian -Labour Colonies, personally visited by H. J. Torr and R. A. Marriott, -Major, D.S.O., Governor of Lincoln Prison. - -A vagrancy committee was appointed from Midsummer Sessions, Lincoln, in -consequence of the number of vagrants committed to Lincoln Prison and -the unsatisfactory nature of the prison treatment. They report "that -the present short sentences, especially in view of the improved prison -dietary, are a treatment of no deterrent value." They are of opinion -"that the present methods of dealing with offences under the Vagrancy -Acts are not satisfactory in their effect on the habitual vagrant, -whilst they make no provision for the man who, gradually slipping out of -employment through inefficiency, forms the readiest recruit for the -professional vagrant class." "Prison conditions indeed, to persons with -so low a standard of physical comfort as the average vagrant, must be -extremely comfortable and even attractive." (See note 25.) - -They show that in Lindsey alone 722 vagrants were committed to prison -from January to July, 1903, while in Holland only 178 were admitted. The -number of vagrants in Lincoln Prison during six winter months increased -from 703 in 1901 to 1,002 in 1902. - -The vagrancy returns from different unions likewise increased as -follows: - - 1900 11,980 - 1901 15,053 - 1902 20,556 - -They gave cases of two men aged thirty and thirty-seven, against whom -there were twenty-two and thirty-one sentences, each one being short, -showing that the men entered prison almost as soon as out of it. The -cost _without subsistence_ for travelling expenses of prisoners and -escort amounted to £28 10_s_. for the two. They believe that "the -workman slipping out of employment" should be treated in a penal labour -colony as "a patient requiring care, not as a criminal requiring -punishment," and that his downward career should be checked before his -industrial skill is lost. "The large amount of highly-skilled labour -found at Merxplas, compared with the utter incapacity of the average -English prisoner committed for vagrancy, indicate, they believe, the -measure of the difference between the tramp at the commencement of his -career and the same man after any lengthened period of life on the -road." They point out that while this skill may not maintain the man -outside, in face of the drink difficulty, it may make him nearly -self-supporting inside, and forms a valuable national asset. The annual -cost per man in these colonies is smaller than that of prison or -workhouse.[39] It will be seen therefore that whereas we _manufacture_ -vagrants, the Belgian labour colonies _arrest_ their development. It is -impossible to give a full account of the Belgian labour colonies. It -will be found in the Report referred to. There are five, two for women -and three for men. Those at Hoogstraeten and Wortel constitute a _Maison -de Refuge_, and that at Merxplas a _Depôt de Mendicité_. (See Appendix -III.) - -Simple vagrancy, on first detention, would involve detention at Wortel -for one year or until the man had _earned_ fifteen francs. For the -second offence, and more serious ones, the man would be committed to -Merxplas for not less than two years or more than seven years. Laziness, -habitual drunkenness, or disorderly life as vagabonds, qualify for -admission. - -Inside the colony there is a sixfold classification. The worst classes, -_i.e._ men sentenced for immorality or arson, men sentenced after -imprisonment, and men known to be dangerous, never mix with the others. -There is a _quartier cellulaire_ for the refractory. To these belonged -on September 3rd, 1903, only one hundred and forty-two men. - -On, the other hand, the class of "vagabonds, mendicants and inebriates" -numbered three thousand and sixty-six. - -Besides this there is a class for "infirm and incurable," who do light -work or none. The latter are allowed three centimes daily for small -luxuries, and may play games. - -Those under twenty-one form another class and are given schooling. All -except the infirm work nine hours a day, receiving board and lodging and -from three to thirty centimes a day. They can spend it by means of -tokens, or it is banked for them until they leave the colony. There are -quite a number of trades. Very little machinery is used, so that more -men are employed. As far as possible materials used are grown on the -farm. The colonists themselves do all the work of every kind. - -There is only a small staff. Control is mainly by means of transfer from -one class to another, and, in the last resort, summary punishment by the -Director, consisting of solitary confinement on bread and water. Escape -is easy and frequent, but men, if unable to support themselves, are soon -committed again. - -The cost is under £10 per year _including_ cost of buildings, etc. (See -note 33.) - -At Lincoln Workhouse it is £16 per year _exclusive_ of cost of -buildings, etc. - -English prisons cost £22 11_s_. per year _exclusive_ of cost of -buildings, etc. - -English convict prisons, £28 per year _exclusive_ of cost of buildings, -etc. - -The writer has personally examined the _Danish_ system of penal poor -law. She is assured, however, that there are in Denmark _no vagrants -proper_. The penal workhouse in Copenhagen is about to be replaced by a -new one surrounded by a moat. The working of the system can however be -understood by the present arrangements. If a man fails to support -himself, his wife and family, or his illegitimate child, he can be -committed for six months, or a destitute man can claim admission. The -men in the lightest class of labour are sent out in gangs to sweep the -streets. Others are employed in breaking up stone to obtain crystals: -these sit at benches. This is comparatively light labour, and the task -is apportioned to the worker, not uniform; others carry on weaving, -spinning, wood chopping, etc., etc. - -All these workers receive one kroner a month, which is saved up for -them. From the higher classes a man can go out if he has certain work. -The earnings of a defaulting husband are appropriated. The severer side -of the workhouse contains the refractory or dangerous; here also the -work is paid for, but on a lower scale. Solitary confinement and also -changes of rations are used for discipline. It is said that a law -authorising, in extreme cases, corporal punishment is likely to be -passed. A man can rise from grade to grade, or sink if "malingering." -Accommodation on the premises is provided for fourteen days for those -who become homeless; their furniture can be brought in, and the home -carried on. Meanwhile, by means of the municipal labour bureau, efforts -are made to find the man work and prevent the final breaking up of the -home. The commune will pay house rent for _three months_ for a genuine -case of unemployment. Thus no one need be destitute in Denmark, and the -consequent tightening up of the whole national life is evident even to -the casual visitor. Institutions exist for the proper care of the aged -(who also, if deserving, have old age pensions), for destitute women and -girls, for the feeble-minded, etc., while the relieving officer is _the -friend of the poor_. All poor-law relief is regarded as a debt to be -repaid to the State. - -In _Germany_ again we have a national provision which cannot fail to -excite our admiration, though its working is not quite so perfect. - -The example of Germany is chiefly valuable as showing us how to deal -with the problem of industrial migration. Throughout the land exist -numbers of Relief stations. These are places to which a man can go, and -by doing a certain task of work _earn_ tickets entitling him to bed, -supper and breakfast. In Germany, even more than in England, it is the -fashion for a workman to migrate. No young man's education is considered -complete unless he has been on _wanderschaft_, and thereby gained -experience of various workshops. Consequently all over the country -"Workmen's Homes" exist. At these a man can do a task of work in return -for food and lodging. They are said to be _superior_ to Rowton Houses at -_less_ cost. If a man is without money he can work his way from Relief -station to Relief station. The Relief stations are maintained by local -authorities, the _Herberge_ or lodging-house by a society. Each station -is practically a labour bureau. They are in telephonic communication all -over the country. Consequently a man can tell if he has a chance of -employment. He is given a "way-bill," and must pass along a certain -route. If he fails to get employment he is relegated to a labour colony. -The defect of Germany is the want of classification in the latter, but -this will probably be remedied.[40] - -The following account of Berlin will show how the vagrant is treated -there: "Let a ragged man appear in any of the numerous open spaces and a -policeman is on him in a minute. 'Your papers!' If it is proved he has -slept in an asylum for the homeless more than a certain number of nights -he is conducted to the _workhouse_ and made to labour for his board and -lodging. Every person is known to the State, and also insured by it." -"Fall sick," says the State, "and we will nurse you back to vigour; drop -out of employment, and we will find you work; grow old, and we will -provide you with bread and butter; but become lazy and vagabond and we -will lock you up and make you work till you have paid the uttermost -farthing of your debt." (See note 27.) - -Berlin has a huge building, like a factory, where the unemployed--whole -families--are received and provided for. But no one can use this -hospitality more than five times in three months. Otherwise they are -sent to the workhouse. Private enterprise has provided an asylum where -men can go five times in one month. "Dirty, ragged, unhappy wretches -dare not show themselves in the decent world as they do in London. They -slink into these asylums at five o'clock, have their clothes -disinfected, cleanse themselves under shower baths, eat bread and drink -soup, and go to bed at eight like prisoners in cells. Everybody feels it -is better to work than to fall into the hands of the law. There is a -central bureau for obtaining employment. The State placed out 50,000 men -in one year." - -With regard to the labour colonies, which provide mainly for men weak in -character and physique, one interesting fact is the merely nominal -expertise at which they can be run. The Luhterheim Colony costs £3,200 -per annum, but the average cost per man after _all_ expenses, including -interest on borrowed capital, have been paid, is only 2_s_. 7_d_. per -week. An error in the Board of Trade Report, 1893, describes the inmates -as mainly criminal. This is not the case. Of the 40 per cent. in German -colonies classified as criminal only 20 per cent. are criminal in the -English sense, the remainder being "casual warders," while 60 per cent. -are not _in any sense_ criminal. (See article by Percy Alden, _British -Friend_, October, 1904.) - -Holland has also interesting colonies, "free" at Frederiksoord for the -deserving unemployed (chiefly deficient mentally or physically) and -"penal" also.[41] - -Switzerland also has diminished mendicancy of late to an extraordinary -extent by the following measures:-- - -(1) Providing special facilities for men travelling in genuine search -for employment. - -(2) Taking steps against the lazy. - -(3) Adopting stringent police measures. - -Forced labour institutions are the means employed. At the farm at -Witzwyl with 150 inmates, two officers are in charge of each group of -ten or twelve, and _work with them_. The men sleep and eat in cells and -have a liberal diet, and a fair chance when discharged of commencing -life afresh. At St. Johannsen the older and more hardened offenders are -confined.[42] - -In order to facilitate migration there is an Inter-Cantonal Union over -fourteen of the twenty-two cantons. The Union issues a "Traveller's -Relief Book," by means of which the workman may tramp all over the -country and be fed and lodged. He has not to work his way, but beggars -and drunkards and idlers fall into the hands of the police, for if work -is refused when provided, the man proved "work-shy" is sent for from -three months to two years to the "forced labour" institution. The loafer -may be sent _either_ to prison, for from two to six months, or to the -forced labour institution, for from six months to two years. Almost -every canton has its forced labour institution. In Canton Schwyz persons -giving alms are _fined_ up to ten francs![43] - -A description could also be given of the Austrian Poor Law, which -appears to be very similar to the Danish. It will thus be seen that -there already exist in several Continental countries methods of dealing -with vagrancy far superior to English methods. In fact our present chaos -may be considered as the effect of gradually accumulating errors. Ten -years before we formed the tramp ward the Germans began the Relief -station. We can hardly overestimate the results that would have -followed, in toning up our national life, from the substitution of real -remedies for futile attempts at repression, adapted to a bygone age, but -not to present conditions. It is time we retraced our steps, as all such -evils are cumulative in their effects.[44] - - -X. TENTATIVE ATTEMPTS IN ENGLAND. - -It may first be stated that the stringent order of February 25th, 1896, -asking guardians to enforce the Casual Poor Act of 1882, not only has -not been universally obeyed, but also in some parts of England met with -opposition. The Poor-law Conference of the Western Counties felt that -while a stringent application of the Board's regulations would lessen -the number of vagrants applying at casual wards, "what would have -happened would be this, that those who would otherwise apply for legal -shelter would be driven to join the majority of 'sturdy rogues' who now -subsist in comfort by begging, who sleep in outhouses or pay for -lodgings, and never enter a casual ward with its restrictions and -taskwork." They considered that the only true way of dealing with the -question is to provide simple but sufficient food and a night's lodging, -demanding an equivalent of work for food, with no punitive detention, -"which is simply another expression for imprisonment for twenty-four -hours with hard labour." They recommend a mid-day dole to prevent -begging.[45] - -That such results as they mention _did_ follow the application of the -more stringent order is shown by careful statistics kept by Charles H. -Fox, at Wellington, Somerset, on the high road to the west. From August -to October, 1896, police orders to the casual wards were 536, those -sleeping in lodging-houses 1,152. Thus about two to one did not seek the -legal shelter, besides those "sleeping out." As the number of casuals -was decreased by the severity, the number in lodging-houses increased, -and also there was a large increase in the percentages of offences of -sleeping out and begging (as shown in a previous section, p. 18). It is -evident that the only result of the change of policy was that mentioned -by the Conference. - -Opinions such as these were expressed also in a practical form by what -is known as "the Gloucestershire system." A valuable report as to the -working of this is given by Colonel Curtis Hayward. Quotations from it -run as follows:-- - - "To prevent migration in times of great disturbance in the labour - market--if desirable--is not possible; but we should take care - that those who are driven by stress of circumstances to take to - the road do not find it so pleasant or profitable as to induce - them to take to it as an occupation, and join the ranks of - professional vagrants. - - "We, in Gloucestershire, in normal times have reduced vagrancy - within very narrow limits." - -The principle proceeded on is to discourage _almsgiving_ by _providing_ -for migration, and so respecting the feelings of the public. "Severity -never had a good effect."[46] - -The system adopted in Dorsetshire of giving bread tickets to the public -to give to wayfarers failed because of defects in working. - -The authorities in Gloucestershire and Wiltshire resolved to co-operate, -as Gloucestershire is a great thoroughfare. In 1879, 1880, 1881, the -annual average of casuals was 60,882. - -The result of a memorial to quarter sessions was the adoption of what -was then known as the Berkshire system. It failed in Berkshire owing to -want of co-operation. - -It is as follows: A wayfarer on entering Gloucestershire or Wilts -receives, on application to the relieving officer, a ticket, on which is -written his general description and the place he is bound for, viz., his -_final_ destination. With this he goes to the vagrant ward, where he is -fed night and morning, for which he has to do a certain task. On his -discharge the name of the union to which he is to be admitted the -following night--the direct route--is written on his ticket, also the -name of the intermediate station he passes on his road, where between -the hours of one and three he is supplied with his mid-day ration of -half a pound of bread by the constable on duty. Leaflets explaining the -system and requesting the public not to give to beggars are periodically -left at every house in the county. The cost of the rations is defrayed -by voluntary subscriptions. - -It is claimed that this system during the first quarter reduced vagrancy -returns 50 per cent. Colonel Curtis Hayward does not think that -compulsory detention acts as a deterrent. In 1891 when trade was brisk, -in March quarter, this system reduced the numbers to 4,497 as against -13,313 in 1881, and on the whole year from 60,000 to 22,000, whereas -other counties tell a different tale, the numbers being stationary or -only slightly smaller for Bucks, Oxford, and Warwick. - -Worcestershire gives bread tickets to "selected honest wayfarers," but -nearly double the amount was spent, namely, £65 3_s_. 5_d_., to that -spent in Gloucestershire without selection. Colonel Curtis Hayward -thinks discrimination impossible. Exact statistics for Worcestershire -are not obtainable, but in nine unions the figures are:-- - - 1881. 1891. 1894. - 10,392 6,349 12,935 - -so that this system does not appear to have affected the returns. - -From the Chief Constable's office, Dorchester, I have obtained a -valuable report of the Dorset Mendicity Society. It has been established -thirty-four years and provides food for the wayfarer in exchange for -bread tickets. Posters displayed at police stations deter the public -from giving doles. A large increase of vagrancy is admitted, but it is -claimed that there has been no increase in vagrant crime. The -professional beggar is said to avoid the county or to hurry through -it.[47] - -In this report W. P. Plummer says: "It is a generally accepted idea that -all wayfarers are worthless idlers, and the only proper way of dealing -with them is to make the regulations of casual wards so universally -severe that men will avoid them. I have no hesitation in saying that a -more erroneous idea could not exist. My experience is that when a _bonâ -fide_ working man finds himself out of employment he very naturally -commences to search for fresh employment in his own neighbourhood, but -when funds get low he finds he must go further afield to try his luck, -and the casual ward must be his hotel. For what reason should he be so -treated as to make him prefer the shelter of a barn or rick? Every -facility should be given him, but where is there an employer who will -start men in the middle of the day when discharged from casual wards? -What about a mid-day meal? _He must beg to live._ He follows it up for a -week or two of necessity and he finds it pay. In a few weeks you have a -_properly manufactured moucher_." He suggests that in place of casual -wards there should be in each municipal borough or urban district a -State common lodging-house with labour yard, used also as a labour -registry, and backed by labour colonies under control of the Prison -Commissioners.[48] In 1904, £176 2_s_. 9_d_. covered expenses of 38,998 -bread tickets, and administration. He wishes the justices, if they -convict, to have no option but to commit for third offence in one year -(or on the sixth altogether) for begging, sleeping out, hawking without -licence, disorderly conduct, etc. Tramps should be identified by -finger-marks. The governor of the prison should on receipt of list of -previous convictions re-arrest and charge the man before justices as an -habitual vagrant, and the justices should commit to a penal labour -colony.[49] - -The various experiments of the Church Army, Salvation Army, Lingfield, -and other charitable agencies show the existence of a large class of men -willing to live under restraint and work for bare livelihood. All such -charitable agencies however are handicapped by the absence of -_compulsion_ at the bottom of our social system. Those on whom it is -most necessary to _enforce_ labour throw it up.[50] As experiments these -institutions are most valuable, but in the absence of definite State -provision they themselves often add to the confusion existing, by -providing merely temporary control for undesirable cases. A certain -amount of eligible deserving cases are rescued, the rest sink down after -considerable and disheartening expenditure of time and money.[51] It is -impossible for _private_ enterprise to tackle effectually what is the -duty of the community as a whole, or to undo the mischief wrought by a -radically wrong vagrancy system. - -At the same time it is invaluable to know that numbers of men eagerly -desire to obtain employment, and that such an institution as the labour -house connected with Central Hall, Manchester,[52] can be made -practically self-supporting, after first cost, by wise management. -_Experiments_ must at first be costly, but pioneer work is necessary to -find out what suits English conditions. This is what makes each -attempted colony now most valuable. Lingfield appears to be especially -so, both as redeeming 40 per cent., as fitting them for emigration, and -also training helpers for social service. The capital cost was £160 per -head, the cost per man is £33. The inmates received are very -debilitated, and their work counts for _nil_ on arrival. Hollesley Bay -and Laindon have also been recently established.[53] We must now proceed -to consider the question from a national standpoint. - - -XI. REFORMS HAVING REFERENCE TO VAGRANCY. - -Having endeavoured to make it clear how essential to organised society -is a proper treatment of the vagrancy question, it remains to consider -what reforms are necessary in England. It must be remembered that we -cannot adopt wholesale the policy of any other nation. We must work out -our own salvation. It is not possible, if it were desirable, to have the -individual as much under Government surveillance as in Germany for -example. Individualism and liberty of the subject are deeply rooted in -English soil. - -It will be well if we first outline the objects to be aimed at. - -(1) There should be at the bottom of society a _provision for -destitution_ to be _earned_ by honest work, sufficient to deter from -beggary and crime. This provision should be meagre but not worse than -prison fare. (See note 23.) - -(2) There should be provision, ample and sanitary, for migration.[54] - -(3) For women there should be some provision more eligible than vice. -(Appendix IV.) - -(4) It is a national mistake to recognise a tramp class of women.[55] - -(5) Those willing to work should be sorted from those unwilling.[56] - -(6) It should be so arranged that the public understand there is -_sufficient_ provision for destitution, and are themselves deterred from -promiscuous charity.[57] - -(7) Some place of detention other than prison should be provided for -vagrants convicted.[58] - -(8) It is desirable also to provide labour colonies for defective -industrials.[59] - -In discussing the _method_ by which such reforms can be brought about we -must recognise that there are many "lions in the path." It is not -certain that the necessary reforms can or will be carried through by -Government. In other countries an example has been set by private -enterprise, and has afterwards been adopted or subsidised by -Government.[60] We must, however, recognise that our English problem is -a huge one, that we have to make up for years of neglect, and that evils -are accumulating. - -The great majority of our population live in towns. Vagrancy is -therefore one of our town problems, closely woven with the unemployed -problem. But we have not the great advantage possessed by many -Continental towns, that the Poor Law is under the control of the -municipality. In Copenhagen, for instance, the four burgomasters control -education, poor law, charity, municipal labour bureau, and old age -pensions, as well as municipal organisation. This gives unity to city -life. The new legislation in connection with the unemployed gives power -to the _Municipality_ at present mainly permissive, yet the _Poor Law_ -is still separate, also the magistracy often works against the poor law -by the extreme leniency of their sentences. A poor-law officer cannot be -sure of convictions. - -If lodging-houses are provided this falls to the municipality also. -There seems to be great need for unification of authority, and a -thorough over-hauling of our poor-law system in view of modern -conditions. It is also to be feared that the old traditions with regard -to treatment of tramps are very deeply engrained in the minds of -poor-law officials. The labour yard also is very seldom run on true -business principles, and it would be difficult to create through the -length and breadth of the land a thorough reform of the tramp ward, as -difficult as it has been found already to secure uniformity.[61] -Nevertheless, to create entirely new machinery when expensive buildings -already exist seems foolish.[62] The imperative need for reform, -however, calls for Government action, and so urgent is the call for a -_universal_ system, and so large are the issues at stake, that it would -seem to be the best to recognise the whole matter as a cause for -Government interference. It might be best if both the migratory and the -unemployed questions were recognised as calling for a new Department of -Labour, and the tramp ward or its substitute placed under the new -authority.[63] In the case of the Poor Law Reform of 1834, Poor Law -Commissioners were given wide authority to work radical reforms and -unify the parishes for poor-law purposes. Something like this seems to -be again necessary, but with still wider national needs in view. - -These, for instance, are some of the reforms necessary:-- - -(1) To arrange definite _national_ routes of travel, and settle the -migration stations along these routes, including ration stations (unless -mid-day ration is given on leaving a station).[64] - -(2) To close _unnecessary_ tramp wards, and publicly notify the -available routes.[65] - -(3) To arrange for centres of population some plan by which a man may -make use of the tramp ward for three or five nights, and search for -employment.[66] - -(4) To arrange a national system of Labour Bureaux.[67] - -(5) To arrange the incidence of taxation for support of the stations. -The Poor-law Unions might be debited in proportion to percentage of -vagrants over last 10 years, and deficiency nationalised, or tramp -wards transferred to police.[68] (Appendix I.) - -(6) To secure sufficient sanitary accommodation in every large centre -and on national routes, both for the destitute and for the _bonâ fide_ -working man. - -(7) To make uniform the supply of rations, the accommodation, and the -task of work, and see that the latter is on a proper business -footing.[69] - -(8) To arrange for public charity to flow into authorised channels, and -discourage promiscuous almsgiving.[70] - -(9) To provide detention colonies for the confirmed idler, vagrant, and -habitual drunkard, if committed by the magistrate.[71] - -(10) To arrange a system to distinguish between the idle and the -"willing to work" unemployed.[72] - -In addition to this, the facts in relation to unemployment show, that -there are periods of good and bad trade, leading to wane and flux of -employment. - -Thus the wave from 1886 to 1893 in skilled trades was as follows:-- - -[Illustration] - -It will be seen that unemployment almost disappeared in 1890. There are -also seasonal waves, summer and winter. It is for the equalisation of -such differences that some provision must be made, as well as for the -care of the "industrial invalid." In times of depression individuals are -thrust out who become a burden on the country all the rest of their -lives, either by idleness, beggary or crime. It must not be forgotten -that each of these _at present_ costs the community a far greater sum -than they would cost if provided with labour. Therefore:-- - -(11) Arrangements should be made whereby, by work specially arranged to -coincide with seasonal unemployment, the national cost of the incapable, -the inefficient, and the temporarily unemployed could be minimised. (See -"How to Deal with the Unemployed": Chap. V., "The Labour Market," by the -author.) (Brown, Langham & Co.) - -(12) It would only be possible for _Government_ to carry out such large -schemes of afforestation or of reclamation of waste lands as would -effectually grapple with the whole problem. - -There is, however, one question we must briefly deal with in considering -either private or public action. - -It is said that if employment is found for the unemployed, if vagrant -and other colonies are formed, the result will only be to displace by -their products other workers. There is, it seems, a kind of vicious -circle, by which, for example, if prisoners made brushes, other -brushmakers are displaced, and so on. - -It is forgotten that every day new and extensive businesses arise, and -their competition with others is not regarded as an evil. (These often -undersell, colonies need not.) But besides this it has been found by -investigation into the working of German labour colonies that their -products do not disturb the labour market. To a great extent the -colonists are engaged in supplying their _own_ need.[73] Kropatkin also -shows how the more careful cultivation of the land enables it to -maintain a larger population. To place the waste man on the waste land -seems to be true social economy. It must be remembered also that, to the -extent to which a pauper is made self-supporting, the money that before -supported him is set free. If, for instance, the cost of a pauper could -be reduced from £12 (English workhouse) to £5 (Belgian labour colony), -£7 would be set free for other expenditure. The weight of the Poor Law -is heavy upon us. In London alone indoor paupers rose from 29,458 in -1857 to 61,545 in 1891. Besides this, enormous sums are spent in -charity,[74] which forms as it were an additional tax on the -well-disposed. An effective law dealing with idleness would tone up our -whole population, and dispose many to work. The home market would -improve as taxation was lightened. We must go to the _root_ of social -disease. - -The Continental system of providing an incentive to labour in the shape -of a very small wage is well worth consideration.[75] It makes -government easy and provides for sifting one class from another. It is -not sufficiently recognised that undesirables act as social microbes. If -they can be got to live under restraint, much evil is averted. The -modern organization of labour is such that it ought to be possible to -place our Poor Law on a sound economic basis, instead of the present -haphazard system. The cost of administration as it is, goes up by leaps -and bounds without adequate return.[76] - -I have outlined above the _national_ reforms necessary. But we are slow -reformers, and it may be well to indicate reforms _immediately_ -possible. These are outlined in a series of articles published last -March in the _Poor Law Officers' Journal_. They include changes in -administration of the tramp ward, such as the provision of a diet equal -to the lowest prison fare, suitable drink, and a mid-day ration, a -proper bed or hammock, absolute prevention of overcrowding, clean water -for the bath, and thorough carrying out of Local Government Board -precautions for cleanliness.[77] With regard to women, I strongly advise -admission to the workhouse proper, detention of children, and the -appointment of a lady protectress in connection with each workhouse, -whose duty it would be to investigate cases of need. Women should not be -allowed to tramp the country. A detention colony is badly needed, and -proper provision for the feeble-minded. In the case of women the moral -danger is a grave additional reason for prevention of vagrancy.[78] - -I also recommend an _immediate_ modification of our tramp-ward system, -which would sort vagrants into two classes. By early admission and a -half-task of work, the wayfarer might be enabled to earn one night's bed -and board and go on his way, having a way-bill for his route. The -unemployed town-dweller might be given an identification note enabling -him to return for from two to three nights and to seek work meanwhile. -If he did not find it he could have a way-bill to another town. The idle -man who came late would be detained _two_ nights with double task. -Identification marks would be taken. If a man fell into the hands of the -police for offences against the law he would be deported to a vagrancy -colony.[79] - -These changes would only need: - -(1) The formation of one experimental vagrancy colony. - -(2) Local Government Orders modifying the present tramp ward -regulations. - -They are therefore _immediately_ possible, pending a further national -reform movement.[80] - -As, however, even this would require a good deal of discussion and -delay, it would be well if the admirable suggestions made by Mr. J. H. -Jenner-Fust at the Conference on Vagrancy, held at Lancaster on Sept. -1st, 1905, could be carried forward. He suggests a combination of -unions, for relief of the casual poor, (under sect. 8, Poor Law Act, -1879). A joint committee holding office three years could be formed. -This committee would have power to acquire land and erect buildings, -and maintain inmates, etc. If a combination of several counties were -effected, a 1_d_. rate on No. 11 district and Cheshire would produce -£129,000. Such a committee could arrange to dispense with certain -workhouses and rent or lease others, to arrange for rules of travel, -uniform administration, keeping children from vagrancy, the way-ticket -system. Also for "test-houses" for the "work-shy" able-bodied. Perhaps -also for a labour colony, as experiments must be tried. - -The Conference passed a resolution in favour of farm or labour colonies -under State control, or under control of the guardians of a county, for -detention of the habitual tramp, and also in favour of the provision of -a mid-day meal. - -A committee was appointed to give effect to the resolutions, to consist -of representatives from each union in the conference district. - - -XII. CONCLUSION. - -It remains now to place on a _scientific_ basis the facts related and -the reforms proposed. - -Mankind has evolved from the nomad to the pastoral, from the pastoral to -the agricultural, from the agricultural to the industrial. These stages -represent also the development of the _individual_, and are expressions -of an underlying _psychical_ development. - -The child is at first unable to fix his attention long on any one -object. He roves from one thing to another, and is essentially _nomad_. - -By degrees certain objects become centres of consciousness with memories -attached. He cares for these, they are to him what flocks and herds are -to the _pastoral_, but he is still restless, unable to concentrate long -on one object. By degrees, as he unifies, some one object becomes -supreme, or rather he himself assumes the supremacy of his environment. -He arranges it so as to minister to his dominant passion. The girl -craves for the doll, the whole nursery ministers to the beloved object. -The child in this stage is essentially _agricultural_. In the next -stage, the _industrial_, he or she becomes plastic to educational -influences, and is "educed" or drawn out in the direction of natural -specialised ability. - -This is the _normal_ development. But multitudes stay in one or other -stage. There are grown-up people incapable of concentration or of true -industrialism. Yet they may be efficient examples of "a lower type," -_i.e._, capable of toil in a limited environment under direction. - -Multitudes again are incapable of fixity of occupation continued over -long periods. Yet alternation of employment will keep them busy and -happy. - -Others again cannot fix their attention any more than a child, only the -simplest of occupations is possible to them, yet they can be restrained -from evil. - -It must be noted also that human nature _degenerates_ down this ladder. -The industrial highly skilled loses his trade. He is quite "at sea" out -of his usual environment. But at first he has no desire to rove. He -would cling to any environment that found him sustenance; and take eager -interest in a new trade. Thus in the Lancashire cotton famine many -industrials became skilled out-door workers. But if he cannot get -employment he roves to find it, and becomes "unsettled." It is hard then -for him to "settle down," he becomes fond of a day or two's work and a -day or two's play alternating. Finally, he becomes a true vagrant--a -nomad. It will be seen then that the arrest of vagrancy depends on the -application of scientific principles. Habitual and hereditary vagrancy -could soon be suppressed, or might even be neglected and allowed to die, -by gradual absorption of the _children_ of vagrants into the ranks of -the more developed population. It is the constant _recruiting_ of -vagrancy that is such an evil. It would seem as if the free leave given -in Germany for a man to enter and leave a colony, and then enter and -leave another, but at the same time to be under compulsion to earn his -living, is adapted to the "pastoral" class, who cannot easily settle yet -will intermittently work. To let them degenerate into "loafers" is -fatal. - -Then again the slum dweller clings to his environment, and it is useless -to _force_ him to wander, and so send him down the ladder. For such -populations as West Ham, work on the land in return for sustenance seems -to be the way out. They are essentially "agricultural" in attachment to -environment, and would no doubt be suitable subjects for schemes of Home -colonisation. - -A fully developed industrial, on the other hand, is best employed _as_ -an industrial. In connection with new developments, there will be need -for such industrials. Therefore, if, as in Belgium, the needs of the -colony were supplied by "industrial" inmates, but the more untrained -were kept to farm work, on some form of simple manual labour, it would -seem as if the right organisation would be arrived at.[81] - -It is probable that in our towns many forms of social waste occur, and -that new industries might be developed in connection with Labour -Bureaux, for temporary employment over crises. Much lies in the power of -the municipality. An interesting _new_ industry for utilisation of old -tins (waste) has arisen in connection with Central Hall, Manchester. In -the cotton famine the laying out of building plots gave employment to -many Lancashire weavers, and was ultimately remunerative. - -It will be seen that the Tramp Ward, though in itself apparently only a -minor provision in our complicated poor law, is really a foundation -stone for our national treatment of destitution. Unless we get back to -the sound principles that underlie organised society, that if a man will -not work he must be made to do so, and that to enforce honest toil is a -social duty, we shall see national evils accumulate to national -destruction. Let me now pass in review the personal investigations which -led me to these conclusions. - -FOOTNOTES: - -[2] "Low as is the standard of comfort of the ordinary vagrant, that of -the class of people who frequent the charitable shelters or habitually -'sleep out' in London and other large towns is still lower. The casual -pauper is at least clean, while the man who sleeps in his clothes at a -shelter, or passes the night on a staircase, is often verminous and -always filthy. These people seldom or never go to casual wards, and they -can only find a living in large towns" (Vagrancy Report, p. 26). These -town-dwellers are not, however, _hereditary_ vagrants as a rule. - -[3] "No doubt the coming into existence of a pauper class was a new and -startling phenomenon of Tudor times; it is probable, too, that the -suppression of the monasteries led to a large increase of the vagrant -population" (Vagrancy Report, p. 6). - -[4] This was, however, only a portion of the "Statute of Labourers" (7 -Rich. II., ch. 5; Vagrancy Report, p. 3). - -[5] The Vagrancy Report gives a full historical summary of this -repressive treatment (chap. 1, sections 8, 11), but points out (section -12) that all legislation was then harsh, and that some punishments, such -as branding, may have been intended for identification, as with lost -sheep. It questions the existence of a widespread social evil. - -[6] Statistics of vagrancy (Vagrancy Report, section 74) estimate the -difference between the number "on the road" in a time of trade -depression as 70,000 or 80,000, as against 20,000 or 30,000 in times of -industrial activity (as in 1900). See also effect of South African War -(section 76). - -[7] The Report points out that the term "vagrant" is elastic, including -gipsies, hawkers, pedlars, and those employed in hop-picking or -fruit-picking (section 78; see also sections 400, 401). It appears -(section 402) that arrangements for these seasonal migrations are -improving in the hop-picking and fruit-picking counties, owing to the -action of local sanitary authorities and philanthropic societies. The -"casual labourer," on the contrary, is a constant addition to the ranks -of vagrancy (see section 81). "The vagrant of this class is usually a -man who has been unable to keep his employment from idleness, want of -skill, drinking habits, or general incapacity, or perhaps from physical -disability. As time goes on, he succumbs to the influence of his -demoralising mode of life, and falls into the ranks of the habitual -vagrant." Lack of unskilled employment, which is mainly seasonal, is as -large a cause. - -[8] "The penal laws against vagrants were enacted contemporaneously with -the establishment of poor relief for the aged and infirm, and with -repeated attempts to build up a system for the correction and -reformation of the vagrant" (section 11, Vagrancy Report; see also -sections 257-260). - -[9] The Report on Vagrancy does not appear to the author to deal with -the origin of this class (see sections 82, 83). The presence of the -"work-shy" class is recognised, and in section 81 the additions to it -from the ranks of casual labour attributed to bad habits or incapacity. -But the fact that the existence of this class is a _necessary result of -rise in capacity_ of the artisan classes is not alluded to. It would be -interesting to investigate how many of the "unskilled" and "work-shy" -have worked and earned their living for years, but have found it -impossible to keep a foothold. As _capacity_ rises, the strata of -"inefficient" must be left behind. - -[10] In section 79 the Report deals with the _bonâ fide_ working man -looking for work. The author believes that though the Committee regarded -such as only a small proportion, this does not represent the real facts. -If, as is stated, the number of "vagrants" doubles in times of -unemployment, it is evident that the 50 per cent. squeezed out were -previously employed in some way. Evidently the ranks of vagrancy are -largely recruited from "working men," though by those most inefficient. -Six weeks' tramp has been stated to the author as long enough to turn a -"working man" into a "loafer." - -[11] See Vagrancy Report, section 20. - -[12] It will be seen that in 1848 the increase of vagrancy called for -attention. The report given by the inspectors led to a minute of the -Poor Law Board, signed by Sir C. Buller, on "the growing evil of -vagrancy." The decrease in vagrancy was put down to more stringent -regulations, but may have coincided with better industrial conditions, -as in 1853 the numbers again rose (Vagrancy Report, sections 28, 29, -30). - -[13] It is not surprising that London should be the first to feel the -pressure of migratory destitution resulting in the Houseless Poor Acts, -1864, 1865 (see Vagrancy Report, section 33). - -[14] See sections 38, 39 (Vagrancy Report). - -[15] Mr. Curtis, clerk to the King's Norton Guardians, says: "In my -judgment the present measures have _totally failed to achieve their -object_" (Vagrancy Report, section 113). - -[16] In 1866 a dietary was prescribed (Vagrancy Report, section 37). - -[17] "In 374 unions the casual pauper gets only bread for breakfast and -supper ... for the mid-day meal 474 unions give only bread and cheese" -(Vagrancy Report, section 95). - -[18] "The rule to detain vagrants two nights is but little observed" -(Vagrancy Report, section 94). - -[19] See section 49, Vagrancy Report. - -[20] "In the four years 1891 to 1895 the figures (for Jan. 1) rose from -4,960 to 8,810, an increase of 3,850; while the recent rise spread over -five years (1900 to 1905) was from 5,579 to 9,768, an increase of 4,189" -(Vagrancy Report, section 76). - -[21] See section 70, Vagrancy Report, respecting vagrants in common -lodging-houses. It is surprising how many inmates are "without settled -home." I have personally interrogated many women who have been homeless -for years with their husbands, but have lived in lodging-houses. The -seasonal migration of the rich produces a reflex tide of migration of -"hangers on" of all kinds; there are also other seasonal migrations such -as that of the navvy (see section 33, Vagrancy Report). - -[22] It is probable that a larger proportion of the inmates of casual -wards in London are of the "work-shy" class than in the north, because -London acts as a kind of national cesspool attracting the dregs, partly -by reason of its charities. The same may be said of a large centre like -Manchester. But if sufficient skilled observation had been given over -long periods, it would probably be found, as I have indicated, that -there are great changes in the _personnel_ of the tramp ward. It is -indicated in the Report (section 87) that the free shelters attract the -_lowest_ class. Hence the rise in the standard of cleanliness may mean -that the tramp ward now actually accommodates a higher social stratum -than formerly. - -[23] See Chap. XV., Vagrancy Report. It is doubted that the percentage -is so high. It will vary in different localities. - -[24] "Evidence before us shows that severity of discipline in one union -may merely cause the vagrants to frequent other unions." - -[25] It is acknowledged that the present dietary is insufficient, not -only owing to absence of a mid-day meal (section 160), but also as a -minimum for "a fair day's work," which requires (section 307) at least -2,500 calories in heat-producing value and 55 grammes of proteid. The -proposed amended dietary is as follows:-- - -Breakfast: Bread, 8 oz.; margarine, 3/4 oz.; cocoa (made with cocoa -husk), 1 pint. - -Dinner: Bread, 8 oz.; cheese, 1-1/2 oz. - -Supper: Bread, 8 oz.; margarine, 3/4 oz.; potatoes (cooked), 6 oz. Salt, -1 oz. per five men daily. - -This would provide 2,500 calories with 63 grammes of proteid. - -[26] The superiority of the prison dietary is freely acknowledged in the -Report (see sections 203-206). - -[27] See sections 197-201, Vagrancy Report. "Many tramps openly declare -that they prefer prison to the casual wards."... "Vagrants assigned as a -reason for refusing to work that they wished to lay up for a fortnight -during the winter in gaol." Window-breaking and tearing-up clothes are -freely resorted to in order to get into prison. On the 28th of February, -1905, 3,736 male prisoners out of 12,369 were reported by the prison -governors as persons with no fixed abode, and with no regular means of -subsistence (section 59). In London, in 1904, 1,167 casuals shirked work -or tore their clothes (section 107). - -[28] See Vagrancy Report (section 41) with regard to the enforcement of -the four nights in London. In 1904, 16,060 cases were detained four -nights. A list has been made of 950 habitual tramps who live in London -tramp wards (section 110). A similar list might be made of tramps who -circle round in the towns in the Manchester district. In 1904, in -London, 21,367 people were _refused admission_ to tramp wards (Vagrancy -Report, section 104). - -[29] The opinion of the Committee is very unfavourable as to shelters -(see sections 338-359). It does not, however, appear to be sufficiently -recognised that these shelters have arisen as a direct result of the -repressive policy of the tramp ward and the insufficient national -provision for destitution. The dregs of our social system must -congregate somewhere; they will naturally gravitate where conditions are -most favourable, and where existence can be maintained. It is impossible -to sustain existence on a tramp-ward dietary, and regulations will not -allow the homeless wanderer to settle there. Consequently he goes -elsewhere. Until a more effective national provision is made, the -shelter is at any rate a provision for the most destitute. Free -shelters, however, especially if in an insanitary condition, may -constitute a danger, being out of relation to the true national policy -of dealing with destitution. The care of this lowest class is better -understood abroad. If the State accepts the care of the destitute, some -provision must be made for those "past work." The Report is written as -if the state of these men was due to the "demoralising effect of the -shelters." Mr. Crooks, however, says: "The poor chaps have become -degenerate; they cannot work; they have got quite _past work_; they can -hardly beg; they go in and have a meal, good sound food, stop all night, -and come out in the morning. What do they do in the morning? All life is -objectless; they have nothing to do; they have simply to loaf away -another day without any object in life at all." - -In his evidence he attributes this to "general break-up," due to the -absence of proper food and shelter. He shows that people of this -character "loafing and lurching with eyes like the eyes of a dead fish," -were "improved out of all knowledge" at the Laindon farm colony. - -A few nights' "sleeping out" may reduce a man to a most miserable -condition. It is a wonder that many survive. The writer has been -receiving for years _women_ reduced to the extremest destitution and -incapable of work without rest and food. The majority have passed on to -employment, but in the state received it would have been impossible for -them to obtain it. - -[30] Repeatedly asserted by tramp ward inmates. - -[31] Note 25. - -[32] See section 15 as regards Shakespeare's "vagrom men." - -[33] It is surprising how little is said in the Report about common -lodging-houses, though in the chapter on spread of disease by vagrants -useful recommendations are made as to stricter enforcement of existing -laws. As a rule, cleanliness in shelters (in spite of the use of the -"bunk" for sleeping) is far in advance of the common lodging-house. -Beds, especially flock beds, are often most insanitary for this class of -persons. Inspection is often merely perfunctory or too infrequent to act -as a check. Even in London inspection leaves much to be desired though -conditions are greatly improved. - -[34] This lodging-house has since been removed or suppressed. - -[35] This was a northern lodging-house. - -[36] The average number _prosecuted_ in 1899-1903 reached 9,003. It -would be much greater but for the leniency of the police (Vagrancy -Report, section 379). On the 7th July, 1905, in Holborn district, 1,055 -males and 176 females were found "principally on the Embankment, the -larger number of them on the seats." - -[37] The Vagrancy Report gives very varying estimates (section 74), -varying from 25,000 to 80,000. But it is to be noted that these figures -include all persons "without settled home or visible means of -subsistence." The writer estimates at 10,000 those belonging to the -confirmed tramp class. A number of those estimated in the total are -included in "Vagrants Wandering to their own Hurt," see sections -389-391. - -[38] See "Vagrants Wandering to their own Hurt," Chap. XIV., Vagrancy -Report. - -[39] An account of the labour colonies in Holland, Belgium, Germany, and -Switzerland is given in the Vagrancy Report, sections 228-256. In -Germany the average net cost is £6 per head per year. At Merxplas, -Belgium, it is £9. See also Appendix III. - -[40] The German Relief System is described (sections 168-170), Vagrancy -Report. The adoption universally of the way-ticket and provision for -"seekers for work" would assimilate our system to this. - -[41] See sections 228-230, Vagrancy Report. - -[42] See sections 249-256, Vagrancy Report. - -[43] See sections 171, 172, Vagrancy Report. - -[44] "In view of the subsequent history of the law as to casual paupers, -it is matter for regret that Parliament should have thus abandoned the -older tradition by which county authorities were charged with a -responsibility for vagrants nearly akin to the responsibility falling on -parochial authorities in respect of ordinary paupers" (Vagrancy Report, -section 260). - -[45] The way-ticket system appears likely to pass into legislation (see -sections 173-182, Vagrancy Report). - -[46] The Gloucestershire way-ticket system is described in sections 160, -161, 176, Vagrancy Report. - -[47] See section 164, Vagrancy Report. - -[48] It will be seen that these recommendations are in substance adopted -by the Committee, Appendix II. - -[49] This is also practically adopted in Report (see sections 221, 222, -224). - -[50] "The short period during which, on an average, a colonist stays at -Hadleigh, and the absence of any power of detention, militate against -the possibility of financial success" (Vagrancy Report, section 267). - -[51] Only 158 remained in Hadleigh Colony more than six months of 523 -persons received during the two years ending September, 1904. Sixty -"satisfactory" cases were readmitted later (Vagrancy Report, sections -263, 264). - -[52] See "How to Deal with the Unemployed" (Brown, Langham & Co.), pp. -181-184. - -[53] See sections 268-271, Vagrancy Report, also Appendix III. - -[54] The "way-ticket" system will partly meet this need, but it cannot -be properly met with without the provision of better lodging-houses, -well-regulated and sanitary. - -[55] See sections 403-409, Vagrancy Report, Appendix IV. and VII. - -[56] "We are strongly of opinion that some better provision should be -made to assist the man genuinely in search of work" (section 155). - -[57] "It is most important to remove the excuse for casual almsgiving" -(section 155). (See also sections 385-388.) - -[58] See evils of short sentences (Appendix V.). - -[59] The comprehensive scheme for labour colonies is outlined in -sections 227-286, Vagrancy Report. - -[60] "The general principle of a compulsory labour colony on habitual -vagrants may be borrowed from abroad, but the essential details must be -worked out at home." The proposal is to bring subsidised philanthropic -institutions to bear on the problem, but to form one State colony for -vagrants (Vagrancy Report, sections 277-305). - -[61] The proposal to place the casual ward in charge of the police will -tend to this unification. - -[62] See section 132, Vagrancy Report. - -[63] The placing of the tramp ward under the police is a step in the -right direction, but further reforms are urgent in poor-law -administration. - -[64] Section 179, Vagrancy Report. - -[65] Section 130, Vagrancy Report. - -[66] This need does not appear to be recognised in Vagrancy Report. - -[67] Sections 184, 185, Vagrancy Report. - -[68] Section 136, Vagrancy Report. The transfer of vagrancy charges to -police will greatly simplify the question of finance. - -[69] Sections 95, 181, 308-10; sections 93, 148, 149, Vagrancy Report. - -[70] Sections 345-388, Vagrancy Report. - -[71] Sections 284, 285, 304, Vagrancy Report. - -[72] Sections 178-182, Vagrancy Report. - -[73] Section 300, Vagrancy Report. - -[74] It is estimated that £100,000 is given away in London in a year to -street beggars (section 386, Vagrancy Report). - -[75] "We believe that the best and simplest method of securing the -desired end (incentive to work) would be to allow the colonists to earn -by industry and good conduct small sums of money, a portion of which -would be retained till discharged and a portion handed over to them -weekly to spend, if they like, at the canteen of the colony." Vagrancy -Report, section 260. - -[76] See enormous cost of casual wards, Vagrancy Report, Chap. IX. -Paddington cost £195, Poplar £219, and Hackney £346 _per head_. The -_average_ cost in the country is £60 and in London £150 per head. See -also "The Extravagance of the Poor Law," _Contemporary Review_, June, -1906. - -[77] The proposed reforms go much further in the right direction. It is -to be hoped they will not be minimised in passing into law. - -[78] See sections 403-409, Vagrancy Report. The Committee regard the -question of "female vagrants" as "comparatively unimportant." But it is -not sufficiently considered that the disparity in numbers of men and -women vagrants (887 females to 8,693 males on January 1st, 1905), and -the smaller numbers of women found "sleeping out," are due to the -existence of a possible method of livelihood for women by prostitution, -absent in the case of men, but exceedingly harmful to the State. The -temptation to prostitution through destitution should be as far as -possible removed. (See Chap. V.) - -[79] See recommendations 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 16, Appendix II. - -[80] The one objection to the Report is the delay consequent on the -necessity for legislation. It is a pity that there is not a -recommendation to proceed at once by Local Government Board Order in the -direction of the finding of the Committee. Legislation may be postponed -till after the Poor Law Commission. - -[81] The author has more fully developed the psychical principles -involved in right classification of the undeveloped in an article -published in the _Contemporary Review_, June, 1906. - - - - -CHAPTER II. - -FIVE DAYS AND FIVE NIGHTS AS A TRAMP AMONG TRAMPS.[82] - - -I. A NIGHT IN A MUNICIPAL LODGING-HOUSE. - -Having gradually been brought to the conviction, by investigation of -numerous cases of destitution among women, that there were circumstances -in our social arrangements which fostered immorality, I resolved to make -a first-hand exploration, by that method of personal experiment, which -is the nearest road to accurate knowledge, of the conditions under which -destitute women were placed who sought the shelter of the common -lodging-house or the workhouse. - -It was necessary to find a friend willing to share the possible perils -of such an experiment, and to arrange in such a way that it should be -unknown to all but a few. I was fortunate in finding a fellow-worker -willing to go with me, and as to the truth of the following story she is -a sufficient witness. - -We dressed very shabbily, but were respectable and clean. We wore shawls -and carried hats, which we used if desirable, according to whether we -had sunshine or rain, or wished to look more or less respectable. We -carried soap, a towel, a change of stockings, and a few other small -articles, wrapped in an old shawl. My boots were in holes, and my -companion wore a grey tweed well-worn skirt. My hat was a certificate -for any tramp ward, and my shawl ragged, though clean. We had one -umbrella between us. - -Our plan of campaign was to take train to a town some way from home, -arriving in the evening, and then to seek lodging. We had five nights to -spend, and were expected at a town some way off by friends who thought -we were on a "walking tour"! We cut ourselves off from civilisation on -Monday with 2_s_. 6_d_. in our pockets and a considerable distance -between us and home. We were expected on Saturday by our friends. We -thought that we should be able to sample only two workhouses after the -first night, expecting to be detained two nights at each. - -Escaping observation by going to a country railway station, we took -train to a town about fifteen miles from home. We enquired of the police -and others, and found that there was a large municipal lodging-house, so -we bought a loaf and a quarter of a pound of butter, and applied for -beds. We were just in time to get a double bed in the married couples' -quarters, for which we paid sixpence. We were shown by a servant--a -young woman, about twenty-three apparently--into a large, lofty -kitchen, furnished with wooden tables and benches. There was a splendid -kitchen range, and all was clean and tidy; hot and cold water were laid -on to a sink, and boiling water for making tea could be drawn from a -tap. Pots and pans, and _basins_ to drink out of, were kept in a handy -cupboard. One roller towel, however, was all the convenience for -personal washing or for wiping pots. There was a dish-cloth, and we -preferred to wash our pots and put them away to dry rather than to wipe -them on the towel used by our fellow-lodgers. - -Our first difficulty was as follows: We had bread and butter; we had, -also, in our bundle, some tea and sugar, the latter mixed with plasmon, -as we feared we might not keep our strength up till the week-end without -some such help. But we had neither spoon, knife, nor fork, so we could -not spread our butter nor stir our tea. A woman, with a girl of twelve, -whose language left much to be desired, told us we could have the three -necessary articles, and also a locker in which to keep our food, by -depositing one shilling. We accordingly did this, but were not given a -locker, as we were only staying one night. We had to put our provisions -in the corner of a cupboard used by others, but they were not touched. -Provided with the necessary implements, we proceeded to make tea, and to -cut our bread and butter receiving friendly hints from people who saw we -were novices, and studying our companions. We drank out of basins. -Besides the loud-voiced woman and child of twelve, there was a man and -his wife, and a very nagging woman, whose husband received a great deal -of abuse. The inmates appeared to know each other somewhat, and talked -about others who had lived there. - -We made enquiries for the closet, and found that the key hung by the -fireside, and gave admission to a single water-closet, very small, in a -yard through which everyone passed to the kitchen. This appeared to do -duty for the single women also, as they used the same kitchen and -sitting-room as the married couples. There was a good flush of water -caused by a movable seat. There was no lavatory or any convenience for -washing except the sink in the kitchen used by all the lodgers, men and -women alike, but there was a notice up that "slipper baths" could be had -for twopence. This absence of any opportunity for personal cleanliness, -apart from extra payment, must lead to uncleanliness of person where -people are all living on the edge of poverty; it is, too, most desirable -that women should be able to wash apart from men. - -After tea we found our way upstairs to a sitting-room, also furnished -with wooden tables and benches and fairly clean. Beyond it was a bedroom -for single females, separated by wooden partitions into cubicles. The -servant was in attendance, and was the only official we saw during our -stay, except when we purchased our bed at the office, and obtained and -returned our knife, fork and spoon. Being very tired, we asked for our -bed, and were shown a boarded-off cubicle, the door of which we could -bolt. It was lighted by a large window, and in the dim light looked -fairly clean, but the floor was dirty. The top sheet of the bed was -clean, the bottom one dirty, and the pillows filthy. We spread a clean -dress skirt over them and resigned ourselves. The bed was flock, and was -hot and uncomfortable; it smelt stale. We opened the window. There was -no furniture besides the bed; we hung our clothes on nails in the -partition. I killed a bug on the wall close to my head. - -Compared, however, with our further experiences, this lodging-house was -fairly comfortable--indeed, one of our fellow-lodgers, who apparently -was a respectable working-man, said it was "a palace" compared to -others! - -We had a restless night, disturbed first by the coming to bed of several -married couples in adjacent cubicles. We could hear all the -conversations, and the nagging woman kept telling her husband, in a tone -of voice much louder than his own, to "Shut up!" Then sleep was -difficult in such strange surroundings: outside, trams went past till -after midnight; inside, many of our companions were audible by snores. -We got some uneasy sleep, but were awakened very early as some of the -men were called about five o'clock. Towards six o'clock we got up -ourselves, with a longing for fresh air. We dressed, but could find -nowhere to wash but the sink in the kitchen, with all our clothes on, as -a man was already in possession, and was washing up his pots when we -came down. We reflected that with only this poor lavatory accommodation, -however clean our fellow-lodgers looked, they _could_ not be personally -otherwise than dirty, if they stayed on here; unless, which is very -unlikely, they kept on spending twopence for "slipper baths"! - -We got our breakfast in the same manner as tea, and were prepared to go, -but had to wait an hour before we could get our one shilling deposit -returned, the office not being open till eight o'clock. We sat in the -sitting-room, watching and talking to our fellow-lodgers. Their talk was -very free and often profane. Several women and the little girl were -sitting round a table, crocheting the articles which are hawked from -door to door. Men were reading papers. One by one the single women -lodgers came out of the inside room and went downstairs to wash and get -breakfast. The servant was sweeping the room. Her language was not -altogether clean; she smoked a pipe and mentioned a drink. It did not -seem altogether desirable that a young woman should practically be left -in charge. Her presence could be no guarantee for conduct or language, -and she might easily herself be tempted into immorality by men lodgers. -Her language showed that she was not much above the rest of the -inmates. - -The conversation turned first to the accommodation. We learned that we -had been fortunate in our cubicle, as some were infested with bugs. One -woman described how they harboured in the crevices between the woodwork -of the cubicles, which were not close fitting, and how she cleared them -out with a hatpin and exterminated them. The relative merits of various -cubicles in relation to the absence or presence of these insect pests -were discussed at length. The conversation naturally turned on the -accommodation at various lodging-houses, and we heard of horrors that -explained why this was called "a palace," and was so much appreciated, -that we were reckoned lucky to obtain a bed after seven o'clock at -night. We were told of a place where eight married couples slept in one -room, with _one bucket_ for all purposes. As the time went on the -conversation turned to visitors, and we learned that people came once a -week to sing and speak, and were much appreciated. "It was only what -they ought to do." We tried to get a little more information on this -subject, but the talk veered round to the Moat Farm murder. The -execution was due just at eight o'clock, and all eyes followed the -clock, and surmises as to the murderer's feelings were coupled with -references to the crime, with which all present seemed to be familiar. -We were glad when eight o'clock put an end to this topic and our -sojourn, as we could obtain our deposit and depart. - - -II. A NIGHT IN A COMMON LODGING-HOUSE. - -The morning was fairly fine, though grey, and we inquired our way to a -town on our route, about nine miles distant. We left the road for the -canal side, and sat down in the fields to rest a little, and then walked -on. We passed some men who were working in a barge; they shouted to us, -and invited us to come to them. We walked away and took no notice, but -repeatedly on our journey we were spoken to, and I could not help -contrasting the way in which men looked at us with the usual bearing of -a man towards a _well-dressed_ female. I had never realised before that -a lady's dress, or even that of a respectable working-woman, was a -_protection_. The bold, free look of a man at a destitute woman must be -felt to be realised. Being together, we were a guard to one another, so -we took no notice but walked on. I should not care to be a _solitary_ -woman tramping the roads. A destitute woman once told me that if you -tramped, "you had to take up with a fellow." I can well believe it. -About mid-day we dined on our loaf and butter, as well as we could -without a knife. A woman, also tramping, came to sit by us; she was -going to seek her husband, she said, in the town to which we were also -going. She was accustomed to tramp, as he went to different towns in -search of work, and she was anxious to push on to get there early. As -she seemed to know the neighbourhood, we asked her about lodgings. We -had determined to sample a common lodging-house, as we were not yet -sufficiently destitute to claim the workhouse. She told us of two -lodging-houses where single women were taken, but one was "very rough, -and the beds so crowded that heads almost touched heels." She recommended -the other one "on t'hill" as a respectable lodging-house, suggesting -that we could get a married couple's furnished room for sixpence a -night. We decided, therefore, to make for this _respectable_ -lodging-house. - -Towards one o'clock, after we resumed our route, it began to rain hard. -We found a path off the main road that led into a wood, and managed to -rest and shelter under the trees till the rain began to drop heavily -upon us. We then began to walk again, and found that outside the rain -had moderated. We were rather stiff and cold, so as soon as we came to -the houses we looked out for somewhere to get a cup of tea, and were -fortunate enough to find a coffee-shop, where we got a mug of hot tea -each for one penny, and ate some more of our loaf. We still had a good -walk, through outlying streets, before we reached the town, and by dint -of many enquiries we found the lodging-house. We first asked a postman -(after sending a post-card home, which we wrote at the post-office). We -gathered from his looks that, if respectable, our chosen lodging-house -was nothing very special; but it was "Hobson's choice" apparently, for a -man in charge of another lodging-house, where we made enquiries, said -it was the _only_ place where they took single women, the "rough" place -having given up taking them. So we found ourselves, between six and -seven o'clock, at the door of the house, which was not bad-looking -outside--an old-fashioned, roomy-looking, stone house, which might once -have been a farmhouse and seen better days. The landlady, a stout, -pleasant-faced woman, received us cheerfully. She told us that the -"furnished apartments" were not in order, but we could have a -boarded-off apartment and sleep together for eightpence the night. The -bed would be clean. This sounded just as good as we could expect, so we -paid her eightpence and turned in. I shall never forget this interior. -Fortunately it was getting dark, and not till morning did we fully -realise the state of the place. We found ourselves in a double room, -consisting, probably, of a kitchen and front room thrown into one, each -possessing a kitchen firegrate, and the back room a tiny sink. Round the -wall was a wooden seat, and wooden tables and benches completed the -furniture, except that the corner was occupied by a large cupboard. -Numerous articles of apparel were hanging from lines; saucepans, -tea-pots, etc., were to be found on the kitchen mantelpiece and over the -sink (all more or less dirty), and mugs, to be had for the asking. Two -perambulators partly stopped the large opening between the two rooms; -one belonged to a mother with children, the other to a blind man and -his wife, and contained their musical outfit and belongings. Two doors -led into this double apartment; one gave access to the entrance passage -and the landlady's rooms, the other to a small yard. In this was the -only sanitary convenience for at least forty people, the key of which -hung by the fireside--one small water-closet, _perfectly dry_. The -stench in it was enough to knock you down; one visit was enough to -sicken you. Yet some of the lodgers had been there _six weeks_. This and -the small sink by the fireside were the only provision we could discover -for sanitary purposes of all kinds. - -Yet it was not the place itself, but its inhabitants, that are quite -unforgettable. We sat down on the wooden bench behind a table, and -immediately facing us was a huge negro with a _wicked_ face. By his side -a quiet-looking woman, who had a little girl and boy, was sitting -crocheting. An old woman, active and weather-beaten, was getting supper -ready for her husband, a blind beggar, who shortly afterwards came in -led by a black dog. A woman tramp was getting supper ready for the -negro; she wore a wedding ring, but I question if she was his wife. -Several young children, almost babies, were running about, or playing -with the perambulator. A young man on the seat near us was tossing about -a fat baby born "on the road," whose healthiness we duly admired. It was -not his own, but belonged to a worried-looking woman, who also had a -troublesome boy. The next room was full of people, whom we could hear -but not see distinctly. The little boy of two caused much conversation, -as he was always doing something he should not, and caused disgust by -his uncleanliness, freely commented on. His mother made raids on him at -intervals, but neither cleanliness nor discipline was possible in such -surroundings. The most striking character, next to the negro, was a -girl, apparently about twenty. She wore a wedding ring, and belonged to -some man in the company, but from the character of her conversation I -doubt if she was married. The negro told some story, and she capped it -with another; evidently she was noted for her conversation, as she was -laughingly offered a pint to keep her tongue still! Her face would have -been handsome, but for a crooked nose and evident dissipation. All the -stories were more or less foul, and all the conversation, on every side, -was filthy or profane. The negro told how he had outwitted a harlot who -tried to rob him. The whole story of his visit to her house was related -in the most shameless way, with circumstantial details, no one appearing -to think anything of it. He told how he discovered where she kept her -money--in a flower-pot--and hid _his_ money there, shammed sleep, and -watched her surprise when she found nothing in his pockets, coolly took -all her money in the morning, driving off in a hansom after a good -breakfast. He _said_ he bought new clothes, and danced with her the same -night, being taken for a "toff," and hearing the story of her wrongs, -but refusing her blandishments! The girl told, sitting on the table near -the negro, how she had got her nose broken by an admirer and made him -pay for it. A conversation sprang up about the treatment of wives, and -it was stated that a woman loved a man best _if he ill-treated her_. -This theory was illustrated by examples well known to the company. The -girl related that she had lived in the same house with a man who used to -beat his wife. If he came home singing a certain song his wife knew she -was in for it. She used to try to hide, but one day he caught her and -beat her severely with a red-hot poker. The police got him, but _she -refused to bear witness against him_. Similar instances were given both -by men and women. Such sentiments augured no very good treatment for -wives of this class--in fact, the position of a mistress seemed -preferable. All the conversation was unspeakably foul, and was delivered -with a kind of cross-shouting, each struggling to make his or her -observations heard. A man read--or tried to read--amid frequent -interruptions, replied to by oaths, the story of the execution of the -Moat Farm murderer that morning, and other interesting police news, -freely commented on. Little children were running about all the while, -and older ones listening. As time went on more and more came in, -including the landlady and her children, and a married daughter with a -baby. It could not be possible for a woman to exercise any effective -control under such circumstances, as it would be her interest to keep -on good terms with her lodgers. The strongest man might be needed as a -"chucker-out" if there was a row. All present that night were "down in -their luck." A gala day at the park near by had been very unsuccessful -owing to the wet, and there was but little drink going; otherwise we -might have seen and heard still worse. One could imagine how swiftly a -brawl would arise. A rascally-looking "cadger" came in from his rounds, -and proved to be the father of the troublesome boy and husband of the -worried mother. He and a companion had been doing a regular beggar's -round, but had missed each other. His luck was so bad that his wife had -to borrow his supper. All the company except a few appeared to be of -that sort that preys upon society. The black man had been on board ship; -he was powerfully made, and looked cruel and lustful. I avoided his eye, -he kept staring at us. His mistress was, however, kind to us; she -brought us a mug of their tea, which we drank for courtesy with -considerable difficulty, eating some of our food with it. I suppose the -company thought us very poor, for almost everyone had something tasty -for supper, and the smell of fried bacon, onions, potatoes, and -beefsteak, the steam of cooking and drying clothes, mixed with tobacco -smoke and the stench of unclean humanity, grew more and more unbearable -as the doors were shut and all gathered in for the night. The continual -shouting made one's head ache, and no one seemed to think of putting a -child to bed. At last, about nine o'clock, we decided that upstairs -would be preferable. I may say that no one interfered with us or -questioned us, except one old woman, who was satisfied when we told her -that we had spent the last night in a Model, and were going on tramp to -a neighbouring town. She saw we were new to "the road," and descanted on -the _healthiness_ of the life, pointing to the baby in proof of it, and -assuring us we should "soon get accustomed to it." She told us this was -a very decent lodging-house, and that there were "nice, clean beds." We -hoped so, and asked the landlady to show us upstairs. After we left the -fun waxed still more fast and furious. Just before we went upstairs a -man in the inner room propounded the question, "Who was Adam's father?" -The conversation on the subject seemed to cause great amusement. -Afterwards they began to sing, not untunefully, various songs; amongst -others several hymns. I wished almost that we had stayed below to -ascertain what led to the singing of "Jesu, Lover of my soul." It -sounded odd, sung lustily by lips so full of profanity; yet I could not -but thank God that there was _One_ who loved sinners, and lived among -them. - -Upstairs we found rooms full of beds, but we were to have a "cubicle." -Apparently it was the only one, and it was very imperfectly partitioned -off. The door fastened with a wooden button, but by the head of the bed -was an entrance, _without_ a door, to a compartment which held a bed -occupied by a man, this again being accessible by an entrance without a -door to the rest of the room. Anyone could therefore enter if so -disposed. Three beds, occupied by married couples and their children -(who shared the same bed), filled the room, and beyond was another -apartment crowded with beds, and, so far as we could see, without -partitions. The landlady told us not to mind the _man_ who slept in the -next bed, for he was blind! He slept there, and so did his dog. The -other occupants of the room, who came to bed later, we could not see, -but we could hear them plainly. From the conversation we think the -nigger and his mistress slept just outside, and next to them (no -partition) a married couple with a baby and a child. A third couple -would be round the corner. The room barely held the beds and partition, -with room to stand by the side; there was no ventilation but a chimney -close to our bed. We could hear someone continually scratching himself, -and the baby sucking frequently, and other sounds which shall be -nameless. - -When we first went to bed, however, we were in peace, except for the -noise from below. We found our sheets were clean, and fortunately could -see no more by the light of the candle, without candle-stick, which our -landlady gave us. For two hours the noise went on downstairs; comic -songs and Sankey's hymns alternately came floating up the stair. Then, -at about eleven o'clock, suddenly everyone came to bed with a _rush_. It -almost seemed as if they were coming _on top_ of us, so great was the -noise, and all was so near. The blind man stumbled in so close, and -half-a-dozen people, all talking, got to bed close by. My companion woke -frightened and clutched me. A candle flickering in the next compartment -revealed a huge bug walking on the ceiling, which suddenly _dropped_ -over a neighbouring bed! By degrees, however, the noises subsided, and -my companion and I fell into an uneasy slumber. I woke in an hour or -two, in dim daylight, to feel _crawlers_. The rest of the night was -spent in hunting. I had quite a collection by the time my companion -woke. They were on the bed and on the partition. I watched them making -for our clothes; but there was no escape till morning was fully come. -Besides, my companion was resting through it all; so I slew each one as -it appeared. We found that the clean sheets concealed a _filthy_ bed and -pillows. - -About five o'clock two working men were roused by their wives' -admonitions, and got up to go to work. We rose at six o'clock, leaving -our neighbours still slumbering. We searched ourselves as well as we -could (with a sleeping man next door, audible if not visible). We could -see him if we stepped forward a pace. - -We thankfully bundled up our things, including food, which we had -brought upstairs to be safe, and we crept downstairs, hoping for -cleanliness. The kitchen fire was lit--apparently it had never been -out--and a kettle was on the bar; a working man was getting his -breakfast ready; a girl, the landlady's daughter, apparently about 12, -was sweeping the floor. We could now _see_ the filth. The floor was -strewn with dirty paper, crumbs, and _débris_, and dirty sand. All the -cleaning it got was that it was swept and then freshly sanded by this -small child. It then _looked_ tidy. "Appearances" are proverbially -"deceitful." But what we were not prepared for was, that all the wooden -benches were occupied by _sleeping men_. The small child sweeping was at -first quite alone with them. There was no place to wash but the small -fireside sink: one man considerately cleared out from its neighbourhood, -and I thought we were alone in that half of the room till I looked and -saw a slumbering man on either side. They moved, as if uneasy on their -hard couches. Of course, it was utterly impossible to attempt -cleanliness, except hands and face. Yet our fellow-lodgers had some of -them lived there for weeks, and it was reckoned by their class a -_superior_ lodging-house. I can hardly describe the feeling of personal -contamination caused by even one night in such surroundings. Yet we -escaped well, finding afterwards only two live creatures on our clothes. -Cleanliness of person would be so _impossible_ under such circumstances -that it would soon cease to be _aimed_ at. Yet most of the inmates had -fairly clean hands and faces, and the tiny sink was used for washing -clothes, which were dried in the room, and were hanging overnight from -lines. Is it any wonder that such places are hot-beds of disease? How -can one of this class possibly avoid spreading contagion under such bad -sanitary conditions? It struck me that public money would be well spent -in providing lodging-house accommodation under good sanitation and -management, rather than in extending small-pox hospitals. - -We did not feel inclined for breakfast, but the kettle was boiling, and -a working-man showed us where to find things. We carefully washed the -dirty-looking tea-pot and mugs, and borrowed a knife and spoon: no one -insulted or questioned us. If our stay had been longer, however, -doubtless we should have been obliged to get on friendly terms with our -fellow-lodgers. We ate our food at the table farthest from the sleeping -men, the sweeping still going on, and then we bundled up our things and -left without seeing our landlady again. - -The fresh air was sweet. Nowhere inside _could_ be clean. Vermin might -harbour in the wooden seating, doubly used by day and night: the -imperfectly washed clothes, the _un_washed humanity, the crowding, the -absence of proper sanitation, would break down personal cleanliness in a -very short time if a respectable woman was forced to sleep in such a -place. Yet two shillings and fourpence a week, at fourpence a night, -should surely finance some better provision for the needs of a migatory -class. It must be considered that social conditions have entirely -altered since the days of railway travelling have loosened social ties -to particular neighbourhoods. Work is a fluctuating quantity, and men -and women have to travel. - -My own experience had taught me that single women frequently get shaken -out of a home by bereavements or other causes, and drift, unable to -recover a stable position if once their clothing becomes dirty or -shabby. The question, To what circumstances and surroundings will a -respectable destitute woman drift if without employment? is one which -concerns society deeply, as immorality must be fostered by wrong -conditions. - - -III. A FIRST NIGHT IN THE WORKHOUSE TRAMP WARD. - -We were glad that the next ordeal before us would be the workhouse bath! -For we were now really "destitute"; after purchasing a little more food -we had only twopence left. We were so jaded by the imperfect sleep of -the two last nights that we decided not to leave the town, but to wait -about all day, and enter the workhouse at six o'clock. We had noticed a -reading room and a park: to the latter we found our way. The day was -gloomy and damp, but not actually wet, except for a slight drizzle at -intervals. In the park we found shelter, drinking water, and sanitary -convenience. We disturbed a sleeping man in a summer-house, and quickly -left him. We wandered into every nook in the park, and talked, rested, -or slept. The hours went very slowly, but we grew refreshed. Towards -mid-day we made a frugal meal on our remaining provisions, drinking from -a fountain. We still had a little sugar-plasmon left and a pinch of tea. -In the afternoon, growing cold and stiff, we went to the free library, -and stayed there reading an hour or two. Two or three ladies were there -reading, but they took no notice of us beyond a stare; we had put our -shawls over our heads, and might be taken for mill-hands. As soon as we -thought it was time we set off to find the workhouse. It was about two -miles, as near as we can guess, from the centre of the town, and on the -way to it we made the acquaintance of an old woman who was going there. -She was lame in one leg with rheumatism, and walked slowly, and she also -stopped to beg at houses _en route_. She got a cup of tea and a glass of -hot milk between the town and the workhouse. She was walking from P---- -to H---- to find her brother, having been in the workhouse infirmary for -many months. She said she had received a letter from her brother, -offering her a home if she would come to him. She lost his address and -could not write, so she had no resource but to walk from workhouse to -workhouse till she reached her destination. She was very tired, and -groaned with pain during the night, and almost lost heart and turned -back, but in the morning she plucked up courage to go on. She had the -advantage of being too infirm to be made to work hard, and she evidently -knew how to beg food. She seemed a decent woman, and had reared a large -family of children, who were all married, and had "enough to do for -themselves." Her brother, she said, was in comfortable circumstances, -and she would be all right if she found him. Her clothing was well -mended, but not clean. - -We arrived, alone, a few minutes before six, at the workhouse lodge, -which stood all by itself down a long lane which ended in iron gates. -This lodge was very small, and was occupied by a man, the workhouse -buildings being a little way off. There were a good many trees around, -and it was a pretty spot, but lonely. The man was a male pauper, and no -one else was in sight. We had to enter his hut to answer questions, -which he recorded in a book, and we were then out of sight of the house. -The nearest building was the tramp ward, the door of which stood open; -but there was no one in it, as we afterwards found. A single woman would -be completely at the mercy of this man. If our pilgrimage has had no -other result, I shall be glad to be able to expose the positive wrong of -allowing a male pauper, in a lonely office, to admit the female tramps. -When we first arrived at the gate he told us to wait a few minutes, as -we were before time. Some male tramps came up, and we saw him send away -one poor, utterly ragged man, who begged pitifully to be admitted. The -lodge-keeper told him he could not claim because he had been in that -workhouse within the month. So he limped away. He could not possibly -reach another workhouse that night. The man admitted three others, and -sent them on to the male quarters. He let us in at five minutes to six. -We thought this was kind, as he might have kept us waiting, and it had -begun to rain. He took my friend's name, occupation, age, where she came -from, and her destination, and then sent her on, rather imperatively, to -the tramp ward. She stood at the door, some way off, waiting for me. He -kept me inside his lodge, and began to take the details. He talked to me -in what I suppose he thought a very agreeable manner, telling me he -wished I had come alone earlier, and he would have given me a cup of -tea. I thanked him, wondering if this was usual, and then he took my -age, and finding I was a married woman (I must use his exact words), he -said, "Just the right age for a bit of funning; come down to me later in -the evening." I was too horror-struck to reply; besides, I was in his -power, with no one within call but my friend, and all the conditions -unknown and strange. Probably silence was best; he took it for consent, -and, as other tramps were coming, let me pass on. I made a mental vow to -expose him before I left the place. He took my bundle, and asked if I -had any money. I gave him my last penny. I received a wooden token for -the bundle. I then joined my friend, and told her she had better give up -her umbrella and her penny. She went to do so after some tramps had -passed, and though I stood and waited, and she was only gone a moment, -he tried to kiss her as she gave him the things! - -When she joined me, very indignant, we went forward into an oblong room -containing six bedsteads with wire mattresses and filthy straw pillows. -A wooden table and bench and "Regulations for Tramps" were the remaining -articles of furniture. There were big, rather low, windows on three -sides; the bottom panes were frosted, except one, which had been broken -and mended with plain glass, and overlooked the yard where the male -tramps worked. Presently our wayfaring friend arrived, and we all three -sat and waited a considerable time. A solitary woman might have been at -the mercy of the man at the gate some time. No one was in sight, or came -near us, till at last a motherly-looking woman entered by a door leading -to a room beyond. She asked us if we were clean. Our fellow-traveller -(whose garments were at any rate _not_ clean) was let off, as she had -spent the last night in a workhouse tramp ward. We said _we_ should like -a bath, and were shown into a bath-room and allowed to bathe ourselves. -Our clothes were taken from us, and we were given blue nightgowns. These -looked fairly clean, but had been worn before. They were dirty round the -neck, and stained in places; we _hoped_ they had been stoved! The old -woman dressed in one without bathing. We found in the morning that both -blankets and nightgowns were folded up and put away on shelves, just as -we found them, apparently, and left for new comers. We were told that -the blankets were "often stoved," but I have since ascertained that they -are not stoved at all workhouses every day. All kinds of personal vermin -might be left in them by a tramp who went straight out of dirty clothes -to bed, and even a bath might leave them open to suspicion. We saw -several bugs on the ceiling in this ward. Perhaps the using of others' -dirty nightgowns was the most revolting feature in our tramp. At neither -workhouse were the garments handed to us _clean_. We found afterwards -that by Government regulation clean bath water and a clean garment can -be _demanded_, but this we did not know. It should be _supplied_. After -the bath we were each given four blankets and told to make our beds and -get into them. The art of bed-making on a wire mattress, without any -other mattress to cover it, is a difficult one, even with four blankets. -The regulation number is two, and with these I fancy the best plan would -be to roll yourself round and lie on the mattress. For the wire -abstracts heat from the body, and _one_ is an insufficient protection. -Even with one spread all over and another doubled under the body and two -above I woke many times cold. In winter the ward is warmed by hot-water -pipes, but the blankets are the same. A plank bed, such as is given in -some workhouses, would probably be warmer, though harder. Put to bed, -like babies, at about half-past six, the kind woman in charge brought us -our food. We felt rather more cheerful after our bath, with the large, -airy room, instead of the foul, common lodging-house; only one thing had -exercised my mind--"What did that pauper mean by my going to him later?" -However, I told the portress all about what he said. She was very -indignant, and said I must tell the superintendent of the tramp ward -next morning, that she had to leave us, but would take good care to lock -us in, and I need not be afraid, he could not get at us. We were _very_ -hungry, having had nothing to eat since about twelve o'clock. Anything -eatable would be welcome, and we were also thirsty. We were given a -small lading-can three parts full of hot gruel and a thick crust of -bread. The latter we were _quite_ hungry enough to eat, but when we -tasted the gruel it was _perfectly saltless_. A salt-box on the table, -into which many fingers had been dipped was brought us; the old woman -said we were "lucky to get that." But we had no _spoons_; it was -impossible to mix the salt properly into the ocean of nauseous food. I -am fond of gruel, and in my hunger and thirst could easily have taken -it if fairly palatable. But I could only cast in a few grains of salt -and drink a little to moisten the dry bread; my companion could not -stomach it at all, and the old woman, being accustomed to workhouse -ways, had a little tea in her pocket, and got the kind attendant to pour -the gruel down the w.c. and infuse her tea with hot water from the bath -tap. We were then left locked in alone, at eight o'clock, when no more -tramps would be admitted. The bath-room, containing our clothes, was -locked; the closet was left unlocked; a pail was also given us for -sanitary purposes. We had no means of assuaging the thirst which grew -upon us as the night went on; for dry bread, even if washed down with -thin gruel, is very provocative of thirst. I no longer wonder that -tramps beg twopence for a drink and make for the nearest public-house. -Left alone, we could hear outside the voice of the porter. I wondered if -he expected us to open a window. However, we stayed quiet, but had one -"scare." Suddenly a door at the end of the room was unlocked, and a -_man_ put his head in! He only asked, "how many?" and when we answered -"Three," he locked us in speedily. I could not, however, get to sleep -for a long time after finding that a _man_ had the key of our room, -especially as our elderly friend had told us of another workhouse where -the portress left the care of the female tramps to a man almost -entirely, and she added that "he did what he liked with them." I -expressed horror at such a state of things, but she assured me it was -so, and warned us not on any account to go into that workhouse. She -said, however, that it was some time since she had been there, and -"things might be different." - -At last my companions slept the sleep of weariness. Sounds outside had -ceased; within, my friend coughed and the old woman groaned and shifted. -The trees waved without the windows, and two bugs slowly crawled on the -ceiling. I measured distances with my eye. They would not drop on _my_ -bed! I pity the tramp who has only two blankets on a wire mattress. I -could not get thoroughly warm with four; some part of me seemed -constantly to feel the cold wire meshes through the thin covering. The -floor would be preferable. I have been told since at one workhouse, with -considerable surprise on the part of the portress, that the male tramps -prefer the floor to their plank bed! I do not wonder. The pillow was too -dirty to put one's face on, so I covered it with a blanket. - -In this workhouse the management was lax--too lax to ensure cleanliness; -clothes and towels appeared to have been used, and blankets were -probably unstoved. As our own clothes are taken away and locked up, it -would be impossible for a tramp to wash any article of personal -clothing. Consequently she must tramp on, growing day by day more dirty, -in spite of baths, especially as _really dirty_ work is required of her -in return for "board and lodging!" There was no comb for the hair; -fortunately we had one in our pocket. - -In the morning we were roused about seven o'clock and told to dress. Our -clothes were in the bath-room. We had the luxury of a morning wash. Our -garments had been left on the floor just as we took them off, and so -were our companion's, which looked decidedly unclean by daylight. The -kind attendant said she had to go, but waited till I had told the -portress (who arrived to set us our task) the conduct of the man at the -gate, and I claimed her protection, as I should have to pass him when -going out. Both exclaimed when I told his words, and one said, "Plenty -of cups of tea I expect he's given, the villain!" The portress assured -me she would watch me out, and that I need not fear him, as he daren't -touch me when she was there, and she said that after I had gone she -should report him. - -Before this happened, however, we had our breakfast given us, which was -exactly a repetition of supper--saltless gruel and dry bread. We ate as -much as we could and were very thirsty. I had drunk some water with my -hand from the bath-room tap as soon as I got up. We put what bread we -could not eat into our pocket as a supply for the day, and were told to -empty the rest of our gruel down the w.c. It thus disappeared; but what -waste! A mug of coffee or tea would at least have washed down the dry -bread; or a quarter of the quantity of gruel, properly made, would have -been acceptable, with a mug of cold water for a proper drink. - -The following list shows how we had spent our money:-- - - Lodging, first night 6_d_. - Lodging, second night 8_d_. - Loaf 2-1/2_d_. - Two cobs 3_d_. - 1 brown cob 1-1/2_d_. - 1 tea-cake 1_d_. - 1/4-lb. butter 4_d_. - 1/4-lb. cheese 2_d_. - In hand 2_d_. - -We ate the cheese for dinner for two days. I do not think we could have -kept our strength up for five days' tramping if it had not been for the -plasmon mixed with our sugar, which we ate on our bread and butter or -drank in our tea. My companion was very exhausted before evening this -day, and her cough troubled her a great deal. Another week of this life -would have made us both thoroughly ill. It is not only exposure and poor -food, but _anxiety_ as to the next night's experience, that tells on the -mind. Yet we knew that in two nights we should be no longer friendless. -Pity the poor woman who has _no home_. Is it not almost inevitable that -she should sink? - -As we had now no food, we were glad to appropriate the remainder of our -workhouse bread, putting it in our pocket. We should have nothing else -that day, for the portress told us when we had done our work we might -go out at eleven o'clock. We thanked her--we had expected to stay -another night, and perhaps pick oakum, but we should have almost starved -on the food, as our sugar was in our bundle, so we were relieved to find -we had only to clean the tramp ward and go. We were told to "_sweep_ the -ward and make all clean." We did not think of _scrubbing_ the room, -which, as it was large, would have been a big task, but the portress -afterwards scolded us for not doing so. It was not dirty, so we swept -it, cleaned the taps, bath, and wash-basins, washed up the pots, dusted, -and, having made all tidy (except that we could find nowhere to empty -our dust-pan, unless it was the w.c.), we waited for release. We sat on -the form, and when the portress came in and saw us sitting down she -spoke to us very sharply. I suppose she did not like to see us idle. We -told her we would have scrubbed the floor if we had known we ought; but -we did not know, as we had never been in a workhouse before. She was -somewhat mollified, and let us off with a mild scolding some time before -eleven o'clock. She stood at the door and watched us receive our things -from the male pauper and leave the gates. He hastened to give us them -without a word, and also restored our two pennies. We said farewell at -the end of the lane to our companion, who was going the opposite way, -and commenced our tramp. We expected the next workhouse to be about -four miles away, in a town which we knew lay between us and our final -destination. But it turned out that the Union we were leaving and the -Union on the outskirts of the town to which we were ultimately bound -absorbed all the paupers from the intervening places, though of -considerable size. So we had really a very long walk before us; but, not -knowing this, as it was very gloomy and inclined to rain heavily, we -thought we had better seek shelter. We bought some butter with a penny, -and walked on to find a quiet place to eat something, as it was some -hours since we had had breakfast. We could not find anywhere but a damp -stone wall in some fields. There we _feasted_ on bread and butter and -plasmon sugar; but we were _very_ thirsty, so we took courage to beg, as -we had a screw of tea left. I went to a cottage and asked for a drink. -There was a boiling kettle on the fire, so I said we had a little tea of -our own, and the kind young woman, who had a blind old father, made us -tea and sweetened and milked it for us. I knew the town to which we were -going well, so we talked about the changes in it of recent years, as I -was "returning to friends there." She did not know the distance of the -next workhouse, but told us about the intervening towns. We left -refreshed, but it was beginning to rain, so we walked on, looking for -shelter. We saw a church surrounded by trees standing all by itself, -with a large graveyard. This looked a hopeful spot, so we made for it, -though it was rather out of our route. There we stayed an hour or two, -sheltering under trees or in the porch, and eating the last of our -workhouse bread about one o'clock. Part of the time it rained very -heavily, and though it was summer time we felt cold. At last the rain -moderated, and we set off for a steady tramp. - - -IV. A SECOND NIGHT IN THE WORKHOUSE TRAMP WARD. - -The miles between us and our destination seemed to _grow_ as walked. The -replies we got varied from four miles to eight; we discovered that some -were directing us _back_ to the union we had come from. I do not know -what the distance really was, but if we added up the distances we were -told it must have been nearly eleven miles. I believe we went -considerably out of our direct route. We had come about two miles, and -after we began to tramp in earnest we only rested a short time once or -twice to dodge heavy showers. We were walking from about two o'clock -till nearly eight before we reached the workhouse, but my companion grew -so weary she could only crawl, and I pushed her up the long, long hills. -We seemed to go up and up, and always a long hill in front. We _had_ to -give up trying to dodge the rain, and walk steadily on through the wet, -which grew worse and worse. We were very wet indeed before we reached -the shelter of the Union, and only just in time to be admitted. I feared -we should have been left shelterless. The workhouse was in such an -out-of-the-way place that it was hard to find; we thought we should -never find it, and grew very discouraged, but could not walk faster. To -ease our minds we told each other the story of our lives from childhood, -taking turns as we got tired and out of breath. We had now had no food -for nearly seven hours. At last we came to a dirty lane, by the side of -a high stone embankment, leading to big gates. We plunged down it; our -feet by this time were soaked and our shawls nearly wet through. With -some difficulty we found the lodge, a large, substantial stone building, -with an office occupied by a single man. He looked more respectable than -the other one, and asked us the questions in a straightforward -matter-of-fact way that was a pleasant contrast. He told us to sit on a -seat and wait for the portress. We sat for quite a quarter of an hour in -our wet things. Two young men, who seemed to be related to officials and -familiar with the place, passed through; otherwise we were quite alone -with this man, and he began to talk in a familiar and most disagreeable -manner. He asked me where my husband was, and insinuated that I had been -leading an immoral life. He said a married woman needed to "sleep warm." -He told us he was a pauper and lived there, asked how we liked his -house, said if there was one woman "he often shared his breakfast with -her." He produced a screw of salt and gave it us as a favour. Being -_two_ we were protection to each other, and passed off the conversation -as well as we could, telling him that we were not of _that_ sort, that -we had only taken shelter, and were going to friends. He said he hoped -he should see us in the morning. _We_ hoped not. He told us the portress -often kept a single woman more than two days to do her cleaning, giving -her rather better food. We dared not offend him. What might happen to a -single woman alone with such men? - -At last, to our great relief, the portress came. She was comparatively -young, dressed somewhat like a nurse, very quick and sharp, and -evidently she had many other duties, and this part of her work was -distasteful to her. She was very cross at being summoned so late, and -said at first we ought not to have been admitted, as it was past eight; -but the man told her we had been waiting. We should have been glad of a -little of "the milk of human kindness" in our wet, weary condition, but -we were "only tramps," and were ordered about sharply. She told us to -follow her to the bath-room. It was a stone-floored room at the end of a -stone passage, from which led out four stone cells. Each contained a -bed, and was imperfectly lighted by a square aperture, high up, leading -into the passage. The walls were stone, spotlessly whitewashed. She -asked what we had got in our pockets, but did not search us. She took -our bundles and asked how much money we had, but did not take our -solitary penny. She insisted on a bath, and watched us undress, telling -us to leave our clothes, and giving us nightdresses doubtfully clean. -(The necks were _dirty_.) We hurried for fear of offending her. She -asked if we would sleep together or alone, as the beds were double. We -were glad to be together. My friend said she should have cried all night -if shut up alone in one of these prison-like cells. I was ready first, -and was given four blankets. To walk on a stone floor straight from a -warm bath in a thin cotton night-dress and make your bed is not very -nice. But I have since seen nightdresses made of rough bathing flannel, -and as broad as they are short! I suppose "anything is good enough for -tramps." It is hardly realised that respectable destitute women might -have no other shelter. The conditions are such that probably few do -apply. The accommodation at this workhouse, which appeared to be a large -one--four cells, with beds for a possible eight--showed that few -probably applied at that Union, while the porter said that often there -was only one. Yet there are many destitute women, as Homes and Shelters -show. Are they forced into the common lodging-houses--or worse? The bed -was a most peculiar affair. In addition to the wire mattress it had a -_wire_ pillow, and _no other_. This was a flat, woven wire _shelf_ -raised a few inches above the mattress. Its discomforts were still to be -experienced. - -I made this curious bed as well as I could, spreading one blanket over -it and the pillow, doubling another for our backs, and reserving two to -cover us. We got into bed and were given the regulation mugs of porridge -and thick slices of dry bread. We were then locked in and left. We had -one spoon between us. There was no light except from the aperture, but -it was not yet dark. We were prisoners indeed, and a plank bed would -have been more comfortable. The pillow was a cruel invention--it was -impossible to place one's head upon it; the edge cut the back of your -neck, even through a blanket, and the rough meshes hurt your face. We -could not spare a blanket to double up for a pillow, we were cold as it -was; the blankets underneath barely kept off the rough wires, and two -were little enough to cover in a cold stone cell. The pillow was a -torture; we finally put our heads _under_ it and lay flat, screwed up -into any position that gave ease. Over our heads was a framed motto and -verses about "Jesus only." I wondered whether _He_ would think this the -proper lodging for a "stranger!" We were thirsty and hungry--but alas! -when we tasted our gruel, our _only_ drink, it was sweetened to -nauseousness with treacle! It was, indeed, to all intents and purposes -"treacle posset." Anyone with a grain of common sense can realise the -effect on the system of taking this sort of stuff immediately after a -warm bath, following a wetting. In fact, the diet produced a peculiarly -loosened feeling in the skin, as if all the pores were open, which made -it very hard to work. I usually perspire little, but next morning, -while working, I was again and again in a profuse perspiration, and this -produced a feeling of weakness, and culminated in a sharp attack of -diarrhoea--fortunately after I had reached my friends. Anyone who -thinks will see that this would only be a natural result of the diet -with many people. We were terribly hungry, and ate our bread; this made -us still more thirsty, but there was nothing to quench our thirst but -the thick, sweet gruel--very good in quality, but most nauseous. The -thirst we suffered from that night can be imagined better than -described. "I was thirsty and ye gave me no drink," kept running through -my mind whenever I turned my eyes up to spell out the words of "Jesus -only." This was our worst night; we were very weary, but could get no -ease; we fell into restless slumber, to wake again and again from thirst -or cold or some pain caused by our uneasy couch. Long before we were -called we were wide awake, longing to get up. About six o'clock, -probably, our cell door was unlocked, and we were told to dress. We -hastened to the bath-room and drank eagerly at the tap. Our wet clothes -were lying just where we left them. They were still quite damp and our -boots wet through. Had we known, we might have left them in a rather -different position, on some hot pipes; but we thought they were sure to -be stoved, as the portress knew we had taken shelter from pouring rain. -We had told her we could not reach our friends in the neighbouring town -because of it. There was nothing to do but to put our wet things on and -set to work. A woman brought us a pair of men's boots, very damp, with -blacking and brushes, and told us to polish them for her before we had -our breakfast. We did this, which doubtless was extra, and were rewarded -with a mug of her coffee, with one mug of the same sort of gruel, and -two thick slices of bread. The coffee was such a treat. I have made some -enquiries since, and have found at least one workhouse where the gruel -is replaced by coffee, though this is contrary to regulations. The -reason given is that the tramps never eat the gruel, and frequently -_throw_ it about, and even at one another, making a great mess! Also, -being made in summer overnight, it turns sour, and "is not fit for -pigs!" Is any comment needed? How many tons of good oatmeal must be -wasted every year! It is _absolute_ waste, as we were again told to -empty our mugs of the night before down the w.c., and put them away -clean. So not even the pigs have the benefit of it! - -There was no room to sit in, or seat, except a short form, just big -enough for two, in the bath-room. No table--and mugs and bread were put -on a window-sill. We sat on the form by a window, a few inches open, -that looked on some shrubs, and as we sat there a man--a pauper--passed -and stared in. We moved away. He went, and we again took our seats, but -presently he returned and stood staring in. We had fled to either side -when we saw him coming, but presently my friend _peeped_, and there he -was, standing staring in. She gave him some sharp words and ordered him -off; he disappeared, but evidently this was a means of communication -between men and women. The window, however, would not open wide, but -conversation would be easy. Presently the portress came, very brisk and -sharp. I was told to clean and stone a larder some distance off. We had -already done a little work while waiting. Knowing we should have to do -it, we folded our blankets, washed our pots, and cleaned the bath-room -taps. All was made clean and tidy when the portress came, but we were -not to get off so easily! My friend was told to stone the place -completely through, including the three cells not used (which looked -clean), to black-lead the hot-water pipes all down the passage, dust -everywhere thoroughly, and clean the step. Meanwhile I had first to do -some shelves and then stone a spiral stair and the floor of a small -larder, and then go on to other work. I think, probably, the work we did -would have taken the ordinary tramp a full day, and earned another bed -and breakfast. But we did not dawdle, but worked steadily on, and -pleased the portress so much that eventually she said we might go that -day. We could not finish our task by eleven, so she kindly gave us our -dinner and let us go after it, saying we should have time to reach our -friends. Evidently she saw we were above the usual tramp, and our work -pleased her. She asked us a few questions, but our answers, that we were -tramping from L---- to B----, having come short of money before we -reached our friends, satisfied her, being true. This portress came -backwards and forwards pretty frequently, and so did our acquaintance of -the previous night, who seemed to have numerous errands by the larder -where I was cleaning, but I neither looked at him nor spoke, so he did -not make any advances. It would have been easy to "carry on" with him in -the intervals between the times when the portress came. The woman pauper -who brought in the boots was, however, to be seen within call, in a room -near by, the door of which was open, so I felt protected. She was a -decent woman and kind to us. She said she "didn't do it for everyone," -when she afterwards brought us part of her dinner. After finishing the -larder, the portress set me to turn out bundles, which were stacked in -compartments on either side of a long, high room, right up to the -ceiling. I had a high pair of steps, and was to take each bundle out and -dust it with a brush, sweep out the compartment, and replace it. Each -parcel, as a rule, was wrapped in rough linen wrappings, but a -considerable number of things were unparcelled, and some dirty and -foul-smelling--probably they had been only stoved and put away. All the -bundles which were not tightly tied were more or less moth-eaten. It -made my heart ache to see these clothes in such a state, remembering -that they were all that some poor people possessed. I had often noticed -the lack of care with regard to destitute women's clothing, having -fetched girls out of the workhouse whose clothes were so crumpled, even -when decent, that everyone stared at them--and had received from poor -people many complaints that their clothes were lost or spoiled. After -seeing the state of this store-room I can well believe it. Behind the -bundles were cobwebs simply festooned with moths. They had attacked the -bundles at every opening. The coverings kept them off, but some bundles -were rotten, and one sad thing was that if a bundle was rather more -respectable, and contained more clothes, it was not so tightly tied, and -was, therefore, more open to attack. Besides, not a few things were -quite unprotected and swarming. The place was heated with pipes. A -better breeding ground for moths could hardly be imagined. Yet a simple -expedient would have prevented _most_ of the mischief. If each bundle -had been provided with _two_ wrappers, and the second one tied over the -openings of the first, the moths could not get in. Besides this, -however, the whole should be examined more frequently. I turned out more -than a hundred bundles, and was then told to simply _dust down the -front_ of the remainder. Doubtless this had been done often, and all -_looked_ right. I showed the portress, however, so many moth-eaten -bundles that she said she must have them all stoved. She came and said -I might stone the floor and finish, my companion having finished about -the same time. We had rough aprons given us to work in; but I should -like to mention, as a subject for thought, that all this rough, hard -work naturally made our clothes dirty, and would soon wear them out. We -were, after only two nights in workhouse tramp wards, far more dirty and -disreputable in our clothing than when we left home. The sleeves of my -blouse were very dirty by this time. Yet in the workhouse, as bundles -are confiscated, there is no chance to change, and no opportunity to -wash a garment. One is "between Scylla and Charybdis!" In the common -lodging-house you can wash your clothes, but not yourself; in the -workhouse tramp ward you can wash yourself, but not your clothes! - -We had bread and cheese given us for dinner; we had our bundles given -us, and mashed our last tea with water from the bath tap. The kind woman -brought us part of her dinner, telling us to return the plate and not -let the portress see it. We then got leave to go. The portress was in -the lodge, and we passed out without remark. - -Once more we were free!--but very exhausted. We felt completely tired -out, and struggling up the dirty lane we found a reservoir and some -public seats. We took turns to rest, lying on a seat, for some men were -about, and kept walking backwards and forwards and laughing at us. The -ground was damp, so it was no use seeking a more sheltered place. We -rested an hour or two, till we began to grow cold. - - -V. A NIGHT IN A WOMAN'S SHELTER. - -We knew that three good miles lay between us and our friends, but we -were also a day beforehand, as we had expected to be detained two -nights. What to do for this last night considerably exercised us! Should -we give in, and go to our friends a day earlier? This would be to lose -an opportunity for research which might be long in recurring. Should we -go to another workhouse? This would be to risk detention over Sunday. -Should we try a night in the open? I knew the neighbourhood fairly well, -and it might be possible to find shelter; but the weather was gloomy and -damp, and it would hardly do to risk making an appearance in a police -court when I had been announced to speak publicly on Sunday evening. So -we determined to walk on, and, if we could not find any other -alternative, to pawn our spare shawl for a night's lodging. Only we -neither of us cared to face a common lodging-house; it would be hardly -fair to our friends to arrive at civilisation straight from such -surroundings. At any rate, we had the rest of the day for experiment, -some workhouse bread, some plasmon sugar, and _one penny_! We went to a -park, and spent part of the afternoon sheltering from rain, and then -pushed on for the town. I passed the houses of friends who would have -stared indeed to see me, but probably no one would have recognised us. -It got near tea-time, and we tried again and again to spend our last -penny on _butter_. No one would sell us a pennyworth, so finally we went -to the third-class waiting-room of the station and ate our bread with -plasmon sugar. Here our problem was solved! We saw by a notice that -there was a "Woman's Shelter": beds 3_d_., 4_d_. and 5_d_. Just the -thing! Here was a new and final experiment: we should not have to give -in! So we went out to search for the shelter and a pawnbroker's, and -easily found both; we changed our best shawl for the poor one that -covered our bundle, but would do as a substitute, and pawned the -shawl--which had cost 8_s_. 11_d_.--for 2_s_. 6_d_. We were then -"passing rich"! We enquired at the shelter, which had only just been -re-opened after the small-pox epidemic, and after engaging two fourpenny -beds we went to a coffee-house near by, and indulged in the luxury of -two half-pints of tea; my friend had some sausage and I a tea-cake -_buttered_. After this welcome meal we returned to the shelter. It was a -great relief to find ourselves once more in a decent place, and with -women only. I cannot too highly commend this shelter as being _just the -thing needed for the class it provides for_.[83] It was not a _charity_, -though doubtless not wholly self-supporting. We paid for what we -received, and were free to come and go unquestioned. Particulars were -entered similar to those in the workhouse (in addition, we were asked -the address to which we were going). Women could enter up to eleven at -night. The place was a converted mill. The basement consisted of a -large, comfortable kitchen, with a large stove, benches and tables and -shelves. There was also a well-appointed lavatory, deep basins, plenty -of hot and cold water, a wringing machine for clothes, and baths could -be had _free_. We easily begged a bucket to wash our tired feet. There -was _everything necessary for personal cleanliness_, and in the presence -of women only (especially as only one or two were in the lavatory), -changes of clothing could be made. The women were friendly and cheerful, -and appeared to appreciate their privileges. There was no _restraint_, -but a pleasant, elderly woman in charge sat in the kitchen and prevented -foul talk and brawls. Upstairs was a large, pleasant hall, with a piano. -Some women of a better class apparently preferred this, and sat working. -This also was easily supervised, without its being noticeable, by the -presence of someone in the adjoining office. We could go to bed at nine, -ten, or eleven, but not between, so that the bedrooms were only -disturbed at these hours. Three stories above contained bedrooms--large, -airy rooms, with beds at graded prices. The w.c.'s were in a yard out of -an upper story, and were clean and well flushed. - -Altogether I was most thankful for this opportunity of seeing just the -sort of provision for migrating women which should exist in _every_ -town. Even if some of the inmates were immoral, they were in no -temptation at least while there. One woman told another she knew she had -given way to drink, but was glad to get back to "the old place," and -there appeared to be some who lived there who tried as much as they -could to exercise a good influence. There was a "Sankey" on the piano, -and I played a few tunes as well as I could without spectacles; this was -warmly appreciated, and several joined in singing, my stumbling playing -suiting my condition of "having seen better days!" Some young ladies -passed through and said, "Who is she?" but made no further remark. - -We went to bed at nine. My bed was clean, but my companion's was dirty, -and a very dirty woman slept next, who had had drink, and got out -frequently in the night, and _sat_ on my friend's bed. She saw some -vermin, but I saw none, and slept very fairly well. People came in at -ten, and at eleven a woman and some children came in, and settled down -rather noisily. Room-mates got out of bed at intervals, and early trams -ran outside, and some got up early, but on the whole we had a good night -compared with other experiences. The cleanliness of the floor left -something to be desired, and we were told to make our beds before we -went downstairs; so they would be left for the next comer, clean or -unclean. We heard several expressions of thankfulness for the place, -only one woman said, "They only did what they were paid for, and she -didn't see that it was much charity." We found our way downstairs for a -wash, and after sitting a little while in the kitchen we went to the -neighbouring coffee tavern for breakfast. After this we had still 1_s_. -1-1/2_d_. left out of our 2_s_. 6_d_., and some spare provision, -including some workhouse bread. The remainder we decided to spend on -making ourselves _respectable_. It may be thought that this would be -difficult, but by a little contrivance we managed to make ourselves -sufficiently presentable to elude scrutiny, and to pass for shabby -tourists on a "walking expedition." Our luggage had been sent on, and -supplies of money awaited us. Therefore the only problem was that of -changing from "tramps" to "tourists." Bad weather would account for -boots and untidiness. We found a cheap shop, and bought a hat and -trimmings, tie, and belt for a shilling. My friend put on a more -respectable underskirt of mine over her linsey petticoat. Her hat and -shawl would pass muster. My new hat, tie, and belt "converted" me into a -lady! We went to a park to trim the hat with pins, which we bought for a -halfpenny. There we remained till afternoon, dining on our remaining -bread, except what we gave to the swans. Immediately overlooking this -park friends lived who little guessed that one who was to visit them -shortly was dining under their windows as a "destitute woman!" Our -destitution was, however, at an end, and with hearts full of -thankfulness at the successful issue of our research expedition we found -our way at the appointed time to the house where we were expected by a -friend, who thought she quite understood our desire for a speedy change -of apparel after our "walking tour!" - -These latter experiences of eluding questions caused us some amusement. -But _supposing_ we had had no friends, no cheerful welcome, no waiting -supplies. What could we have done? Before us would have stretched, in -grey monotony, the life of poverty, a possible search for uncertain -work, a gradual pawning of every available article for food, more -workhouses, more common lodging-houses. The last article gone, -cleanliness lost, clothing dilapidated or dirty--what then? - -To wander helpless and homeless, driven to tramp, or to descend still -farther into vice. From such a life "_facilis descensus Averni_."[84] - -FOOTNOTES: - -[82] See Appendix VII. - -[83] See p. 30. - -[84] See Appendix VII. - - - - -CHAPTER III. - -A NORTHERN TRAMP WARD.[85] - - -Having, with a friend, spent five days and nights of the summer of 1903 -as a "Tramp among Tramps,"[86] I was led to pursue social investigation -a little further. The reasons were many. It was suggested in several -quarters that our experiences might be exceptional, that they were the -result of specimening isolated workhouses, that mismanagement in detail -was possible. Abnormal conditions might prevail by accident. It might -also be that in the larger centres of population cleanliness and food -were both better managed. Also the time of year at which we went was one -when the tramp ward was empty; we did not come in contact with others -and learn their character. It was possible that conditions which pressed -hardly on us were easy to them. It seemed very desirable to ascertain -exactly the winter circumstances in some large centre of population. -There were reasons which made the one we chose exceptionally interesting -as an experiment. The story of our Tramp was a matter of public -knowledge; the personal assurance of Guardians had been given that the -evils mentioned did not exist. They had examined and convinced -themselves that, as regards the destitute poor, their workhouses were -free from blame. Not only so, but the workhouse tramp ward chosen had -been frequently mentioned in the public Press. A large "sleeping-out" -problem existed in the town. It was suggested that it might be desirable -to relax regulations so as to make it easier for destitute persons -staying there to go out in the morning to look for work. "It was thought -that in this way men who shunned the casual ward might be induced to -enter it in preference to sleeping out." So said the public Press. The -experiment of slightly relaxing the rules was tried. Very few availed -themselves of it.[87] The Guardians also opened the wards early, but -very few men came. The applicants were mostly men "tramping in search of -work," but all who applied had slept in the neighbourhood the night -previously. - -The Clerk added that "the experiment made it clear to the public that -there was no necessity for the men to sleep in the brickfields." - -Here evidently was an exceptional Board of Guardians, bent on meeting a -public need. With such a desire on their part, probably ideal conditions -would prevail. An ungrateful vagrant class, "men in search of work, but -who don't want to find it," nevertheless refused to flock to the -provision made for them. They obstinately preferred brickfields after -six weeks of relaxed conditions! Was it ignorance or prejudice on their -part? Or was it possible that the Guardians were mistaken in thinking -provision had been made? One thing only could test the matter: another -descent from respectability, and identification with the claimants for -relief. One night as a tramp might give insight into real conditions. It -is so surprisingly easy to become a tramp that it is strange it has not -occurred to Guardians personally to test conditions by sampling each -other's workhouses, or at any rate by sending into them some trustworthy -witness. - -So my friend and I started on a well-planned tour of investigation. We -dropped out of civilisation in a town far enough away to tramp from, and -set our faces towards a place where friends were ready to receive us. We -told no lies. We were at 5.30 P.M. so penniless that through a partial -miscalculation we had only 3-1/2_d_. between us (besides two pennies -husbanded for after needs) wherewith to procure the substantial tea with -which we wished to fortify ourselves! Consequently we could not afford -2_d_. for a cup of tea, and our first surprise was to find that a 1_d_. -cup was hard to procure. It was only by searching in a poor -neighbourhood that our evident poverty procured us, as a favour, a cup -of tea each and four slices of bread and butter for our 3-1/2_d_. The -usual price was 2_d_. for a "pot of tea" in a small, poor, but clean, -shop, and bread and butter was 1/2_d_. a slice. When I asked the woman -to give us 1-1/2_d_. worth instead of a twopenny plateful, she gave us -two extra slices "free gratis for nothing." Evidently we were objects of -charity, poor and respectable, and we appreciated her kindness. But, -considering the real price of food, we paid for what we had. Cheap cups -of tea are a preventative of evils. Thirsty men and women must drink. -Surely a penny cup of tea easy to be obtained might keep many out of the -public-house. Of course, we were ignorant of where to go to obtain cheap -food, but so, maybe, are other wanderers who are not habitués. - -Refreshed, but not satisfied, we began to search for S---- Street. No -one knew where it was, so we had to resort to the usual refuge and -"asked a bobby." He knew, and knew why we asked! After a moderate walk -through a very poor neighbourhood we easily identified the place by a -row of six men propped up against a wall waiting, and one woman hovering -near. We found, somewhat to our surprise, that the hour of admission was -one hour later than that which prevailed in the towns we knew. Seven -o'clock is late on a winter's night, and it may be you will suffer from -cold, snow, or sleet if you arrive as a stranger at six o'clock. -Besides, what about early admission? However, no one was being let in, -so we took a short walk and returned. All the loiterers had disappeared -inside, so we followed. We were, however, only admitted to further -waiting under cover in a curious ruinous shed. It was a very cold place, -the roof would let water in through holes in the skylight. It was, -however, a fine night, and only moderately cold. So we joined two women, -and saw the men, about fifteen by that time, arranged in a row against -the opposite wall. Two women were sitting on a step and one on the -handle of a wheelbarrow. We sat on the edge of a plank with our backs -against a hole that gave a view of a place we found afterwards was under -the tramp ward, apparently used for bricks. A married woman, somewhat -respectably dressed, came in with her husband. One by one men dropped -in. The women spoke little, but a buzz of conversation went on among the -men, whose numbers grew to over thirty. Two facts struck me. Hardly any -one was old, most were in the prime of life, and, with a few exceptions, -if you had met them in the street, you would say they were ordinary -working men. Some few, however, were evidently of the "moucher" type. We -waited, growing cold, for a full half-hour in this draughty place, and -then, as the hands of the office clock pointed to seven, we women were -told to crowd into a corner near the office window, "married people -first," and an official in uniform proceeded to take particulars. -Husband and wife, in the case of three couples, had to give name, age, -where they came from, and destination and occupation. Then began, as -each candidate came forward, a process which I can only describe as -"bully-ragging." If the unfortunate applicant stated the facts in a meek -and ordinary voice, this official asked, "Have you been here before?" If -the reply was "No," "See that you don't come here again," "Sponging upon -the rates!" and various other expressions not to be repeated were used -in a hectoring tone of voice. If the reply was "Yes," he became -threatening and violent in language. One married woman ventured the -reply, "Not since before Christmas." He flew out upon her and used -insulting language. This preyed on her mind so that in the course of the -next two days she frequently said to us, "I only said 'not since before -Christmas,' and he said I sauced him." One poor woman with a bandaged -head was summarily dismissed. "Get out with you, you ----!" "Off with -you ---- sharp!" Threats of five days' detainment or of "gaol" for -"impudence" were used, and he announced as a clincher, "All you women -will have to stay in two nights and pick three pounds of oakum." - -My heart sank low. These must be desperate, well-known characters with -whom I was to associate, the very scum of the earth, to be treated so. -Even this habitual imposture hardly could justify the official's -language. He was evidently a "lion in the path," and not muzzled! But -_I_ was a decent, married woman rejoining my husband who was working in -a neighbouring town, too far from him to reach him that night, without -means to procure a bed, and seeking shelter simply in order not to be -on the streets at night, and to proceed as soon as permitted. I gave -particulars which were true, and in answer to the question, "Have you -been here before?" could truthfully say "No." But this was not enough. -"And what are you doing here?" "I am going on to my husband." "You've no -business to be here imposing on the rates. Do you know I could give you -three months for it? I've a good mind to send you off and make you tramp -to him to-night." I was so dumbfoundered, my friend says, I replied, "I -wish you would!" Then he proceeded to insinuate I was a woman of bad -character; my eyes fell and my face flushed, and I suppose gave colour -to his statement. Reply or justification was worse than useless. I grew -so confused I could not state correctly the number of my children, but -said I had "one or two." Evidently a bad character, leaving children up -and down the country. "See you don't come here again. I shall know your -face, and it will be worse for you if you do." I earnestly replied, "I -won't," and was allowed to pass on. I waited at the top of a flight of -stairs while he "bully-ragged" my friend for going about the country -with such a bad character. He made her cheeks flush by insinuating she -was no better. She said when she joined me, piteously, "Do I look like a -prostitute?" - -We entered together the tramp ward, a barn-like room, furnished with a -wooden table and three forms. We found afterwards that the whole ward -was the top storey of a converted mill. It was skylighted and divided -into several rooms--a very large dormitory, a bath room with w.c.'s, an -attendant's private sitting-room and store-room, and the day-room we -entered, which was approached by a flight of stairs from outside. The -room was very little heated, apparently by a steam pipe overhead. There -was no fire, and a very cold draught from outside, when, as frequently, -the door was left ajar. The table was so placed that the draught came to -those who sat there. We were told to hang up our shawls and sit down. A -very stately officer in spotless uniform received us and marshalled us -like soldiers, peremptorily, but not unkindly. We sat at table and were -given brilliantly polished tin mugs and spoons. Then each of us was -helped to gruel, very good in quality, almost thick enough to be called -porridge, and sufficiently salted not to be tasteless. A salt-box was on -the table. We each received also a thick slice of good bread. We fell to -with appetite after our slender tea and long waiting. Gruel was not so -bad--for the first time! The table and floor were spotlessly clean. So -far good. I did not at the time reflect that it is usually supposed to -be bad to have a bath immediately after a meal.[88] As soon as we had -finished eating it was, "Now, women, come to the bath, two of you." My -friend and I eagerly embraced the first turn, and were soon marshalled -each to a corner of the bath-room, searched (for pipe and tobacco!), and -told to get into the six inches of warm water, which a notice told us we -were entitled to, and carefully asked if it was too hot or cold. We had, -however, only soft soap to wash ourselves with, and were told to wash -our hair. This we had previously escaped. My friend had very long hair, -needing careful drying, and the prospect of wet heads was not cheering. -If you wish to frequent tramp wards it is desirable to have short hair. -However, there was no help for it, so with the officer standing by to -hand a clean towel and enforce haste--"Come, hurry up, women"--I hastily -bathed, dried my hair as well as I could, and got into the garments -provided--a modern substitute for a hair shirt--a coarse garment of dark -blue bathing flannel of most peculiar shape. It just covered the elbows -and barely came to the knees! The neck, of white calico, was dirty. I -had to perform an act of self-sacrifice in leaving my friend the -cleanest. Blankets and nightgowns are stoved every night, rendering -insect pests impossible, but, unless I am greatly mistaken, they are not -washed often. My friend, who afterwards folded the blankets, found they -made her hands filthy. It is not very nice to think of sleeping thus, -but it would, of course, be impossible to wash the blankets every time. -But it might be possible to give a person a clean nightgown, and the -same one for two consecutive nights. As it was, we knew the second night -we must be wearing some one else's. They were lumped and sent to be -stoved. With regard to the blankets, every night the regulations have to -be relaxed for one or two women unfit to be bathed. These sleep in their -own clothes. They cannot be clean. But in the morning all the blankets -were also lumped and stoved. Consequently, the next night you might be -sleeping in your neighbour's blankets. Two women on one night slept -without changing or bath. It would seem to be a simple precaution to -wash the blankets from these beds, and thus in rotation wash all. -However, these delights were yet to come. We folded our clothes and were -marched through the sitting-room in our scanty costume to fetch from the -store-room pillows and blankets. An American leather pillow, very low, -and a straw pillow with a white cover were allowed us, but the second -night only the American leather one was allowed. This was much too low -for comfort. One woman begged a white one, but we were stopped from -asking. It was only for women who had just washed their heads! It was a -special favour to her. - -We were then marched into the large dormitory and told to let down a -wide board propped against the wall, one for each. A row of sleeping -women occupied similar "plank beds." There were a few straw beds on -bedsteads, but only for sick folks, and also some children's cribs. A -gas jet or two burned all night and revealed the gaunt rafters and -skylights. Now to test the delights of a plank bed! We were told to make -it "one blanket below and two above." So we meekly did so, and the -officer retired. - -Now began, about 7.30, a night which I can only describe as one of -long-drawn-out misery. - -The human body is not made to accommodate itself easily to a plank bed -even with "three good blankets." If you lie on your back your hips are -in an unnatural position unless the knees are raised; then the air comes -under the narrow doubled blankets. Try first one side and then another. -Your weight rests on hip and shoulder squeezed into flatness and -speedily sore. Add wet hair, a low pillow very hard, a garment that left -arms and legs uncovered and pricked you all over, and conditions are not -easy for sleep. Double a blanket under you four-fold, get another round -you, and place the third on top double. This is more tolerable, but -still cold. My back was sore after three nights in a soft bed. Do not -imagine either that we slept more uneasily than others. Everyone -complained of their hard couches, though some said even they were -preferable to wire mattresses, on which you "couldn't get warm." A -simple expedient would provide an efficient remedy. If a strong hammock -material was fastened in a frame bedstead by eyelets on pegs, this could -be removed and stoved, washed, if necessary, would give to the body, -and allow of easy sleep. But even on this uneasy couch sleep might have -been obtained but for a number of disturbances which made the night -prolonged torture. The end of the room was occupied by a large cistern. -At intervals, day and night, a flush of water was sent along a pipe for -sanitary reasons. A very good arrangement, but we happened to be at the -cistern end of the room. Anyone who knows how a cistern behaves can -imagine the peculiar noises that issued. It seemed possessed by a demon -bent on preventing sleep. It would s-s-siss for a few moments, then -gurgle, then hiss, then a rush would come, followed by a steady tap, -tap, tap that speedily became maddening. Water on the brain with a -vengeance! Wet hair and running water in combination! This proximity to -the cistern was, however, an accident carefully avoided the second -night, but several poor unfortunates would always have to suffer it. It -was, however, a minor evil compared with others. The beds were so close -they almost touched, quite unnecessarily, as the room was large, but so -we were ordered. Your neighbour breathed right in your face, and you had -all the twisting and turning of a sufferer on each side to add to your -own. Most of the women had bad colds, and you succumbed yourself under -the double influence of contagion and chilliness. Then your coughing and -sneezing added to the common misery. Only the women there for the second -night lay still--apparently, but not really, asleep. Later, I knew why: -sheer fatigue and exhaustion prevented restlessness. But all of us -newcomers turned and squirmed, some sighed and groaned; others gave vent -to exclamations of misery. "My God, what a hell hole of a place," said a -woman, roused from uneasy slumber for about the sixth time. Far the -worst thing of all, which made it a punishment fit for Tantalus, was the -interruption to slumber. Nominally, women could be admitted till 10 -o'clock, but really, for one reason or another they were admitted till -past midnight, under protest. An officer was in charge, and in each case -her manner of procedure was as follows: She turned the handle of the -door with a loud noise, marched in the newcomer (after previous cistern -gurglings connected with bathing operations), ordered her in a loud tone -of voice to let down the plank bed. Down it came with a bang, startling -all sleepers. Then she administered some rebuke, mixed with orders, left -the new unfortunate, and shut the door sharply. One newcomer was a poor -old granny, very bad with rheumatism, whom she loudly accused of drink, -probably with truth. This old woman sighed, groaned, and moaned, "Oh! -deary me!" "Lord help us!" most of the night, and was in real pain. She -got out of bed twice with numerous sighs and groans, taking a quarter of -an hour at least each time. Bed after bed was let down and dragged -across the floor. A woman came in very late, could not settle, was moved -to a straw bed, was too frightened to sleep (perhaps _d.t._), finally -was allowed to go out in the middle of the night. No doubt the post of -this night watching officer was tiresome and onerous, but a little -thought might have brought about considerable improvement. If a number -of spare beds were placed ready overnight, and scoldings administered in -the day room, if doors were opened quietly, and orders given softly, -with some consideration for a room full of weary sisters, one would have -been thankful. As it was, people grew more and more restless; some one -was constantly wandering to the adjoining lavatory, or sitting up and -coughing or moving uneasily. It was nearly impossible to snatch more -than a few brief moments of restless slumber before, with early morning, -sheer weariness reduced us to quietude. Then at 5.30 we were roused by -the mandate, "Now then, women, all of you get up; be sharp now." A hasty -obedience, swift and unwavering, is enforced by several stern sanctions. -In the first place, before you lies a day of service, the conditions of -which can be made hard at will. Behind that is the possibility of being -detained four, or, if Sunday intervenes, five days, for "cheek" or -"impudence." No one could face such a prospect with equanimity. Yet for -very slight cause it was possible. We had an object lesson before us of -the tender mercies of officials. A poor woman, a silk weaver by trade, -who had been reduced to live by casual labour at charing or by selling -bootlaces, had entered the previous night. She was ignorant of the two -nights' detention, and had a cleaning place to go to. When she found she -was to be detained she begged and prayed to go, and the officer was -moved by her tears to take her to the matron and give her her liberty. -But this took time, and she reached her charing place too late. Work was -denied her, and she wandered about all day, and came back rather late to -claim her second night, having difficulty in re-finding the place, and -having nowhere to go. I have every reason to believe her story was true, -for she repeated it to us again and again, it fitted in with her -character and history, and she had no motive for deceiving us. But for -this offence of returning, after having asked off, she was condemned to -remain five days. Her story was not believed, though she begged with -tears to go out and seek work. One officer, indeed, spoke to almost all -in a most peremptory, and one might also add, insulting manner, casting -doubt on the truthfulness of what was told her. Reply was useless, as it -would only provoke penalty. She hurried people up and ordered them -about. One woman, an old hand, the second morning said, "Come, come, you -needn't be so knotty with us," but no one else ventured anything that -could be interpreted as disobedience or "impudence." She turned a deaf -ear to one poor, tired woman whose feet were swollen, and who wished to -remain another night, and tried her best to order poor old Granny out. -"You won't stay here," "You can walk right enough," "You won't come over -me with your tales." Fortunately for us, her régime was limited. We had -altogether dealings with three officers. One was careful and stately, -strict but kind, only not considerate in the matter of protecting our -sleep. This one was "knotty," and the third far more kind. Fortunately -her share of us fell at dinner time, but of that more anon. - -I should remark that I felt considerable sympathy for these our task -mistresses. Even with a cosy sitting room, and stove, and sofa, it must -be an irksome and disagreeable task, and our "knotty" friend looked -weary. By the end of the time she had sufficiently differentiated us to -tell us before leaving "not to believe" the others. But I think she was -to a great extent harsh and wrong in her judgments; at any rate, the -assumption that all were liars was wrong. My friend and I are accustomed -to judge characters of this class, being engaged in Rescue work, and -having destitute women constantly in hand. You cannot live a whole two -nights and a day with women, under pressure of hard circumstances, in -fellowship, without eliciting confidence. The women who went out after -one night with us we did not know. They ate, or did not eat, a hasty -breakfast, and departed very early--about 6.30 probably--some of them to -join husbands. But the following may be taken as a truthful description -of our sisters who remained. The main impression on my mind is a double -wonder at their patience in affliction, and at the qualities revealed in -them, and a wonder whether, if I had selected a similar number of better -class friends and placed them in like circumstances, they would have -borne the test as well. - -Our morning ablution had to be performed with cold water and soft soap. -Our clothes were restored to us mostly stoved (in which process some are -said to be ruined, becoming limp and creased). Breakfast, the same as -supper, was meted out to us. Gruel a second time, and dry bread is not -appetising. Oh for a drink! The room was cold, and only cold water from -the bath tap available; it tasted of metal polish or soft soap. - -We sopped our bread in our porridge, and, knowing we had the day to -face, ate all we could. No one ate all their porridge and bread. We were -not exceptional, hardly anyone ate much. Some kept their bread and -munched it at intervals through the day. The porridge, including some -nearly full mugs, and what remained in the can, was simply thrown away. -Naturally enough, when the officer left us and we waited for the task -mistress, the conversation turned on food and treatment. Those who knew -other workhouses declared that this was "the worst they knew." In the -course of the day we heard the merits of most of the workhouses near, -and of some far away. It may be well to summarise as follows: The -comparative merits of a tramp ward depend first on drink; the women -feel dreadfully the need of drink, especially after hard work. Coffee or -tea makes all the difference to dry bread. Gruel is not drink. Some can -bring in a bit of tea and sugar, and as a favour beg hot water, but it -is often denied them. We procured it once, and it was once denied in our -hearing. We had but a screw of tea and sugar, and some had none. - -The second requisite would seem to be food, but it seems as if only a -few can eat the gruel more than once a day. It is played with and left -by most. Hence dry bread and a morsel of cheese at dinner is the real -fare. As the quantity of food allowed is not even that which will -sustain life in an adult, semi-starvation is the result.[89] The tramp -men who brought back the stoved blankets, eagerly and hungrily hid under -their jackets the pieces of bread the women had left. - -Now to commence, after a night of misery, with a freshly-caught cold, to -sit in a cold and draughty room with no fire, and feast on gruel and dry -bread, with a possible drink of water, is _punishment_, not charity, or -alleviation of misery. - -The third merit or demerit of a tramp ward is the bed. Straw beds are a -luxury, wire mattresses disliked for cold, plank beds for hardness; the -floor is preferable, as there is more room. - -The fourth and perhaps the most important item is the character of the -officers. Any who have even a drop of the milk of human kindness are -remembered with appreciation. But they seem rare. Not, I believe, that -there are many intentionally unkind. "They know not what they do." The -constant habit of dealing for so brief a period with individuals -prevents the formation of the customary links of human kindliness; the -worst characters return, the best stay so short a time and are lost to -sight; any act of kindness meets apparently no reward. Kindness for -kindness' sake is difficult, a peremptory official habit easily -acquired. There may be texts in an officer's sitting room, and yet the -Christian qualities fortitude and patience and self-sacrifice may be -better exhibited to one another by the tramps outside her door than by -the inmate in authority. Some workhouses are to be avoided like poison. -There positive cruelty and insult reign, but the slightest resentment -might be interpreted as "insubordination" and earn prison. A cast-iron -system administered in a cast-iron way may, without intentional -unkindness, be responsible for a vast sum of human misery. - -The task mistress came and asked us if we could wash or clean. Three of -us were set to pick oakum. I could not volunteer to stand over the -wash-tub, and, besides, I wished to unravel the mysteries of oakum -picking, and learn the histories of my comrades in misfortune. So we -three sat on a wood bench in a cold room, and three pounds of oakum each -was solemnly weighed out to us. Do you know what oakum is? A number of -old ropes, some of them tarred, some knotted, are cut into lengths; you -have to untwist and unravel them inch by inch. We were all "'prentice -hands." One woman had once done a little; we had never done any! After -two hours I perhaps had done a quarter of a pound, and my fingers were -getting sore, while the pile before me seemed to diminish little. Then I -was asked if I could clean, and gladly escaped to a more congenial task. -One woman only picked oakum all day; she was the one who was penalised. -She had never done it before, and did not nearly finish her quota, -though I helped her a little later on. Fortunately it was not demanded, -but it might be at the will of an officer. - -It will easily be perceived that long before this any dream I had of -ideal tramp ward conditions had vanished. I was instead filled with -amazement that any enlightened and Christian men and women could -consider this a refuge for destitution, and wonder at a preference for -brickfields and liberty. Prison treatment would be preferable, but my -wonder was still to grow. - -For the prevailing idea in my class of society, which I to some extent -shared, was that tramps as a class were so incorrigible, and so -determined to lead a nomad existence, that the life had somehow a -mysterious charm for them, and the only thing was to severely penalise -vagrancy in order to deter men and women from it. Viewed in this light, -it might be desirable that the treatment in a tramp ward should be -equalised to that of a prison as a deterrent. A suspicion had been -gradually growing in my mind that there was a destitution that was not -voluntary vagrancy, and an actual forcing of lives into nomad existence. -But I had not realised the pressure our system exerts in the direction -of a wandering life. - -Let me introduce you to my companions and assure you I shall ever regard -them with affection and respect. - -There is first of all "Granny," a poor old body of seventy sorrowful -years. Once she had a little home of her own, and brought up a family of -five sons and daughters. But her "old man" died; still her son supported -her, and she led a precarious existence, much plagued by "rheumatics." -But one day, not long ago, the place where her son worked was burned -down, and she lost her stay and was turned adrift. She had mother-wit -enough to beg her way; people gave her tea and pence. She "paid her way" -in tramp wards, taking in a little tea and sugar and "tipping" officials -with a penny for hot water. She offered me a halfpenny for a screw of -sugar. She had begged unsuccessfully of a child at a door before coming -in; the mother stood behind and refused. "As if a spoonful of sugar -would have hurt her," Granny scornfully said. One thing remained to -her--liberty--but to keep this she was forced to walk from town to town, -sampling tramp wards. She had not done it long, but it was too much for -her. One arm was too painful to be touched; it was hard to put on her -tattered garments; she provoked the wrath of officials by dilatoriness. -Her legs were a study. Each leg was swathed in bandages, her feet -wrapped in old stocking legs and bandaged, and men's boots put over all, -a long--long process. Poor old soul! she wanted to end her wanderings, -and told us, I believe truthfully, that she had tried to get into two -workhouses, but had not succeeded. Knowing the reluctance of officials -to admit paupers out of their own parish, I can well believe it. She was -really ill when she came, besides possible complications of having been -"treated" to a drink of whisky. She could hardly stand, had a cough and -looked feverish, and only fit to lie down; we had to help her on her -feet several times. Perhaps her ailments bulked large--most old people's -do--but she did not after all groan so very much considering. She was -ordered out, but she said with truth that she might "fall down in the -street." It did seem likely she might just go wandering on "till she -dropped," so we all advised her to stay and see the doctor, who might -order her into the House. She seemed to have only a mazy idea of how to -go to work to get in, but she took our advice, saw the doctor, and was -allowed to stay another night, but not ordered in, as she could stand. -However, she might the next day, after being turned out, herself apply -for admission, and this we all united to advise her to do. The one -effect her wanderings had produced in her was a deadly hatred of -workhouse officials. In the afternoon, after singing a hymn, I comforted -her by telling that her wanderings might soon end in a better place. She -was not sure of going to "heaven," but she felt sure she should meet -many of these her tormentors in hell, and "then," she said, "I'll heave -bricks at 'em!" I couldn't help suggesting "hot bricks" as appropriate, -and then talked to her about "loving her enemies." "I can't help it," -she said, "if it keeps me out of heaven, I hate 'em--I hate 'em all!" -Poor old soul, she lay on a form most of the day, obviously ill, worried -out of the bed on which, in the absence of an officer, she laid her poor -old bones. The officer next morning truly said that the workhouse, and -not the tramp ward, was the place for her; but she scoffed unbelievingly -at her story of having tried to get admission. Yet Granny continually -told us she longed to get in and have "a good bed," and one can imagine -a poor old body like that, with no one to speak for her, might have -difficulties with a relieving officer. But we had to leave her behind -us, though one longed to take her by the hand, and see her safely in. I -was not in a physical condition to stand the long hours of waiting from -6.30 A.M. till the office at which she would be admitted was opened. We -advised her to stay as long as she could, and then go there. Next in -order was a married woman, whom I would gladly own for my own relation. -Her husband was on the men's side. "That's my old man," she said, on -going out; "I know him by his cough." She had been well brought up and -had sisters in good circumstances comparatively. She was the "black -sheep of the family," and had drifted, probably through marriage, into -destitute circumstances. She and her "old man" were comfortably -ensconced in a workhouse where, as a good steady worker, she was -probably not unwelcome. But she heard her sister in a distant town was -dying, and they took their discharge and walked there and back, close on -seventy miles, arriving in time and staying for the funeral. She was -very, very weary with the long tramp, accomplished within a week. I -believe they were re-entering the workhouse. This woman had a pleasant -face and manner, and took several opportunities of doing small -kindnesses; she did not grumble, she only mildly complained of the task -set her. I think she had cause--she was set to scrub a very long and -wide corridor. She steadily scrubbed away for hours; she had no kneeling -pad, and it was "hard lines" on poor food and in a tired state. How many -of us would have walked seventy miles to see a dying sister, and, weary -and sorrowful, work without complaining, and with a cheerful face, and -an eye for others' sorrows? - -A woman who interested me much was also a married woman. Once she had -been waitress in an hotel frequented by the gentry, a place I knew -well, and travelled with her wages in her pocket to buy clothes. She was -still better dressed, a shapely woman, with a face almost handsome, -graceful in her movements and a capital worker. Her husband did not look -a bad specimen of a working man. Her story was that they had had a -comfortable home; he was once a singer in a church choir. But his -particular branch of trade failed, and he had to seek a growingly -obsolete kind of work where it was to be found. They had tramped north -in vain to find it, and were now tramping back to their old -neighbourhood in the hope that things would be better. This woman also -did not complain, and behaved in a self-respecting manner, not a foul -word or reproach; she worked steadily, but was very weary and restless -at night. She had a heavy cold on her and grew worse instead of better. -I seem to see her sitting wearily up in bed, unable to get the needed -repose. They had walked long distances recently. - -A more doubtful character was "Pollie," who apparently was well known to -the officials. She was left stranded, as her husband, one fine day, -being let out of a tramp ward before her, left her behind. She -complained bitterly that the men were let out so long before the women, -they had time to get "miles out of the road." If she caught him he would -"get three months." Meanwhile she intended to visit a sister who would -give her a few shillings, and then make tracks for another sister. Her -face was not unhandsome, but her nose betrayed the real reason of her -misfortunes, and her tongue was ready, and not too clean. She knew the -workhouses far and wide, and had had her tussles with the authorities. -She had thrown her bread and cheese at a matron who gave her it after -hard work, giving another woman a workhouse diet. She had been in prison -for "lip." She was, in fact, a tramp proper, and with a little drink and -boon companions probably foul-mouthed and violent. But she and Granny -were the only ones who used expressions not polite to give point to -their opinions, and that only occasionally. They were under no -restraint, unless our interior character insensibly sweetened the -atmosphere, for no one, not the most travelled, suspected us. We had -been "on the road," could refer to workhouse reminiscences, and "knew -the country" far and wide. We freely rewarded confidences by real bits -of history. As we sang in concert, probably that was thought to be our -"line of business." We were complimented on our voices--I, like the -husband above mentioned, had once "been in a choir." I felt sure we -should have got a good living "on the road." A tramp man who passed us -told us he thought we should have been "miles further by now." He -watched us, and made in the same direction. I twitted my companion on -the loss of a chance for life. - -It might be thought our speech would betray us, but I do not know that -it was more educated than that of one at least of our companions. We -were with "all sorts and conditions of women" but not the worst. - -There remains to be described a little Scotch woman, also married. She -had been a servant, and was a "neat-handed Phyllis." Born near Glasgow -she married south. Work failing, she and her husband had tramped the -weary miles to her friends in the hope of work. They had returned, _viâ_ -Barrow, and were bound further south, so far seeking work and finding -none. They had become habituated to tramp wards on the long march, and -could tell the character of most, and the stages of the journey. - -These were the only ones we got to know intimately; a sorrowful woman -with a sickly-looking child, who came overnight, were seeking admission -to the workhouse that morning. - -If these were tramps, with one exception they were made so by -circumstances. - -Shall I picture my brave little friend and companion, who worked on hour -after hour with a splitting headache caused by a sleepless night? She -had to clean the officer's room thoroughly, and to scrub tables, forms, -floor--everything in short, in the large day room and down the stairs, a -big piece of work. Meanwhile the two married women scrubbed the big -dormitory and the bath room. The Scotch woman was told off to wash, by -her own request, and related gleefully how she managed to wash and dry -some of her own clothing before the officer came and told her to "mind -and wash nothing of her own." We were meanwhile growing dirtier, and in -more need of a bath than the first night. One woman washed a pocket -handkerchief and dried it on the steam-pipe. Nothing else was possible. - -I was taken away after two hours' oakum picking and set to clean. While -waiting for a bucket I saw a fire. Welcome sight. I dried my boots and -warmed my feet, wet from the previous days' tramp. I was provided with -materials, shown where to get water and set to clean, "Scrub, mind you," -two lavatories, two w.c.'s, and a staircase with three landings and -three flights of stairs. I was also to clean the paint in the -lavatories, etc., and do the taps and the stair-rods. Of the latter -task, however, I was relieved by a pauper woman, who said her work, of -which she was thoroughly sick, was constantly to clean brasses. I like -cleaning, and set to work with a will, only one soon comes to the end of -one's strength after a restless night and an insufficient breakfast. I -found I must moderate my speed or I should not last the day out. Men -were doing a cistern in the downstairs lavatory, and kept passing and -re-passing with dirty boots as fast as I cleaned. My taskmistress, after -one inspection, left me alone to it. I fetched bucket after bucketful -and completed my task to my own satisfaction, and hers apparently, by -twelve o'clock. She was not unreasonable, but a little sharp. She sent -me back to dinner in the tramp ward, and "hunger sauce" enabled me to -finish the bread and cheese allotted, washed down by tea. We all brought -out our husbanded treasures, and the kinder official let us have boiling -water. The man in the office sneered at her and remonstrated, "You _are_ -soft!" "_I can't help it_," she replied. May God bless her, for it can -hardly be imagined what a warm drink was to a thirsty soul, even without -milk and with little sugar. We gave Grannie some, and all ate our frugal -meal without repining and with thankful hearts. We were allowed an hour, -and resting my head on the table I snatched a few moments of most -badly-needed rest. Then it was time to work. I was taken to the House -and given a new task, to wash out an office, the little Scotch woman -dusted the board room and my room. All had to be ready before three. I -finished to satisfaction in good time, being once rebuked for sitting to -do the last piece of floor (I had been on my knees without a pad for -hours), and once for not saying there was no coal in the coal-box. But -these were gentle rebukes. I was now very tired and could hardly carry -my bucket. I slopped the water a little; perhaps my taskmistress saw I -was tired, at any rate, she laid on me nothing further, but sent me back -to the ward. - -There my friend's task was by no means ended, she was on her knees -scrubbing painfully, a quarter of the floor yet to do. I tried my hand, -but was not quite "in the know," so I sang to her to cheer her and the -others. Even old Grannie cheered up to the sound of "When ye gang awa', -Jamie," an old favourite of her youth. It was easy without offence or -suspicion to pass to hymns that might leave some ray of comfort in -sorrowful hearts, and to get in a few words about the bourne "where the -wicked cease from troubling and the weary are at rest." I could not help -considering that probably nowhere in the wide world were there souls -more dear to our suffering Saviour than such as these, who were sharing -the life He chose on earth. Grannie used to sing, "Oh, let us be joyful, -when we meet to part no more," and all were ready for the "Kindly light" -to lead them home. I have discovered that this and "Abide with me," with -"Jesus, Lover of my soul" are tramps' favourites. Could the deep-seated -religious sentiments of the human soul choose better expression? - -The little Scotch woman loved some of the "songs of bonnie Scotland." In -spite of scrubbing, my friend chimed in, and the hours passed. I grew -rested in thought and body. Then our taskmistress appeared just as the -floor was finished; she had forgotten the store room, it was locked up -and not cleaned. She chose my poor weary friend, but I could not stand -it, and volunteered instead. I had watched till I knew how, so I set to -work with a will and acquired a new accomplishment, how to scrub a floor -with sand and soft soap! My performance "gave satisfaction." At last -all was finished, and we awaited the next meal, not with eagerness, for -the third time of gruel and dry bread "pays for all," but at any rate -with hunger. It was a long, long wait from twelve dinner to somewhere -about six. A slender breakfast at six, dinner at twelve, and hard work -left something lacking; the morning gruel was slightly sour also, and I -began to have uncomfortable feelings. Nevertheless, after a seemingly -long wait, during which we all grew quite "chummy," and I extracted much -information and confirmation of personal histories and social condition, -at last supper arrived, and I finished the gruel with appetite, but -could not, without a drink, eat dry bread. - -Then another wait. We all grew tired to utter weariness. I longed even -for a plank bed. We sat in various listless attitudes, half starved, -cold, too weary to talk. There was nothing to see, skylighted as the -room was, nothing to do but to pick oakum, which still lay in measured -heaps on the floor, no literature save the "regulations for tramps" on -the walls. - -This, then, was the kind of thing which left "no necessity for men to -sleep in the brickfields!" I questioned the married women, none of them -knew anything of any relaxation of rules. Evidently in their world it -was not a matter of public knowledge that a man might enter earlier and -go out after one night.[90] - -At last it was bed time once more, we were "officered" to our uneasy -couches. We were allowed to remove our shawls to the room where we -slept--a great boon, as I smuggled mine into bed, covering my bare arms, -and securing a little more comfort. But I was sore from the night -before, and no position gave ease. Being near the week-end few came in, -as it meant an extra day's detention, but the same ordering and bumping -went on. I shall never forget my next door neighbour who came in rather -late and was near enough to touch. She was a respectable woman of the -barmaid class, slightly grey, and therefore rather old for employment. -She was well dressed. She was out of a place, and had applied at a -Shelter too late to be admitted, and was sent here. She had never been -in such a place before, and her astonishment at the conditions amounted -almost to horror. We told her how to make the most of her bed--none of -us near her were asleep. She twisted and turned her wet, grey head on -the hard pillow, sneezing with a commencing cold. She sat up and lay -down. "My God!" I heard her say, "one can't sleep in this place." And -with reason, for though the interruptions were not so numerous, they -were sufficient to effectually break sleep. Grannie did not groan so -much, but she got out of bed, was scolded, and had to be helped in. -"Don't be so soft," I heard the hard official say, as she gave an -involuntary small scream when one of her aching limbs was touched. It -was true she had given trouble, but she was old, feeble, and ailing. It -would not have been hard to be kind. I was myself by this time ill. The -last meal of gruel coming as a distasteful meal on a tired body had not -been digested. Sickness came upon me, and I had to be a disturber of the -peace by three times getting up, and parting with my hardly-earned -supper. Each time, paddling over great bare spaces in scanty attire, I -grew colder, but I was in terror of attracting the attention of the -officer, being considered ill and detained. Anything rather than another -day in such a place of torture. As on the night before, some slept the -sleep of utter weariness, most groaned and twisted, some lay awake. I -never understood so well the joy of the first dim daylight, the longing -of those who "wait for the morning." A woman sat up. "I'm dying of -hunger," she said. It was the poor woman condemned to stay five days. -What would she be at the end? I felt a mere wreck. Only two days ago I -was in full health and vigour. It was no absolute cruelty, only the -cruel system, the meagre and uneatable diet, the lack of sufficient -moisture to make up for loss by perspiration, two almost sleepless -nights, "hard labour" under the circumstances. Before me lay home and -friends, a loving welcome, good food, sympathy, and rest. What about my -poor sisters? "I have nobody, nobody in the wide world; I wish I had," -said the poor soul next me, new to such treatment. A good-looking woman -beyond had never been in before. I shuddered for those I should leave -behind, new to such conditions. - -Is this the treatment England gives in Christ's name to His destitute -poor? What if some are "sinners." He chose such, and "Inasmuch as ye did -it not to one of the least of these my brethren, yet did it not to me." -My heart burned within me. Thank God for every bit of suffering that I -may bring home the truth. A public newspaper states, "The guardians only -hear _ex-parte_ statements, those of the men themselves." Supposing they -speak _true_! - -During the afternoon one poor woman had said, "If only the rich -guardians, and the heavy ratepayers, knew how their money was spent, and -how us poor things had to live, they wouldn't allow it." They felt -bitterly the irony of so many officials being paid to order them about, -and get the maximum of work out of them while they were practically -starved. The conclusion of the whole matter is, the more rigidly the -system is enforced in its entirety, the more hardly it presses on the -destitute poor, while it makes no provision for their need. It is not -even preventive, and it is costly.[91] Morning dawned slowly as I -pondered, and the welcome call came. My neighbour slept, her face drawn -in sleep as if with suffering, her profile and grey, tossed hair as she -lay on her back, as the easiest position, an appeal of sorrow to the -eye of the Watcher of men. She woke with a start and moan. - -No help for it. "You women all get up, be quick now; be quick and hurry -up, Grannie." Short, sharp, decisive marching orders. Sick and -shivering, with aching head and body sore from head to foot, I did my -best to hide any sign of illness that might come between me and liberty. -My companion suffered also from violent headache, neuralgic pains, and -an aggravated cold.[92] Pollie's face was drawn and tired. No one -complained much. I heard only one grumble at having to wash an already -smarting face with soft soap. One produced a precious bit of white soap -and lent it--a kindly deed. Grannie got under weigh with many a groan, -very slowly. "Hurry up, women; three of you have not put your boards up. -Now then, Granny, don't be all day." We will pardon her, for she has -been on duty all night, and is also tired; but surely the woman who -said, "Come, now, you needn't be so knotty with us," spoke true. We had -little chance or time to speak much. It was only the early cold grey -dawn of a winter morning, but already the message had come up that -husbands were waiting. Gruel and bread for the fourth time. No one going -out did more than pretend to eat it, some pocketed the bread. Neither my -friend nor I could have touched it if you had offered us a -sovereign--my soul loathed it so I could hardly bear to look at it. - -The poor woman condemned vainly hoped for release; she wept, but this -only hardened the officer. She was not to be "come over" this way. -"Don't you believe her." Grannie must swathe her poor old legs and go; -she had better get into the workhouse. We had to leave them to their -fate. I shall never forget the last few moments of waiting. A raging -passion for freedom took possession of me. I dare not ask to go a moment -before I was ordered to for fear lest it should be construed as -"impudence." May be I wrong the officer, but she interpreted so easily -any appeal as interference. Oh, to be free! Oh, to lie down anywhere -under God's free sky, to suffer cold and hunger at His hand. "It is -better to fall into the hand of God than the hand of man." We both -agreed we would face a common lodging-house and its pests, or even the -danger of prison for "sleeping out," rather than pass again through such -an experience.[93] - -Do I exaggerate? It must be _felt_ to be realised. - -At length we escaped with "Pollie," leaving Grannie and the victim with -the newcomers. It was very early, and about two hours lay between us and -succour; my friend was almost too tired to walk. But God's free air was -round us. Thank God for a fine morning! We are "on the road," and -nothing in front can be so bad as what lies behind. We are tramps and -"mouchers"; we can beg, for we need pity; sing for our living, sell -bootlaces, and turn over the money; even if we steal, prison only waits -us, and it cannot be worse--our companions, who have tried it, prefer -it.[94] One thing we could not do--we could not at this moment work for -an honest living. It is physically impossible. By hook or by crook one -or two restful nights must be put between us and the past. Strength to -work has gone. One might perhaps tramp, for the air is reviving, and -people are kind to a wayfarer. Do you wonder at our _national tramp -manufactories_? - -For this is what it amounts to. An obsolete system adapted to the times -when population was stationary, is supposed to meet the needs of a -population necessarily increasingly fluid. - -Labour shifts from place to place where it is needed. Individuals drop -out or are thrust out. There is never, on any one night, in our great -centres of population, sufficient provision for this ebb and flow. The -houseless and the homeless are a great multitude, as sheep without a -shepherd. Day by day they make a moving procession.[95] The decent man -or woman who is stranded joins them, at first with the honest intention -of gaining a livelihood. If it cannot be obtained, what is he to do? -The common lodging-house can never be a sufficient provision for this -need. It would never pay the private owner to provide the maximum number -of beds required.[96] Our friend "Pollie" grumbled that in many -lodging-houses the price of a decent bed was 6_d_., and "then you could -not be sure it was clean." - -What is needed may take away the breath of a conservative public. It is -nothing less than the entire sweeping away of the tramp ward, and the -substitution of municipal lodging-houses, coupled with strict -supervision of all private ones. The maximum need with regard to -sleeping accommodation on any one night in a great city must be met. -Shelters, sanitary and humane, not charitable institutions, but simply -well-managed "working people's hotels," must be run privately and -supplemented publicly, providing accommodation for everyone.[97] To meet -destitution, these should be supplemented by "relief stations" on the -German plan, where supper, bed, and breakfast can be earned. Freedom -need not be interfered with beyond demanding work sufficient to pay.[98] -Payment should be on the graduated ticket system. The tramp proper hates -work. If once a national system sufficient for destitution was -inaugurated, the man who will not work could be penalised. A labour -colony is his natural destination. The classification of workhouses and -their adaptation to various necessarily destitute classes, such as -epileptics, feeble minded and aged, might remove much destitution, -placing it under humane conditions. But the immediate and crying need is -for the abolition of an old, inhumane and insufficient provision for -suppression of vagrancy, in favour of adequate provision for the modern -fluidity of labour, coupled with honourable relief of destitution, -neither degrading nor charitable.[99] - -FOOTNOTES: - -[85] First published in _The Contemporary Review_ May, 1904, under title -"The Tramp Ward." - -[86] See previous chapter. - -[87] Probably it was not known. News filters from one to another slowly. -Besides, a man may not return to the tramp ward, after seeking work, for -another night. - -[88] Official regulations say the bath should come first, "as soon as -possible after admission." This means giving food in bed, and is, no -doubt, often evaded. - -[89] See p. 26. - -[90] See p. 137. - -[91] See p. 78. - -[92] My companion was a "working woman," used to a hard day's work. - -[93] See p. 51. - -[94] See p. 28. - -[95] See p. 30. - -[96] See p. 49. - -[97] See p. 50. - -[98] See p. 75. - -[99] See p. 64. - - - - -CHAPTER IV. - -A NIGHT IN A SALVATION ARMY SHELTER. - - -Having occasion to spend a week in a southern city, I determined to do -what I could to ascertain the condition of its common lodging-houses, in -order to find out whether the same problems existed as in the northern -towns. - -I was willing to go into a women's lodging-house, but, not having my -fellow tramp, it was desirable to make enquiries. These enquiries -revealed a state of things so bad that I did not feel it was safe to -sample any of the common lodging-houses alone. Briefly, what had -happened in this old town was this: A certain quarter possessed houses, -which, having once been occupied by the better classes, would be fairly -roomy, but would, of course, only have the sanitary arrangements -intended for one family. These houses had courts at the back, which -perhaps had been long ago gardens, but were now built over, access being -through the house. A number of these houses had gradually become common -lodging-houses. So profitable is this trade, that the successful owner -of one, even if only of the same low class as frequent the houses, could -go on annexing others, till, as I was told, a whole street had fallen -into the possession of one person, who was quite unconcerned about -anything but private gain. The most speedy way of gaining wealth was to -let rooms, in connection with the lodging-house, "for married couples." -The buildings in the back courts could easily be so let, and the police -had no access. Therefore the whole of this district was honeycombed with -immorality, while even in the more respectable houses the conditions -must be filthy and insanitary. - -But my surprise was greatest at finding that in H---- _there did not -exist a lodging-house for women only_ apart from the charitable -institutions. The only refuge for a destitute woman, therefore, was the -common lodging-house with men and women (ostensibly married). I felt -that to go alone into one of these would be like putting my head into a -lion's den, for I was told that one of the men had put his arm round the -waist of a lady visitor with the easy freedom born of sex relations -there prevailing. What must have been the conditions for women in a town -of this size before the erection of the Army Shelter some four years -ago? The common lodging-houses, poor as they were, afforded shelter, I -was assured, only for about seventy women, including those really -married. But _between_ service, or respectable occupation of any kind, -and the common lodging-house, existed in all its ramifications, like a -spider's web, "the life," as a way out of destitution. Only those who -fell out of this life through illness or from other causes, as a rule -descended to the "lowest depths," the common lodging-houses, which -therefore contained only the most abandoned women. Some efforts to reach -these were being made, but the helpers despaired of really raising them, -and with good cause. It is evident that though hope must not be -abandoned for anyone, a woman who has sunk into poverty even out of a -life of vice, and who still retains all her desire for it (which she -indulges in if it is obtainable) must be a woman out of whom womanhood -is perishing, love of drink taking hold in most instances. Yet God -forbid that we should judge these poor creatures, often capable of love -to one another, and of kindnesses which might make us blush. We do not -know what circumstances, for which we may be responsible in God's sight, -gave them the push downward.[100] - -But, evidently, unless in this town there were charitable institutions -dealing with the problem of destitution among women, a life of vice -would be their only alternative, simply from the fact that a certain -degree of poverty would force them to lodge with those to whom it was -familiar, and they would naturally succumb.[101] - -I had no means of ascertaining what other homes or remedial agencies -existed, except that I was told there did exist one other -semi-charitable refuge to which the police took girls found on the -streets. I gathered, however, that this was more of the nature of a home -than of a lodging-house. The municipality was building a large men's -lodging-house, but not one for women. - -It appeared, therefore, that the only real attempt to tackle the problem -was that of the Salvation Army, and, thinking that I should probably -hear something from the women themselves about the lodging-houses, I -resolved to "try the Army," as so many poor destitute women have -done--not in vain. - -I obtained the requisite clothing to be one of the poor, and set out, -about nine o'clock, to find the street where the Army Shelter was. One -thing was agitating my mind, which doubtless, though for a different -reason, weighs in the mind of many poor women against entering any kind -of charitable Shelter. What questions would they ask? I had determined, -if absolutely necessary, to reveal my real identity. But how much should -I be forced to tell? Would it be possible to escape personal -interrogation? The "bullying" in the Workhouse was fresh in my mind, and -in contrast with this the perfect freedom of the common lodging-house -has its attractions. You may come and go, and "mind your own business." -No one has any right to interfere with you as long as you "pay your -way." I did not, of course, expect anything but kindness, but I thought -I might be interrogated "personally," questioned as to my antecedents, -and possibly about my soul. It would then, of course, be impossible for -me to preserve my "incognito." - -In thus thinking I was probably sharing the feelings of my poor sisters -(your feelings undergo a curious assimilation to those of the class you -represent). Many a woman may be deterred from entering a suitable Home -by fear of cross-questioning. Poor thing! The only thing that belongs to -her is her past. - -However, my fears were needless. I only relate them to illustrate the -reasons why a woman may hold back from places where she might find -friends. - -I asked several women the way to the Shelter, whom I met in the street. -One said it was "right enough," another said, "I should think it was -better than going into the common lodging-house among a lot of -'riff-raff;' you can put up with it for a night anyhow." A third, with a -child in her arms, said she had lived there some time, and "was very -comfortable." So encouraged, I found the place. It was a large, -clean-looking building, fronting the street, with apparently two doors. - -While I was hesitating as to which was the right one, and as to whether -I must ring or enter, a man on the other side of the street came and -offered me a drink. I, of course, refused. But at the very door of -salvation a poor tempted woman might be lost. - -There was a large notice, "Clean, comfortable beds," but not an open -door as in most common lodging-houses. I feel diffident in recommending -anything to the Army, their methods are so tried and proved, even to -minute particulars, but it struck me that it would be well to have an -inside and an outer door--the latter standing open, as a clear -indication of the place of entry. You can walk into a common -lodging-house as far as the deputy's room or office without ringing. It -is a small matter, but a timid woman might not have the courage to knock -or ring. - -The door was opened by a pleasant-faced young woman in uniform, who -asked me in. One word went to my heart. She called me "my dear!" She -said in reply to my request for a bed, "Yes, my dear, we have twopenny -bunks, but I should recommend you to try the fourpenny beds with nice, -clean sheets." - -I was glad to consent, for though I should have liked for some reasons -to "try the bunks," I had already seen them in London, and I wished to -ascertain what the Army was able to offer at the current price of -fourpence, and also whether the beds would bear inspection. But what a -contrast such a reception was to the workhouse! Nothing but my name was -asked, not even as in the Bradford Shelter, my destination, and where I -came from. There was no "heckling," no inquisition, nothing but -kindness. God bless the officer who said, "My dear" to a poor stranger -in Christ's name. - -I was asked if I would like to go to bed, as it was already late. I -wanted, however, to see something of other inmates, so said, "No." The -officer took me into the fourpenny sitting room, which was pleasant and -beautifully clean, but had no fire lit. As it was lonely, the officer -asked me if I would like to sit with the "twopenny women" for company. I -gladly assented, and was shewn into another day-room in which was a -cheerful fire, by the side of which were shelves for pots and pans. It -was furnished with wooden tables and benches, and all was clean, except -for recent use. Two or three women were in possession. I asked them if I -could get anything on the premises to eat. They said I could get coffee -and bread and butter for a penny! It was the cheapest meal I ever had. I -asked the officer for them, and she fetched them herself--a good mug -full of thick brown coffee, with rather a peculiar taste, but similar to -some I got in Manchester at a cheap breakfast shop, only about half as -much again in quantity. It had sugar and milk in it, and was palatable. -With it were two thick slices of bread and butter, quite sufficient for -a meal, the butter tasted good.[102] - -I sat and ate my supper and watched the other women. They had lived -there some time, and were evidently accustomed to "the ways of the -place." They said they were very comfortable, and that the beds were -good. One of them explained the scarcity of utensils. (So far as I could -see, one kettle, one saucepan, and one frying-pan seemed to be the -stock-in-trade.) She said people stole so, even taking cups and saucers, -and the sheets off the beds. The officers in consequence had to reduce -the supply and to keep a sharp look-out! - -I sat and listened. A woman came in with a baby; the same woman I had -seen in the street. She exclaimed about the difficulty she had had in -getting money for the night. Apparently she had been begging, going -round to one and another whom she knew, and getting a penny or halfpenny -from each. She said the man who accosted me had given her a penny. Her -boy was a fine little fellow, very well nourished and contented. She was -very proud of his little fat legs! She undressed him to his shirt. One -bit of pride remained even in poverty. She said she "wouldn't let her -child sleep in a bunk!" She seemed to prefer being out all night, which -had, I believe, been her case recently, when she could not make her -bed-money.[103] She was a widow. - -One of the other women had had a day's charing, and was congratulating -herself that she was "set up for a bit." It had been hard work, but well -paid. She was generous to those worse off. - -An unsolicited testimonial to one of the officers was given. "Captain -is back to-day." "Is she, bless her; I do love that woman, _though she -never gave me anything_!" - -It is much to the credit of the Army, and of the individual officers, -that in the free conversation I heard no real complaint. One of the -officers was alluded to as "a sharp 'un." No doubt a necessary quality -in dealing with some cases. One woman grumbled at the coffee, and -another "carried on" because she was stopped from talking in the -bedroom, where she was disturbing others, but the general feeling seemed -to be one of thankfulness. "Thank God I have got in to-night," came -involuntarily from several lips. - -I resolved to go to bed, as it was ten o'clock. The officer who had -admitted me, when I went to her to ask, showed me upstairs into a large -light room. Apparently the building had once been a mill or warehouse. - -The floor was beautifully clean, the beds not inconveniently crowded, -and the promise of "good, clean beds" was amply redeemed.[104] I can -hardly understand how they could be so clean, for when the women were -undressed (and, of course, like all their class they slept in their -day-garments, partially undressing), their under-garments were dirty and -ragged in almost all cases, even when their outside appearance was -respectable. Hardly one had a whole or clean garment, and among this -class a nightgown is unknown, or unused. One woman kept on a black -knitted jersey, though it was summer-time! - -My bed was beautifully clean, and the others looked so. The most careful -arrangements were made to insure cleanliness. The wire mattress had a -piece of clean brown wrappering tied over it, which could be removed and -washed. The mattress, which was very comfortable, was covered, and under -the covering was a mackintosh. There were two thick dark blankets, not -divided. I suppose this would make it difficult to steal them. The -sheets were white, and so was the pillowslip. There was a good soft -flock pillow. - -I noticed several wise precautions. The gases were too high to be -reached, and no taps were visible. The gas was turned on or off outside -the room. No one could light a pipe. - -The crevices close to the wall were filled in with wood, so that insects -could not harbour. Each person had a well-scrubbed wooden box by the -bedside, on or in which to place their clothes. There was, in a lavatory -adjoining, a spacious sink, to which hot and cold water was laid on. -There was one roller-towel, but no soap. It is usual in lodging-houses -to find your own. There was a well-flushed w.c. Beyond were some -cubicles at sixpence a night. - -Several women were in bed. One had had some drink, and was disturbing -others by talking. It was found out afterwards that she was in the -wrong room, having only paid twopence. She was a married woman, and her -husband had apparently deposited her in safety, but only paid twopence! -She was, or pretended to be, very wroth, and she was also foul-mouthed. -When it was discovered, the little Lieutenant really could not eject -her, and had to be satisfied with telling her she must pay the other -twopence next day! - -It was a very interesting occupation to try for about an hour and a half -to gather from conversation some hints as to the character of the "waifs -and strays" who were temporarily my room-mates. - -A young woman next me was a servant temporarily out of place. An amusing -scene took place. Another young woman came in and spoke to her before -going to her cubicle. Evidently there was some animosity between them, -for the only greeting she got was, "Shut up." Finding she could make no -impression, the newcomer began to insinuate. - -"I wouldn't stand with the Army and then go into public-houses!" - -The other girl at first made no reply, except, "Get out with you!" - -But as the insinuation was repeated, she began to get wroth. - -"Why don't you speak to me, Mary?" - -She half sat up in bed. - -"Get out with you, you----" - -Then they began to slang one another in earnest:-- - -"It's all very well to go to an Army meeting and then take two men into -a pub!" - -"Well, I never! What will she say next, I wonder!" - -And so the conversation waxed louder and louder. At length the girl in -bed half sprang out. - -"I shall go and tell the Lieutenant how you're talking. She'll put you -out!" - -With that the offender moved off to her cubicle. - -The other girl kept muttering, "Well, I never! Did ever you hear! Me -that has never been inside a pub! I'll tell the Lieutenant in the -morning." - -It was fortunate that the offender had paid for a sixpenny bed, as at -one time they seemed almost coming to blows. - -The noisy woman in a bed on the opposite side kept up a conversation -with herself, or with anyone who would speak to her. Finally, the -Lieutenant, who seemed to keep a sort of patrol, but was not round -frequently enough to preserve peace, caught her talking, though not at -her loudest. She was engaged in relating portions of her past life to a -woman who said it was the anniversary of her wedding-day. The story of -the courtship and marriage took some time to tell, but the crowning -incident was that, having been ill for some days, her friends encouraged -her to take "a small whisky," which apparently led to more, and she -became so "blind drunk" that she remembered nothing further. - -Several women with children came in. Some on meeting congratulated each -other on having money enough to get in. - -"Thank God I'm in to-night," said one. - -It made me realise how many are living on the very edge of starvation, -for several had only lodging-money, not a halfpenny for food.[105] - -The interruptions were a bar to sleep. I think the Bradford plan of -letting the women go up to the dormitory at the hour, and not between, -was a good one, and would make superintendence easier. - -At length, past eleven, all grew sleepy, the little Lieutenant had, I -think, given place to a night watcher, who stole quietly in to turn the -gas down, and again to admit a late girl to the cubicles, and once or -twice during the night, when all were sleeping, to look at her -safely-folded sheep, going lovingly round the beds, apparently to notice -who was safe "under her wing." - -I did not stir, or show I was awake, but I said mentally, "God bless -you, sister, and God bless the Army!" - -For here, safely folded in peace and comfort were just those whose -presence on our streets is a disgrace to our civilisation, and a social -danger. It was abundantly evident that they were those who needed a -helping hand. Few realise how terribly hard the present conditions of -our social system press upon women. If a girl, a woman, or worse--a -mother and child--are forced to remain out all night, God pity -them.[106] Yet it is terribly hard for a woman, once down in the -friendless state, with no one to speak for her, with clothing getting -daily more dirty and ragged, to obtain any employment. What can the -widow do? What about the deserted wife? The cry of the widow and orphan, -the suffering of the friendless is daily before the eyes of the God -England professes to serve. - -Only one who is daily receiving the stories of the manifold ways in -which women drop out or are forced out of homes, can understand the -silent disintegration of womanhood that is forced upon many. Sometimes -they are carefully reared, with a parent's love as protection, shielded -from any real knowledge of life's hardships. But the protector dies and -the struggle begins, a hard struggle for daily bread. No one is forced -to keep them, save the workhouse. This they shun, or in some cases have -extreme difficulty in gaining admission, the relieving officers having -to be "begged and prayed," sometimes unsuccessfully, to admit even a -starving woman, putting them off on one excuse or another. - -Meanwhile, by degrees everything that can be turned into money goes for -food. What wonder that the poor soul, desperate at losing all that makes -life worth having, easily yields to the man ever ready to "treat" her? -Such men are everywhere. - -"Come and get a drink," is the usual way of accosting a woman. Yet if a -solitary woman once acquires the drink habit, it is nearly impossible to -lift her up, the craving is too strong. In the temporary "elevation" of -drink she regains her past, forgets the poor bedraggled "low woman" she -has become, and dreams of "better days." Suppose she resists drink, at -any rate keeping apparently steady, and lives as a "charwoman," it is a -most precarious existence, varying with the "times." Such women are -taken "on" and sent "off" without compunction. It needs a "good -connection" to make a livelihood, at any rate it requires a capacity for -continuous hard work, which all do not possess. There are some few -trades for destitute women hardly worth calling "trades," yet in some -hand-to-mouth fashion thousands of solitary women exist, who are not -idle, but try hard to "keep out of the house," so retaining their last -possession--liberty! Is it not desirable that these our struggling -sisters should live under the conditions that will preserve for them -some sort of a "home" feeling? - -The "pit" lies just beneath them, that terrible pit, where honour, love, -and womanhood are swallowed up. They cling to those who love them, and -many of them struggle, oh, so hard! just to keep afloat. God pity them! -Every night in this England of ours our sisters are driven by poverty to -sin. - -"I _must_ get my lodging money and a bit of food," they say. Money, even -twopence, is not within the reach of every widow and orphan, and our -poor-law conditions are almost prohibitive. Save as a temporary -expedient, the casual ward, with its continual "move on," is no refuge. -To descend to the common lodging-house is the last stage, just above -utter homelessness. There the drink temptations are such that few women -can withstand them. In many towns there do not exist lodging-houses for -women only. - -Yet above all, these women need to be protected, to live under good -sanitary conditions, if in poverty. Such a shelter, therefore, as I was -sleeping in, is a real social need. It would prevent countless women -from drifting into vice if there was somewhere for them to live out of -temptation during the night hours. As they grow old especially, their -state grows more and more pitiable. They end their days in the workhouse -usually, but stave off the evil day as long as they can. I do not -believe that even women from the higher ranks can well help drifting to -destitution if from any cause friends and foothold are lost. Most people -distrust a friendless woman. Yet in many cases it is a matter of -clothes! - -There is a theory that "a good worker is always worth her salt!" So she -may be, but if she looks down-trodden no one will give her the chance to -earn it! In spite of the constant dearth of servants it is not likely -that a woman will get employment unless she has character and clothes. -There are, besides, quantities of semi-"unemployable" women, women who -would--after a fashion--succeed in looking after their own home and -rearing children; but who, divorced from home, are not "worth their -salt." Besides these, preyed upon, alas! by human sharks, are the -defenceless "feeble-minded," and half-imbecile. - -Meditating on the woes of womanhood I fell asleep. All my sisters -apparently slept soundly and well. Very early the officer in charge -stole in to call a sleeper. Every now and then someone, self-roused, got -up for toil. It was a contrast to the heavy sleep and utter absence of -any provision for going forth to toil which I had seen in a _private_ -women's lodging-house, inhabited by girls and women evidently living by -sin.[107] There they were called at 9.30! - -By 6.30 a considerable number had got up, and promptly the lieutenant -appeared with a whistle, which she playfully blew, not only for the -room, but also near each sleeper, calling them by name. "Now, Mary, get -up!" "Now, Jane, don't go to sleep again!" - -So I also arose and found my way to the sitting-room, where a woman was -frying a chop (using a lot of unnecessary sticks). It was the woman who -was "in luck." She made a great can of tea, and shared with others, -especially with some of the mothers with children. Poor little things! -They looked sleepy, for most had not gone to bed much before eleven. - -One by one women came in, hawkers, cleaners, widows, about whom one -wondered how they kept afloat. Some were evidently very dirty, insect -pests were in evidence on the person, and it was surprising that the -place was so clean. I learnt that you might remain till ten, and -re-enter at twelve. Probably the necessary cleansing of the day-rooms -was done in the interval. The kitchen filled. All seemed very poor; some -had no breakfast save a borrowed drink. I had some dry bread and sugar, -but no tea, so I asked if I could get a penny breakfast. - -Yes! Early as it was, the officers were already in the kitchen, and at -seven o'clock breakfast could be obtained. I sat and waited. Three -mothers had children; one brought down in a shift was badly bitten. One -woman was to wash for "the Army" that day, and so was "in luck." There -was, I heard, a good laundry, and under certain regulations, inmates -could wash their clothes. - -It would not have been a bad bit of investigation to stay a week and -learn the life of the inmates. But my time was brief. I made one of a -string of women standing at the kitchen door, waiting for the penny -breakfast, and received in my turn a good cup of tea (not a mug, but a -cup and saucer) and two thick slices of bread and butter. The eating -habits of my friends in the twopenny room were not very appetising, so I -sought the fourpenny room, a plain, clean, sitting-room with spotless -table and forms, by this time nearly filled. - -The inmates of this room were, as might be expected, superior in dress -and manners; the personal appearance of most was clean, and they were -fairly well clothed, at least outwardly, but the night view had shewn me -that "appearances were deceitful." - -One poor woman had a baby in arms, five months old. Her husband had -cruelly ill-used her; she had a black eye. He had been sent to prison -for a month, and she, with feeble health, and a babe in her arms, had -come to this refuge. How would she fare in a common lodging house? - -Another mother, with a good face, but very poor, had a little boy, very -nicely mannered. She made him say grace before he took his food, and -reproved him for taking a bite first out of a piece of bread and butter, -given him by a kindly girl who had gone in for a whole pennyworth. This -woman looked as if the Army had claimed her life for God. She was going -to a day's cleaning, and said thankfully that she had a good place, and -more than she could eat, so she always brought something "home" for her -boy, "as she couldn't bear to think she was eating and he had none." I -suppose she would make some arrangement for him to be looked after. How -would he fare in a common lodging house? - -As a contrast to her there was a rather loud-spoken girl, whom the -officer evidently knew. To judge by her face she knew sin and shame. She -was, however, very good-natured. She nursed the baby with evident -pleasure, and she shared her breakfast with others. - -Several of the girls were quite young, and might be servants out of -place. One by one they went out to some occupation or other. It was -still early, but time for me to go. I returned my cup, saucer, and -plate, and passed out with no interrogation. - -The streets were full of young women just going to business. In the free -life of to-day, when so many women earn their own living, often away -from their homes, how slight an accident may shipwreck a life! Is it not -evident that we should make provision for such a certain need? We make -charts of our coasts, we know each shoal, we bell-buoy our sand-banks, -we build warning lighthouses, and we make safe harbours. But probably -the lives lost on our coasts are not a tithe of the lives--the -souls--lost on our streets. A floating shipwrecked woman immersed in the -waves, in peril of death, would call for a host of rescuers. But in -many towns in England there is no Rescue home. Even where there are such -homes, they are usually _for those who have gone under_. We need some -provision for those who manage to keep themselves just above water, but -are in daily peril. Nothing is so effective as such _preventive_ work. -If we were about to build a harbour, we should entrust the work to a -firm that understood harbour-building.[108] - -In the Salvation Army we have a branch of the Christian Army and Navy of -Salvation accustomed to harbour-building. Let us employ them. If Army -methods succeed, it is only common-sense to finance the firm that can do -the work! - -Many of our refuges are but ill adapted for the needs of the class that -most needs help, the struggling, self-supporting woman, who may be kept -from falling further. - -We must approximate, as the Army does, to the needs of the class we -cater for. We must have "Women's Hostels" for the needs of various -classes, under regulations that attract them. We need not bribe them -into what seems to be a species of imprisonment, and keep them -expensively for long terms. This may be _necessary_ for the fallen, but -not for _preventive_ work. - -The Army succeeds better than most in making its shelters almost -self-supporting, when once initial expenses have been met. It has an -immense advantage in its system of training officers specially for such -work, which requires daily self-sacrifice. - -It may also be that military discipline has its advantages where a -certain precision of detail, an invariable routine, similar to workhouse -regulations, but more free, is a _sine qua non_. In our workhouses large -bodies of people live under discipline, who, without it, would most of -them be a danger or a drag on the community. Could we induce the -"floating population" of men and women to live a less restricted life, -yet a sanitary and wholesome one, much would be accomplished in a -generation.[109] The policy of allowing the catering for the needs of -this class to drift in a "happy-go-lucky" way into the hands of anybody, -has resulted in many accumulated evils. To redress evil we must live the -self-sacrificing life, and we may think ourselves happy that there are -still men and women who will in a very real sense "lay down their lives" -to minister in Christ's name to His poor, who count nothing too trivial -to be well done for the Master, and who strive to unlock hearts by the -magic key of love. - -Surely upon them rests the blessing, "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto -one of these, my sisters, ye have done it unto Me." - -Can we not have an Army Women's Shelter or its equivalent in every large -town?[110] - -FOOTNOTES: - -[100] See Appendix VII. - -[101] See Chap. V. - -[102] Contrast tramp ward fare, pp. 112, 124, 152. - -[103] See Appendix VII. - -[104] See p. 48, note. - -[105] See Appendix VII. - -[106] See p. 132. - -[107] See Chap. V. - -[108] See page 49. Lodging-houses for women do not exist in many towns, -there are only common lodging houses, worse still than the above. See -pp. 96-105, also Chap. VI. - -[109] See pp, 45, 50. - -[110] See Chap. II., pp. 130-135, also Appendix VII. - - - - -CHAPTER V. - -THREE NIGHTS IN WOMEN'S LODGING-HOUSES. - - -I. THE FIRST NIGHT. - -On a bright evening in May, when the trees were fresh with Nature's -tracery, and the sky glowed with colour, my friend and I found our way -by train and tram to a house, which was professedly a lodging-house for -all sorts and conditions of women. The building, a large, tall, -better-class dwelling-house, set back in a front garden, looked almost -too respectable for us, as we had donned our tramp's attire. Some -children were playing in the passage, and called "the missus," who made -no objection to our engaging two beds at sixpence each, warning us we -should have to share a room with strangers. She then showed us into a -small kitchen, clean and comfortable, but with little accommodation--two -short forms and a dresser were the furniture, with shelves in the wall -and a sink. A door gave access to a yard with sanitary convenience, and -there was a good fire and plenty of boiling water. We sat a little while -to rest, and to listen to one or two inmates--a woman who smelt of -liquor, an elderly woman who appeared to help the person in charge, and -a rather handsome dark girl, nicely dressed and clean, who told us she -had been married a few months, and was deserted by her husband. We -learnt afterwards that she had been in hotel and restaurant service. We -soon decided to go out and buy some provisions, and to have a walk -round. We had only expected the beds to be fourpence a night, so were -rather short of money. We laid out our scanty resources as follows: Tea -1_d_., sugar 1_d_., bread 3_d_., butter 2_d_. (and 1_d_. we paid for the -loan of a knife to be afterwards returned). With these we went back, but -not being hungry yet we decided to go to the common sitting-room. This -we found in possession of several women, mostly young. It was now -nearing 10 P.M., and they were all busy tidying themselves, rouging -their faces, blacking their eyelids, and preparing to go on the streets. -All this was done perfectly openly, and their hair was curled by the -fireside. It was wonderful how speedily they emerged from slatterns into -good-looking young women. Each then sallied forth, and, being left -alone, we returned to the kitchen and prepared to make tea and cut -ourselves some bread and butter. Meanwhile various women passed and -re-passed. Three cats were on the hearth--one, a tabby, was called -"Spot." A Scotch woman was rather genteel in appearance, about forty, -but who openly boasted she had been drunk every day for more than a -week; she came in and went out more than once. She sat on the form and -related _apropos_ of "Spot," that she got a situation as housekeeper, -"though she could not say she had not a spot on her character." A -widower with several grown-up sons wished to engage her as housekeeper. -He asked about her character, she said: "Without thinking, I replied, 'I -am afraid it will not bear too strict an investigation,' and, by Jove! -if he didn't engage me at once!" She said it was a good place, and she -might have been in it all the time but for "a bit of temper." "Yes, and -married the master!" added another. A considerable flurry was caused by -the advent in the corner of two or three huge black beetles, or -"blackjacks" as they were called, which made everybody draw up their -skirts. The form was removed to the middle of the room. The dark young -lady told us a good deal about her past; how she had an old mistress who -died in her chair and "looked heavenly," and how her daughter wished to -take her to London, and even sent her fare, but she would not go. She -sighed over it, and said, when we asked her if she was not sorry, that -she had wished many times she had gone; "but," she added, "I was young -and foolish, and had no one to advise me." A nice, bright-looking young -girl, who had come in looking very weary, and who had a bad cough, -interested us much. She had been out since eight, but obtained no money. -She said she had been out all one night, and so got her cough. Later we -learned her story. She had been out late one night when in service on a -gala day, and, having a strict mistress, she was afraid of returning to -her place. A companion persuaded her to take train to N----. The girls -had just enough money, and were landed as strangers in a strange town. -They walked about and found this lodging-house. They entered, and, being -destitute, fell at once into prostitution.[111] - -By this time we thoroughly understood the character of the house. It may -be there were exceptions, but they would be but few. The inmates, -probably about sixty, young and old, were living a life of sin, and we -were told that the proprietor of this lodging-house owned fifteen -others. We learnt that a house could be taken for £2 11_s_. a week, and -8_s_. for a servant. We learnt that most of the girls came home very -late--many as late as two o'clock--and in such a state that they kept -the others awake, singing and talking, drunk or maudlin. The house was -open till two at any rate every night. - -We stayed up till twelve o'clock to learn as much as we could; then, as -the proprietress seemed rather anxious for us to go to bed, we went -upstairs and were shown into a fair-sized room with seven beds, low iron -bedsteads with wire mattresses, and fairly clean mattress, sheets, and -pillows. A woman who had a terrible cold and cough and our Scotch friend -came to bed, the latter being comparatively sober, though she had had -many drinks that day. Later on the other beds were filled. One had had -over eleven shillings in the morning, but seemed to have "got without -it." The woman with a cold insisted on having the window closed, and the -room was very stifling, otherwise clean and comfortable (compared with -some of our experiences); but our companions, some of them, had on -filthy underclothing when seen by daylight. - -The woman of the house called us about nine o'clock,[112] and we had to -get up "willy-nilly." There was a bath-room, with wash-basins and hot -and cold water, and we learnt there were some 1_s_. beds with separate -washing accommodation. - -A woman whose hair was going grey ascribed it to constant dyeing. A -young girl had to go to see the doctor. - -We found our way to the kitchen and prepared breakfast, securing our -knife once more which we had returned. We took our breakfast to the -dining-room, where a number of dissolute girls--some handsome, almost -all slatternly--were already collected. We saw our young acquaintance of -the night before, apparently breakfastless, and invited her to join us, -which she gladly did. We learnt that she had had no food the day before, -except a drink of tea and a little bread and butter, having had "no -luck." Evidently she was starved into prostitution, about which she was -still very shamefaced. She had been in several lodging-houses. The town -ones were "ten times worse." A private one she had been in one night had -had no lavatory accommodation; she had to go and wash at the station, -paying twopence. She was afraid to solicit in town; the "bobbies" kept a -sharp look-out, and sometimes were in plain clothes. One had stopped her -when she was only walking, told her she was on the streets, asked her -where she came from, and advised her to go home to her mother. He asked -why she was "on the town," and when she told him she had got no work, he -said, "You all say that." As she was afraid in the town, she was in the -habit of going out to the suburbs. Her friend had quarrelled with her, -and even struck her in the street. She was in another lodging-house, and -"doing well" on the town. - -This forlorn girl had tried in vain to find a true friend among the -others. One had borrowed and not repaid, one had been friendly and cast -her off. We promised to try and help her. - -Breakfast over, we sat and watched the scene, being three times moved to -make room at the tables. Round the fire was a group of girls far gone in -dissipation; good-looking girls most of them, but shameless; smoking -cigarettes, boasting of drinks, or drinking, using foul language, -singing music-hall songs, or talking vileness. The room grew full, and -breakfasts were about, onions, bacon, beefsteak, tea, etc., filling the -air with mingled odours. A girl called "Dot" and another danced "the -cake-walk" in the middle of the floor. - -On this scene entered the girl who had to go to the doctor. She was -condemned to the Lock Hospital, and cried bitterly. An animated -conversation took place about the whereabouts and merits of various lock -wards or hospitals, and everyone tried to cheer her up. "Never mind, -Ivy, you'll soon be through with it!" - -Later entered a distressed mother. Her girl was wrongly accused of -stealing. She had traced her to another lodging-house, but it was -closed. She spoke to say that "she was her child whatever she had done, -and she would see her through and take her home if she could find her, -as she was her best friend." "Tell her if you come across her that the -back door is always open, and she will be welcome." Several girls cried, -thinking of their mothers, and a woman offered to take her and search -for her daughter later on. This scene brought tears to the eyes of our -young friend, and I said, "That's what your mother will say." We had now -to leave her, under promise not to go out until we returned. We left our -tea and bread and solitary penny, and gladly escaped to the fresh air. - -During the time these scenes had gone on several girls received notes. -One was packing up to go somewhere; one was told "the landlord wanted -her." A further visit gave further light. - - -II. THE SECOND NIGHT. - -Returning at 10 o'clock, we purchased, at the little shop which caters -for this lodging-house, a loaf of bread for 2-1/4_d_., two ounces of -boiled ham, a penny tin of condensed milk, and a pennyworth of sugar; -tea and butter we had with us. Armed with these, in the kitchen we -speedily obtained hot water and made our tea-supper. We took it into the -dining-room for coolness' sake, and established ourselves at a table. -This room had three long wooden tables and forms. It was an oblong room -with one fireplace, and out of it was another kitchen with fireplace and -gas stove. - -There were hardly any girls in when we entered, and, to our great -disappointment, our acquaintance of the day before was out. She had gone -out at nine o'clock. She was not out long, but returned drunk; she had -been "in luck." She had had "two small whiskies and a soda," and they -had bowled her over. She had plenty of money now, and was talkative, and -staggering. We felt we could not do anything with her that night. She -came and talked to us a little, asking us our "luck," to which we -replied "that we had done very well," and were going on to another town -next day. I had improved my appearance, wearing hat, tie, and belt, so -this bore out my story. - -The proprietress as we entered had told us not to mind a woman who was -"gone dotty" with drink. She also was in this room, properly maudlin. -She had a chemise, which she kept tucking into her breast, pulling up -her under-garments, and examining her stockings. She was taking more -drink still, brought in in a bottle, and though warned, I believe she -insisted presently on sallying forth, and would probably fall into the -hands of the police. The other women present humoured her to avoid a -quarrel. - -By this time we felt quite "at home," knowing the faces of a good many -of the inmates. Most were out, but one and another we recollected came -dropping in, in some cases to go out again. Our dark friend came and -questioned us as to how we had got on. We told her we had done very -well. She said, "I suppose you have been round the town?" Evidently she -was fishing for our occupation, and I fear she would gather the wrong -impression from our affirmative reply; but we really had been about and -could not "give ourselves away." This little person seemed to keep from -drink, though she told us she had lost her last place through buying, -with her own money, bottles of stout, and so horrifying her mistress, -who, she said, was "a religious woman, but a regular pig." This mistress -took drink herself, but "would not own it," and "suffered from -indigestion." She had the doctor, and he recommended change, society, -etc., but she lazed about most of the day and drank. Little Dark Hair -said she could have stood it if the woman had been straight, if she had -told her she took drink and it wasn't good for her; but to call it -"indigestion," and dismiss her servant for buying in a few bottles of -stout out of her own money, it was too disgusting! She left, and didn't -feel like asking for a character, as what she said was regarded as -cheek! She was evidently very low-spirited, for she said she wished she -was "in a bandbox," and then explained she meant her coffin. She said -she would get out of this if she had a home; but she had no home, no -friends. She was soon to become a mother--she would soon have to go to -the workhouse. We gave her the address of a friend who would help her, -but could not ourselves do so because of our _incognito_. - -There was a great difference in the characters and appearance of the -various women. One old woman apparently got her living by running -errands and doing odd jobs for the girls. I think one woman was a -pedlar. The former woman showed by her conversation that she had lived -an immoral life. There were several women about thirty or forty, who -behaved quietly and were dressed comparatively modestly and cleanly. -Some looked quite superior to their position, but I believe they had -only acquired the wisdom of reticence, as they dressed themselves up and -went out like the others, and one I thought particularly quiet, who -seemed to watch us a good deal, smoked like the others, after she had -been out. Some explanation of the probable life of these elder women was -afforded next morning by a woman, rather stout, and more talkative. She -had gone out overnight, setting off for her regular place, which was -apparently some way off in a suburb. A "toff" took her to have a drink, -and promised her money to go with him to an hotel. He afterwards gave -her the slip, leaving her penniless. Another girl, young and pretty, -said she was given in the dark two pennies silvered over! A dark girl -told her she "wasn't so soft; she always felt the edges of her money in -the dark and knew by that." - -There were no old women, except the one or two who seemed to live on the -others, by cleaning or by sewing or running errands. One girl was said -to get her living by doing this, and "drank all she got." Most of the -younger ones seemed to get more or less drunk every day. They had to -drown thought, but drink and dissipation were fast playing havoc with -their good looks, and several had very severe coughs, due to exposure to -night air. A girl who did not gather lodging money might be out all -night, as our friend the runaway had been, and none were very warmly -clad. They had to take off underclothing and replace it after it was -washed, apparently being almost all improvident. One or two, notably -"Dot," a small dark girl, who kept herself clean, and was pretty, with a -kind of perky prettiness that hid vulgarity, seemed to be better fitted -up. She had a basket of clothes, and seemed to be going somewhere by -appointment. We heard it several times mentioned that Mr. S---- wanted -one and another, and that they must have "a note" from him, or "a -paper." He was "the landlord." - -But I am anticipating the morning. We sat watching until we were weary, -between eleven and twelve, and then went to our bedroom. The same beds -were reserved, and one woman who was said to work for her living, and -had a very bad cough, was already in bed. We were speedily in bed also, -and for a while were quiet. The room was very stuffy, in spite of two -ventilators; the sheets not very clean, but still fairly so. The beds -were filled by degrees, all but one, that previously occupied by the -Scotch woman. One girl who came in late said she was not on the streets; -that she had begged money for her lodging, as she was out too late to -return to her place. It was holiday time, being Whit week.[113] One girl -who came in late, and had had drink, which made her talkative, said she -was a servant, and had just left a place where she had been ten months. -She said she had been to a pleasure resort all the night before with her -young man; that her mistress begged her not to come to this -lodging-house; she was very good to her, but she said she had had some -drink, and it got late, and she couldn't go anywhere else. She had no -money to buy breakfast, and had an appointment with her young man at -eight o'clock next morning. He promised to give her some money. She -meant to "enjoy herself" over the holiday and then go to service -again.[114] She did get up early, complaining she felt poorly, and she -went to her appointment, but I think he did not meet her. We offered her -some breakfast before she went, and she joyfully recognised us when she -returned without it, and we gave her the rest of our provisions. - -One girl who had been in before grumbled that her bed had been slept in, -and was dirty; but her own underlinen was far from clean. No one seemed -to possess a nightgown; all slept in their underlinen. - -We had the door a little ajar, and far into the night the door bell kept -ringing, and girls were admitted and laughter and conversation drifted -up the stairs. Our room settled down some time past midnight, but the -girl who was drunk several times tried to begin a conversation. At last -we all slept; two, however, had bad coughs. I woke at intervals through -the night, and finally, at 6.30, I woke longing for fresh air. I put on -a skirt and went down to enquire the time, and decided to get up and go -out for a quiet stroll. The bath-room was empty. The bath had old papers -in it, and did not look as if it was often used. There was a table with -looking-glass, and a good deal of rouge about. The w.c. had a good flush -of water. The washing basin was very small, and no soap was provided. -There was a roller towel for everybody. We had learned by experience to -take our own soap and towel, and we lent the soap several times. -Articles of clothing seemed to be frequently lent. We saw girls trying -on each other's hats, and there were complaints that they were also -stolen. Several locked boxes were in the bath-room, and some empty ones. -No convenience existed for keeping things privately except this. Some -women had a few things in drawers in the kitchen, but they were not -locked. The woman in charge had a sitting-room and a piano, and she kept -knives in her room. You paid a penny to have one, and it was returned to -you when you gave back the knife. Knives also were lent from one to -another. A girl whose head was questionably clean wanted to borrow my -friend's shawl to go an errand, but we made an excuse and did not lend -it. - -My friend got up more slowly, so I slipped out to the bright freshness -of a May morning, and walked in the direction of a park. There were -plenty astir, trams running, and people going holiday-making. The park -was not open, as it was not yet seven, but just outside I found a -resting-place. What a contrast the fresh budding life of the trees was -to that perversion and decay of budding womanhood I had left behind me! -A tree cut down in its prime to make way for building furnished me with -a parallel. What _artificial_ conditions of man's making are pressing on -those young lives, snapping them off from true use to rottenness and -decay? Why do they not grow healthily? A crowded bedroom, an uneasy -couch, a bare dining-room, wooden slats and tables, a precarious -livelihood--these are not things to draw a girl, and the excitement of -"the life" has to be covered by drink and degradation. Is it true, that -once _in_ it, it is too difficult to get out, and that a girl may be -trapped unawares and wound round and round as in a spider's web by a -multitude of threads of circumstance which prevent her escape? Is there -even at the back an _organised_ system, seeking victims and preying on -them? This much is certain, that there is room for an alliance of greed -and wickedness against defenceless and destitute womanhood. For if a -woman "cannot get work," where is she to go? What is she to do? Can all -our Homes and Shelters together prevent many from drifting "on the -streets"? Do we not need a national provision for migration and -temporary destitution among women?[115] - -Musing thus, I returned to my friend, and we went out together and sat -about half an hour on some public seats. The open air refreshed us, and -once more we returned to get our breakfast. I found a cup and saucer -with difficulty, for by this time most were in requisition. Every one -had her own provisions, but they all seemed to live from hand to mouth; -there was nowhere to keep them, and there were complaints that they were -stolen. Bread and butter, tea, bacon, or ham, or an egg, were the staple -diet. There were no forks, only a very common blunt knife to be had for -the penny, and tin spoons rusty with use. The walls were bare, except -for a print of the infant Christ bearing a cross, over the kitchen -mantelpiece. "Oh, Christ!" was a favourite exclamation. The language was -often foul. The girls chatted together also about their previous night's -experiences, but mostly in groups of two or three exchanging -confidences. We asked A---- to join us, and she offered me an egg, and -went out and fetched herself some tea, butter, and crumpets. We were now -going to make a struggle for this girl's salvation, but it was very -difficult to do so without exciting suspicion. We tried to persuade her -to go to B----. I had written overnight to secure a place for her; but -she would not do this, or go home, fearing her father's wrath. She was -also wretched after her previous night's indulgence, and ashamed of -herself, and in a difficult irresolute state. Reference to her mother -made her weep, and this attracted attention. The woman of the house -came, without any apparent reason, and borrowed her shawl. We asked her -to go out with us, and her shawl was not returned, but a small grey one -was _lent_ her. - -I spoke to the little dark young woman, and she gratefully received an -address to which she might apply for help after her confinement. - -We succeeded in getting A---- to give us her mother's address, and -promised to write for her. With this, I think, we should have been -content, but she offered to go out with us after all a little way, and -we hoped to persuade her. We knew of a Shelter near by, and we actually -succeeded in getting her there; but she would not remain, and we had to -let her return, fearing that she would probably drink again to drown -recollection. We spent altogether nearly two hours in trying to get her -to some satisfactory resolution. Meanwhile the girls were talking, -laughing, singing, or dancing about the room. Two were particularly -playful; both handsome girls, but already dissipated in looks. Both had -an abundance of fair hair, apparently "all their own." One girl -sportively asked one of them to "lend her her hair." I thought she was -joking, but presently she crossed the room, and untwisted a lock of hair -from the head of one of them and twisted it up and fixed it on her own! -It was many shades fairer, and was speedily returned to its owner. These -two girls were constantly striking up bits of comic songs, or larking -with one another or dancing "the cake walk." - -I fear in our endeavour to secure our young friend we lost other -opportunities. But it was a continually-changing scene. Most sat round -comparatively quiet; some, very weary, lay on the forms or lolled on one -another; some smoked cigarettes, some talked, and one or two were -washing their clothes in another room. One girl took off her stockings -to wash them. There were one or two strikingly handsome girls--one had a -face that reminded me of some painting I had seen--but the majority -were only good-looking when rouge and powder had effaced dissipation or -accentuated their good points; by morning light they looked flabby, -coarse, and unhealthy. One girl, Joy, with a pink-and-white complexion -that bore the light, had to go to the Lock Hospital. Apparently most of -these girls had outgrown the fear of this or of prison. "Bless you! they -don't mind being 'pinched,'" said one woman; "it gives them a rest." -Here, then, was womanhood devoid of fear! Social restraints had -vanished--as with the tramp, so with the harlot![116] - -The only fear left was that of each other's opinion, and this had -sufficient force to draw back to "the life" the one we wished to rescue. -On her soul lay the knowledge of the _horror_ of respectable society -towards what she had become, and the _attraction_ of the fellowship of -those who would receive her freely. We succeeded in getting her to go -out with us in a small borrowed shawl, and we coaxed her to a place -where she would have received shelter till her friends were communicated -with. But it was no use--she must go to her _friends_. Persuasion was -useless. We would have taken her with us, but she would go back. All we -could do was to give her the address of a friend and take that of her -parents, in the _hope_ of a chance to save her. - -It is, I believe, hardly possible to rescue a girl deep in harlotry, -though it might be possible to steer poor souls who have passed -disillusionment to some harbour of refuge where moral purity was to be -recovered. They must "get their living." Who would knowingly employ -them? The national recognition of the right of the individual to -employment and subsistence seems to me to be the remedy for the harlot -as for the tramp. The harlot is the _female tramp_, driven by hard -social conditions to primitive freedom of sex relationship.[117] - - -III. THE THIRD NIGHT. - -During the week that intervened before we could again visit, we -succeeded in finding out that there was a "welcome home" for the -wanderer. Armed with a letter from her mother, but with some misgivings -as to success, we went to the lodging-house, intending to see her -quietly; but when we reached the door the woman in charge stood there. -We asked for the girl by name. She said she was not there; that a letter -had come for her, but they had not been able to give it to her, as she -had left. We asked where she had gone. She did not know. Baffled, but -uncertain as to whether she was telling the truth, we stood hesitating, -when who should come to the door but the girl herself! The woman was so -nonplussed that she gave way and invited us in! We gave the girl her -mother's letter, and watched her read it. The girl's face changed, -softened. She cried, but she only said, "My sister has written it," when -an elderly woman came and began talking to us. As the girl was opposite -us we could no longer speak privately. After a while, however, she -changed her place so as to get near me, and we began talking, but a -young woman also came and asked if she were going out with her. We did -not wish to attract too much attention, so it was only by degrees we -could tell her we were ready to send her away next morning, having had -the money to do so given us. - -She made difficulties about being ashamed to go home in dirty clothes. -We asked her to wash them. She said if she left them to dry overnight -they would be stolen. We told her to exchange them for others. She -wanted to go out and get money for some things, and go home well -dressed. We were not sure as to what might happen if she did this, and -urged her to give up "the life" for her mother's sake and meet us in the -morning. Fearing too much pressure would act in the wrong direction, we -decided to leave her, trusting to God to bring her to the right -decision. This He did, for she went out and had "bad luck," and received -only two halfpennies! - -We set out once more to search for lodgings, intending to make straight -for a street we had heard of by name. We took a penny tram-ride to the -heart of the town, and asking directions of a woman, got a very bad -impression from her of the street whither we were bound, a mild -recommendation to one lodging-house, and a warm one, coupled with an -invitation, to the one whither she was going. However, we "preferred the -worst," and so with thanks we left her. When, however, after a long walk -we found the street, it was narrow and unsavoury, and the lodging-houses -were all small cottages. We looked through open doors at a few -interiors--and flinched! We knew what they would be like only too -well![118] Besides, as we wanted to see as much "life" as possible, we -preferred a larger one. We could be _sure_ of what these low-class ones -were, if a slightly better one was unsatisfactory. So we sought a street -near by, which we had also heard mentioned, and which, being a principal -thoroughfare, was flanked by houses of a larger type, once inhabited by -the well-to-do, but which now had descended to be lodging-houses. - -A female lodging-house (next door to a men's lodging-house) looked clean -and respectable, although through the open door we caught a glimpse of a -girl who was dressing, and who attracted some attention from passers-by -by her condition of half-undress. We paid sixpence each, and secured two -beds in the same room. We then were "free of the house," which consisted -of a long passage leading to a small kitchen. Leading from the passage -was a front parlour occupied by the "deputy" and her husband, a larger -dining-room furnished as usual with tables and forms, and a door leading -to a yard with sanitary conveniences. A stairway with oak balustrading -led above; a door which could be locked had been placed at the bottom, -and no one was allowed upstairs till they went to bed--a good precaution -for cleanliness and decency. - -In the kitchen there was a fire, and hot water in a boiler by the side. -A couple of tables and two forms, accommodating each about four people, -were the only furniture besides a rack in the wall and some shelves -filled with hats and other clothes. There was no room for more, as a -small sink with hot and cold water occupied the corner by the fire. -There were a few pots in much request, and two large tins. These formed -the only apparatus for washing of all kinds. We saw them used overnight -for bathing the feet, etc., one girl washing her feet in them; we knew -they were used for washing clothes, and we saw them full of dirty pots -in the morning. As we heard the state of one girl alluded to as -contagious, "but she won't go to hospital," it is easy to be imagined -that we could not bring ourselves to eat and drink there. Nor did we -consider it safe to use any sanitary convenience except upstairs, for it -was easy to see the character of the house. We sat on the form in the -kitchen for nearly an hour, while the girl we had seen made her -elaborate toilet. She had a most severe cough, and could hardly speak, -yet she sat, often in full view of the front door, in a low chemise and -skirt, both of good quality if they had only been _clean_, which they -were not. She had finished her washing process, but there were many -others. She powdered her face and breast, she rouged herself with great -care (being chaffed meanwhile by some of her companions), she burnt a -match and blackened her eyebrows, and then by slow degrees she did her -hair in numerous rolls, finishing up by curling the little ends and -putting a net over all. Then, after some discussion as to which hat -suited her (apparently hats, though they had owners, were common -property), she put on first a very thin muslin blouse with a hole at the -shoulder, then a clean skirt and a costume skirt and jacket (the latter -very open at the neck), and finally the selected hat. She looked, when -thus disguised, a handsome young woman, but her face was really thin and -wan, and it was almost death to her to go out, as she did, into the cold -night air with only a thin tie to protect her chest. She returned in the -morning, saying she had been at the C---- Hotel all night, and had been -drinking all the time, and had not slept at all. She looked very weary, -and rolled up some clothes and lay full length on a form to attempt to -sleep. She could not long survive such a life. One girl had died the -previous week there. - -While her long toilet was taking place, a succession of girls entered, -most of them going out again after a brief rest. The first, who sat by -me and told her story, was not, as yet, on the streets.[119] She had -been sent when five years old to an orphanage, and from that to a -laundry home, where she had received a good education, and from which -she got a good situation. She was not strong, however, and, becoming -anæmic, was sent to hospital. There she was questioned as to her -parents, whom she had not seen for years, and sent, when discharged, to -the town where they lived to seek for them. She found her mother living -in sin with another man, by whom she had children. Her father was a -drunkard, who had been many times convicted; he lived with her sister in -lodgings. She clung to him as her own, and all the right feelings -cultured in her gave intensity to her affection for her long-lost -father. He kicked and ill-used her, but promised amendment. He broke out -again, and had that morning been sent down for a month. She had nowhere -to go. Her sister was cold to her and to her father; probably she took -after her mother, and had reason enough not to love her father, who had, -however, in his way looked after her. She was working and could support -herself, but this poor girl was stranded. Her one cry was that she -_must_ meet her father when he came from prison; she was sure he would -do better. She had no money, and feared she should have to walk the -streets. I paid her lodging, and one or two of the girls gave her a -little food. She said she intended next morning to seek work in a -laundry. We urged her, if she did not obtain it, to go to a relief -agency we knew, and she seemed quite willing to do so, and a woman -present also recommended it. She was in the same mind the next morning, -so I hoped she would do so, as she did not seem to wish to drift to -evil. Her father, bad as he was through drink, was not bad in that way. -Her mother was a thoroughly immoral woman. This girl, well intentioned -and well brought up, but feeble in health, ought never to have drifted -to such a place. - -I have before had occasion to notice the harm done by hospital -authorities in sending friendless girls, without sufficient enquiry (or -even though knowing they are quite friendless), back to their native -town. Girls such as this should be passed on to some agency that would -"mother" them. It is easy to see how a little indecision, and the -pressure of hunger, might anchor a girl to sin.[120] For most of those -who entered were openly leading a life of shame. Girl after girl came -in, rested, and went out. We learnt their "by-names," and those of -others. "Red Jinny," distinguished from "Scotch Jinny" and other -Jinnies, was living with a companion in prostitution. - -The pathetic history of a young woman who began her toilet by having a -foot-bath (in one of the tins), her legs being swollen with varicose -veins, will illustrate this life. She had a good home, a kind and strict -father. The way home was always open to her, for her parents had not the -slightest idea she was living in sin. They thought she was in service. -She had actually been home over the week-end, and thoroughly enjoyed -herself, going on Sunday to church and Sunday school. ("I wish I was as -good!" sighed one when she heard it.) Yet for two or three years she had -really led the life of a prostitute. Her history was a sad one. She kept -company five years, and then her young man betrayed her. She managed to -conceal this from her parents, and in order to maintain her baby she -went on the streets. For two and a half years she lived with a -prostitute friend, and worked and struggled for her little one, coming -home one day to find her scalded and her companion "blind drunk." -However, the child survived, only to perish of bronchitis and pneumonia. -Her mother had worked for her and clothed her with her own fingers, -making all her clothes herself. She was clever, for as she talked she -unpicked a hat and twisted and turned it to new account. After her child -died she left her companion--or was deserted by her--and now for some -months she had been living here, except for home visits. She found it -hard to get out of "the life," because she had kept up the deception -that she was entangled in. "Her father would die" if he knew she was in -such a place! But he must get to know in the long run unless she got out -of "the life." Already she had been twice in the hands of the -police--once for drink, and once for accosting. The second time she got -off for "first offence." She gave an assumed name and paid the fine, but -next time she would have to "go down." We got a good opportunity to -press her to go where we knew she would find friends, as she was the -only one in bed in our room by twelve o'clock. She did not go out -because of a superstitious feeling that "something was going to happen," -which, she said, had also preceded her being taken up. She said she -wished she was at home in her own good bed, which was always kept for -her; that she was getting to drink and swear, and this life would soon -kill her. We placed before her as strongly as we could the path to -safety, and urged her to struggle free for the sake of father and child. -It made one long to go and _live_ continuously with these girls, -gradually acquiring influence, and being able to speak to them as a -Christian woman, and save them from the web in which they were -entangled. Such work would be difficult and delicate, for it would be -necessary to live quietly, maintaining oneself among them and acting by -character, not by profession. - -But surely something more is possible. There should be large, -well-ventilated, well-provided women's lodging houses, open even to the -prostitute, but under the care of wise, motherly women. Here it was -impossible for a girl even to keep her own property; there was not a -locker or any place to put anything away. Girls slept with their hats on -their beds for security. Everything was "borrowed" or "made off with." A -little care would keep a decent girl steady and safe, and bring many a -wanderer back to goodness. Here everything tended to demoralisation. The -sanitary arrangements were deficient. I cannot defend the shameless -toilet in full view of an open door to the street, which we saw -repeated, even to half-nudity, several times over. But this kitchen was -the only place in which to wash and dress, and the door must needs be -open. The constant talk was filthy--not on the part of all, but on that -of many--and the life most were leading not in the least disguised. The -more successful girls were sometimes out all night. Two or three came in -very drunk and were piloted to bed by friends. Shameless expressions -which cannot be repeated were used with regard to actions which decency -conceals. Yet listening were other girls not so far gone in sin. - -A young girl in a shawl, hardly more than a child, came in apparently on -an errand, and stayed some time. She was asked if she was going to "mash -for a quid." An old woman called "Old Mackintosh," from her wearing a -long mackintosh cloak, and also affectionately called "Ma," was -apparently the sport of the girls, and yet regarded with a sort of -affection. They teased her and stole her things, and even hit her. She -had a bad temper, and scolded, which afforded them amusement; but if -they went too far they made it up by embracing her. Poor woman! I fear -drink was her trouble. They said she had hardly anything under her -cloak. She seemed ravenously hungry, and how she got her living I don't -know. One or two elderly women were apparently not prostitutes, but -earned money by cleaning. It was, however, rather difficult to settle -how they lived. One woman was very coarse and fat, with an ugly scar on -her shoulder, which she exhibited in the morning when she indulged in -the luxury of "a good wash," but was not clean. She put on a ragged -bodice, the silk of which was hanging in shreds, and which had a big -hole under the arm showing a great patch of bare flesh; yet over all she -put a most respectable cloak, and a bonnet that would have done credit -to a Quaker. I was astonished to see her emerge as almost a lady! -Evidently the "clothes philosophy" is well understood in Slumdom, for -whatever purposes it is used. Indeed, it has given me somewhat of a -shock to realise that many of these, even if dwellers in actual filth -and disease, would not be distinguishable in any way from ordinary -individuals. - -Nothing was more noticeable in both lodging-houses than the existence -of at least three descriptions of prostitutes. There was the apparently -quiet, modest one, whom you would take to be a respectable girl. One of -these gave an account of how "her boy" had met her and spent an hour or -two trying to persuade her to go away and get work. He even cried! But -apparently he did not move her. She promised him as a put-off. This -quiet sort of girl is most to be dreaded; she may act as a tempter. - -There was, in the second place, the good-natured girl, naturally -affectionate. "Everyone likes me wherever I go," said the girl who had a -home. This girl should have been a happy wife and mother. Her fate lies -at the door of him who wronged her. Once in "the life," the ties of -friendship and a vivacious, sociable disposition would draw her to it -again and again. - -The third kind may be the second gone to ruin, or those who, having had -a worse bringing up, are naturally more shamelessly immoral. Drink has -fascinations for them. They go "on the town" to get drink. One such, who -was drunk over night, gave a long and involved history of her doings in -the morning. She had received money and drink from three soldiers, but -she declined to descend to the level of "Soldiers' Jinny," whose -unmentionable doings were related at length. She left them and got more -drink, piloted a couple to a "safe house" and was tipped for it, was -treated to "bottled stout"--much to her disgust, as she preferred other -drink--came along certain streets gloriously drunk, daring policemen, -and arrived home happy, just sufficiently quarrelsome to get a free -berth from everyone. She was a handsome dark girl of a low class. Her -language was unspeakably foul, every sentence being interspersed with -gory adjectives. She evidently expected admiration from her hearers for -a sort of dare-devilry. - -It was pitiable, as the evening went on, to see the state of many. Two -elderly women in the other room carried on a maudlin conversation, just -on the edge of a quarrel, the substance of which was that they -"understood one another," and would not blab each other's secrets! - -All the time this was going on a man, and sometimes other men, were in -the passage frequently. There was in this passage a locked door, -constantly unlocked, leading to the next door men's lodging-house. -Apparently the husband caretaker in our house was also caretaker in -this, hence comings and goings. I have no reason to suppose there was -any illicit communication as regards the house itself; but girls were -frequently asked for by name, and the presence of a man or men was not -desirable. The caretaker himself was familiarly addressed as "Pa." - -The hours slowly wore away. One girl sat patiently for eleven o'clock to -strike. She "never went out till eleven," she said. She was a quiet -girl, not very good looking. About half-past eleven two girls in shawls -came in and had something to eat. From conversation between them (they -slept in our room), they seemed to be working girls who had been turned -out of home. One worked at a mackintosh warehouse, the other, I think, -at tin-plate. One at least intended to go to work in the morning, but -was not up when I came away.[121] And this was not wonderful, for with -the best intentions youth and sleepiness would make them lie long in the -morning; for at twelve, when I went to bed, only a few had gone -upstairs, and right on till two o'clock at least the interruptions were -far too numerous for rest. - -Besides the usual comings and goings, locking and unlocking of doors, -drunken stumbling upstairs, and loud good-nights exchanged, a tragedy -that turned to a comedy was being enacted. A woman known as the "Mussel -Woman," who carried an empty basket on her arm--which those who knew her -called a "blind," as she hardly ever had anything to sell--came and -claimed a lodging, having nothing to pay. After a good deal of -"language," she was made to understand that she could not have it, -whereupon she said she should "keep shouting all night" if they did not -let her in. She was as good as her word for half an hour at least, -shouting at the top of her voice the most abusive personal language, -and banging the door at intervals. I do not know whether seasons of -quiet were due to police rounds, but she shouted and banged, and then -desisted at intervals, for quite two hours. No sooner was everything -quiet than she again appeared. Several angry colloquies took place with -the deputy. Once she was let in, saying "Jinny" would pay for her, and -came all round the beds looking for "Jinny" with the deputy. "Jinny" was -not found, and she was again ejected, I believe; but finally a policeman -intervened, said he could not have her in the street, and forced the -lodging-house keeper to accept her, money or no money. I should not like -the berth of a "deputy"; she could have had no rest till two at the -earliest, yet was up cleaning and sweeping before seven. - -Our beds and bedroom could not be called _clean_, yet were not dirty; at -any rate in this respect, that we did not see any insects. That is a -great deal to be thankful for. I woke after a brief and broken slumber -at 6.30. All were young in my room save my companion and myself, and all -slept soundly. There was nothing to tell the time, so I dressed without -disturbing them, and on arriving downstairs found it was ten minutes -past seven. I washed my face at the sink with my own soap and flannel, -and sallied out in search of a clean and cheap breakfast. I succeeded -beyond my expectation, finding on enquiry a small shop where I got a cup -of coffee for 1/2_d_. and a good substantial 1/2_d_. bun. Thus -fortified I spent a pleasant hour looking at pictures in shop windows -and observing passers by, and returned about 8 o'clock to wake my -friend. She had gone to bed at 9.30 the previous night with a bad -headache, which was no better for a disturbed night, so we escaped as -quickly as possible to fresh air and a cup of coffee, and then by tram -to keep our appointment with the girl we wished to save. - -We entered the house by the open door and sought the dining-room to look -for her, but were met by reproof on the part of the deputy. She said we -had no right in when we hadn't slept there. She had allowed it as a -favour the day before, but could not again permit it. To solve this -difficulty my friend paid for her bed for the night, and was then of -course free of the house. I had to leave her to wait to see the girl, -and if possible to send her to her mother; and I am glad to say that she -succeed in dispatching her safely to the far-distant home, where I trust -loving hearts may hold her too closely for return. - -I have tried to tell a plain, unvarnished tale--in which nevertheless -much is left out that would not bear printing--of the way in which these -our young sisters live. The pity of it is that though some may from -sheer wickedness seek it, more--perhaps most--are drawn in by frivolity -and misfortune. It may be exceedingly difficult to rescue them when -contaminated, surrounded as they are by all those invisible ties of -friendship which chain a woman's heart. We make elaborate institutions -to _rescue_ them, which are often surrounded by such restrictions that -they defeat their own end. - -Can we not do something to solve the problem by providing suitable and -sufficient women's lodging-houses under good management, where freedom -is not interfered with unduly, but influence for good is steady? - -In Christian England a friendless girl should never want a friend and a -home. And to guard our girls is to preserve our nation from the worst of -evils--the corruption of a 'trade' based on greed and dishonour. Yet how -else can a destitute girl get her living without a friend? - -_When all else is sold she sells herself to live!_[122] - -FOOTNOTES: - -[111] See p. 193. - -[112] See p. 190. - -[113] See p. 194 for contrast. - -[114] See p. 194. - -[115] See Appendix VII. - -[116] See p. 28. - -[117] See Appendix VII. - -[118] See p. 97. - -[119] See p, 193. - -[120] See Appendix VII. - -[121] See p. 190, and as a contrast p. 200. - -[122] See Appendices VII. and VIII. - - - - -CHAPTER VI. - -COMMON LODGING-HOUSE LIFE. - - -I. IN A NORTHERN TOWN. - -There are certain elementary considerations of decency with regard to -accommodation for women that we might expect would receive attention in -every town of considerable size, especially those along the main -thoroughfares by which travel takes place. To leave provision for a -certain need entirely in private hands is to ensure in the end great -public expense. It is not to private advantage to provide maximum but -minimum comfort. The margin of profit is small, and the class provided -for will put up with a great deal. Inspection may swoop down on flagrant -neglect, but does not avail to prevent a state of things most -undesirable from every point of view.[123] - -Under the conviction that nothing but investigation into the actual -state of things will shed light on the nature of the reforms needed, my -friend and I set out once more on pilgrimage, our object being to -investigate the state of things in a town not twenty miles from -Manchester, on the line of constant travel, with regard to -accommodation for women. - -Thinking it desirable to make some preliminary inquiries, we first -visited a friend who belonged to "the Army"; we could, however, get -little information, so we visited the Captain, hoping to learn something -useful. We found that "the Army" visited the men's lodging-houses, and -that there were frequent inquiries for a Shelter, but they did not -possess one in this town. Finally we learned that there was not in the -whole town a lodging-house for women only! Possibly there may be some -charitable institutions. But for a woman coming to the town not -absolutely destitute, able to beg or earn fourpence for a bed (which -means, it must be remembered, two-and-fourpence a week, without food), -there were only three places, and in each "married couples" were also -taken.[124] - -One was described to us as "full of gay girls," a second was small, and -the single men had to pass through the sitting-room to bed; we were -assured, however, that the proprietress did her best to prevent -"carryings on." The third being described as "the best in the town," we -decided to try it. But it is obvious that no town can be considered in a -satisfactory condition that makes no provision for homeless women, apart -from men. Widows and friendless girls are to be found everywhere, and it -is most important that a safe place of refuge should exist to arrest, -if possible, a downward career.[125] - -We found a group of men outside the lodging-house, and one of them -kindly showed us the way to the office, a lighted room up a sort of -court. There was a movable square of glass in the window of this room, -and through this we paid our money, sixpence for a double bed. We were -told we should have to come through that room to bed and that we must go -"up a stair to the right," and with this our communication with our host -or hostess begun and ended, for there was no one in the room when we -passed through to bed, and when we came away there was only a child in -possession, half-dressed. - -The room up the short stair, in which we found ourselves, was lofty and -airy and might have been pleasant,--if it had been clean. There was a -large fireplace with a fine range.[126] On the mantelpiece some wag had -drawn, upon a round piece of board, a clock face, with the hands -pointing to five-to-twelve, and the legend written underneath, - -"No tick hear (_sic_) all stopped to-day." - -Also a large frying-pan hanging on the wall bore the humorous -inscription, "Out of work." - -The walls were painted light above and dark below, various shawls and -hats were hanging up, shelves by the side of the fire contained a -non-descript collection of food and other possessions, and there was the -usual stock-in-trade of frying-pans and saucepans, but no kettle. Hot -water for any purpose (and cold also) had to be fetched from the "single -men's" side of the building. - -There was a small sink in one corner, but the water was cut off. There -was absolutely no convenience for washing of all kinds--personal, -family, or for culinary purposes--save this sink.[127] Men and women -alike must fetch water from the other room, even to wash the "pots." A -card on the wall informed the lodgers that they were expected to wash -their own. The "pots" were a few enamelled basins, soup-plates, and -tea-pots, some very much worse for wear. The sanitary conveniences were -out in the yard, and apparently common to both men and women. - -We took our seat at one of the tables, which, with wooden forms, were -the only furniture, except what has been already alluded to. We then -began to take stock of our fellow-lodgers. - -On the other side of our table, a man with dark hair (and plenty of it) -was employed in "cobbling" his wife's boots. It took him most of the -evening to fasten on pieces of leather with nails, and to knock the -nails down. His job was then pronounced "first-rate" by the men, but the -wife reserved her opinion till they had been tested by the next day's -march! He confided to us that she was "no walker" and "took an hour to -walk a mile" (this is the gist of his speech, which was much garnished). -She claimed to have walked five miles. I should not have liked to walk -in her shoes. - -Meanwhile at another table several men and women were sitting, some -eating, some smoking (women as well as men). Also on the short forms by -the fire were several people and children, and there were two -perambulators, each with a sleeping child, against the wall in the -background. - -In a little while we were better able to disentangle the relationships -of the various groups. A young and rather good-looking woman was the -mother of three small children, one a babe at the breast, the next -hardly more than a baby, and the third about four, apparently quite able -to take care of herself and go to shop for the family! They were all -very healthy, and the baby was much admired; the father seemed kind, and -helped his wife to nurse. They did not seem destitute, but one wondered -how they lived, whether they were "on the road," or crowded out of a -home; the perambulator and the healthiness of the children favoured the -former hypothesis. Another pretty little child seemed almost -"unattached," but next day we identified her father; she was fair, and -had long golden curls and a black velvet dress, and thus dirt did not -show. It was most amusing to see this child, not more than six, take -possession of the only washing bowl, get water, and proceed in the most -business-like fashion to wash out three pocket handkerchiefs (one of -which had lace round the edge), they were then placed on the rack over -the fire to dry. - -A man and woman were very busy making paper mats in a very quiet and -steady fashion; they also began again next morning, and had a small tin -box in which they kept their stock in trade. It was really curious to -see such fancy articles made in such a place, and kept clean. For the -dirt must not be left out of my description. The boarded floor was -sanded over, the walls were clean, as far as could be seen, but under -the tables and forms, and in every corner, there was a miscellaneous -collection of sweepings of all sorts. Remains of food, dirty papers, -filthy sand, dust and dirt, remained there unswept, and was still there -when we came away. No attempt had been made to clear them, and what -cleaning of pots and pans was done was expected of the lodgers, probably -the room received a clearing up once a week, possibly a sweeping later -in the day. - -It is impossible for human beings to be or keep clean under such -circumstances, and clean they were not. Yet I think most of them were as -clean as they could be under these conditions, and, as will be seen -later, there were degrees of uncleanliness to which they were very -sensitive. - -There were several working men who got into conversation about the -doings of the Manchester corporation: - -"Taking on two or three hundred at stone-breaking out of thousands!" - -"Breaking granite! It's not much as them as aren't accustomed to it will -make of that!" - -"A man can't claim the Union unless he's resided two years." - -"But I will say this, there's nowhere worse than Manchester for men -knocking about as doesn't belong to it." - -Two of the men settled down into earnest conversation about the state of -employment, but, owing to the incessant knocking of the cobbler, I could -not catch what they said, even when I moved nearer. A pleasing interlude -from serious talk was afforded by the following humorous conversation (I -omit the various unsavory adjectives with which it was interlarded, as I -cannot do justice to them, and they were probably meaningless): - -Enter the mother and baby. - -"What's his name?" - -"Oh! don't you know? he's Billy Bailey!" - -"Bill Bailey? eh! There was a man as had a bicycle accident, fell off -and lay in the road. A chap came along. 'What's the matter?' 'Broken a -rib,' says he; 'can't move.' 'What's your name?' says the man. 'Bill -Bailey,' says he. 'Bill Bailey!' says the man, and goes off and leaves -him. He lies there half an hour, then another chap comes along. 'What's -up?' says he. 'Run and get me a doctor, for God's sake,' says the man. -'My name is Bill Bailey,' says he. So the chap runs off and tells the -nearest doctor that there's a man down the road wants him. 'What's his -name?' says the doctor. 'He says he's called Bill Bailey.' 'Bill -Bailey!' says the doctor. 'Get along with you!' says he. So he wouldn't -go. At last the man got a doctor to go who didn't ask the chap's name; -but the poor fellow lay there two hours with a broken rib, all because -his name was Bill Bailey." - -"There were a chap that went into a beer-house," struck in another man; -"there was some glasses of beer called for, and a chap ordered one and -went in the yard; when he came back his glass were drunk. 'Who's done -this?' he says. 'Bill Bailey,' says someone. 'Where is he?' says he. -'Just gone out,' says the man. 'I'll be even with him,' says he; with -that he goes back in the yard, and, as luck would have it, there were a -chap there called Bill Bailey. 'Where's Bill Bailey?' he sings out, -''cause he's wanted.' 'What for?' says Bill Bailey. 'I'll give you what -for,' says the man; and with that he pitches into him, and gives him a -right-down good thrashing. And all the while the chap doesn't know what -it's all about!" - -After these humorous incidents had raised a good laugh, the conversation -became general and hard to follow. - -A woman, who was afterwards one of my room-mates, seemed to consider it -her duty to supply liquor to the company; she apparently had money given -her by the men, and went and fetched beer in a quart bottle. I counted -at least six times. But the liquor did not appear to take effect on such -"old stagers," except, perhaps, to loosen the tongues still more. - -One man, who sent most frequently, had a nose that betrayed his -proclivities, and to him this woman paid considerable attention. By this -time the evening was growing late. Already there had been two loud -thumps at the door, accompanied by the shout, "Bed!" - -Apparently this summons came at the hours, and then those who wished to -go cleared off. One or two went as early as eight o'clock, a few more at -nine--mostly, as it seemed, working men with their wives--politely -wishing us all "good night." - -We went out to a little corner shop and got something to eat and a -pennyworth of tea and sugar, and made some tea. - -None of the children had as yet gone to bed, but towards ten the mothers -undressed them, of course in public. One child had its face washed in -the soapy water that had been used for the handkerchiefs; this was all -the toilet we saw. - -When we came away about nine in the morning, three of them were still -running about, unwashed and undressed, in the scanty garb of one -garment, shift or skirt. These little things, each pretty if only clean, -tried each in their own way to find amusement. One got three sticks and -tried to hammer them together as the cobbler was doing to the shoe! One -in the morning tied himself to a post with an old scarf, and went round -and round. It was almost pathetic to see the childish love of play -developing amidst such untoward surroundings. The baby was fed and -became sleepy. At last ten o'clock came and another summons. As only -about six were staying up, we decided to go ourselves. - -We went through the sitting-room of the landlord, which was empty, and -stumbling up a narrow stair, found a young woman who was arranging the -lodgers and allotting beds. - -We were shown into a small room, which we afterwards heard was the only -one for single women. It had two large double beds and a single bed. We -were given a very small candle-end, which was put to flare down on the -mantelpiece. - -By the dim light the sheets looked fairly clean. Two women came to bed -at the same time, and one of them, a single woman apparently, explained -that she did not know who would be her bed-fellow; she hoped it would be -some one decent and clean; she had "a terror of a woman" the night -before--so bad, in fact, that "Jim" (who apparently was the -lodging-house keeper) had to turn her out; she didn't mind if it was a -decent body. Fortunately for our night's repose, she did not till -morning make to us any revelations concerning our bed. She said she had -been there six weeks. - -She was not very communicative about herself. "Times were bad; she had -never seen them worse, but there were some good folks in the town." We -gathered that her "trade" was begging. - -The candle-end went out before we were fairly in bed. It was not -possible to investigate, but we soon knew that the bed was not -untenanted! It is long drawn-out torment to lie in the dark and know -that you are being investigated by an uncertain number of "insect -pests"! The only comfort was that daylight would come some time, and -that the worse it proved to be, the more such a state of things needed -to be exposed. Is it not a shame that with all our boasted -"civilisation," a poor respectable woman cannot be sure of getting a -clean bed though she pays at the rate of two-and-fourpence a week? - -We got what sleep we could. At eleven another woman came to bed: she -said she had been sitting downstairs, but would have come to bed if she -had known there was anyone in her room to talk to! We did not -particularly welcome her conversation at that hour. Next day I heard two -of the other women call her a "cheeky thing," who wanted to know "every -one's business," and then went and told the "missus." Various sounds of -"revelry by night" came up the stair, and "Move off" from a policeman -outside. - -At last, towards half-past eleven or twelve, silence reigned. The long -night passed slowly. Both of us were "plagued" and restless. We feared -the worst, but hoped the best. - -Morning dawned, and welcome daylight. No one called us, and we found our -room door was locked outside. It seems, however, that you might be -called "by request." At eight no one had stirred. One of our -fellow-lodgers said it was "all right if you were down by nine, and on -Sunday you could lie till further orders."[128] - -This did not seem to us much of a boon, as we longed to escape from -torture, so about eight we began to dress, or rather to "slaughter"! I -am not enough of an entomologist to be able to name the animals we -found, as I had never before made the acquaintance of their species. Big -and little, all sorts and sizes! It took us fully half-an-hour to get -moderately free. While on this unpleasant subject, I must state -deliberately that I do not believe that a woman who slept in that bed -could possibly get free again under lodging-house conditions. Her -cleanliness would be effectually destroyed by that one night. - -Without the advantages of a bath, carbolic soap, and privacy, such as is -unobtainable in a lodging-house, she _could not get free_.[129] - -The woman in the next bed said it was a shame, she remarked to another -woman on what we had suffered. Evidently she appreciated cleanliness of -that sort. She told us that a very dirty woman with a bad leg had slept -for six weeks in our bed. - -"Lizzie was not a bad sort," she said, "but she wouldn't keep herself -clean." She gave her a garment out of pity, as she had "nothing to -change into." She got her living by begging, and got lots of things -given her, but pawned them for drink. At last the lodging-house keeper -sent her away, for "she was not fit to stop." - -Nevertheless, knowing the state this woman was in, the lodging-house -keeper put us into the bed, perfunctorily changing the sheets. The woman -said she was "terrified" to put her things on the bed, or to step on the -floor, and as "Lizzie" would sit on her bed, she "found things." She was -not very clean, but evidently her standard was miles above "Lizzie's." - -But surely in view of the possibility, nay, the probability, of this -kind of lodger, there ought to be care exercised. The commonest -precautions were not in evidence. The floor was bare board, very dirty, -and under the beds was dirty oilcloth very dirty and frayed at the edge, -itself sufficient to harbour any amount of vermin. The bed was flock, -without a removable cover, and not clean. Surely, if the house was -managed in the interests of the lodgers and not solely in the interest -of the proprietor, it would seem right to do something to prevent such -a state of things. It is the folly of "laisser faire" that has allowed -the supply of a public need to be so entirely in private hands, that, -even in apparently well-managed lodging-houses, private profit -over-rides public convenience.[130] We "pay the piper" in small-pox -hospitals, workhouses and hospitals, for where the commonest matters of -cleanliness are neglected how can infection be avoided? - -It seems the height of folly on the one hand to erect costly sanitary -apparatus,[131] and on the other by insufficient inspection, and by want -of enforcement of right conditions (even in "certified" houses) to -actually connive at sanitary conditions below that of the class which -most needs raising higher. - -When one first enters a common lodging-house, one charitably hopes, in -the uncertain light, that it may be a particularly good specimen of its -class. Evening covers defects, but an experience of such a night -reveals, as nothing else can, the essentially uncleanly nature of the -arrangements. If men and women herd together in small space, with no -opportunity for proper ablution, with no privacy, with all the culinary -operations done in the one living room, and if, as a guarantee for care -you have only the selfish interest of a proprietor who stands in small -fear of the infrequent "inspection," how can things requisite for public -welfare be attended to. Practically the house is no cleaner than the -dirtiest person in it, and is a most ingeniously contrived hot-bed of -infection.[132] - -After such a night, to descend to the unswept "living-room," to see the -débris of yesterday, possibly of days, lying in unsavoury dusty heaps -under the tables, to watch your fellow-lodgers proceed, without washing, -to cook bacon in greasy pans, half washed at the only sink, to see the -clothes, worn perhaps day and night, in various stages of uncleanliness, -and above all to see little children growing up untutored, save in the -reverse of what we recognise as right, is to feel heart-broken for the -"evils to come" that must spring from such neglect of the "stranger -within our gates." - -Hospitality, which has perished as a personal virtue to a large degree, -must now devolve on the community. It is not to its interest that it -should be neglected. Especially would I point out with all the strength -I possess, the folly of indiscriminate herding together of the sexes, -without the commonest precautions for decency and sanitation. If it does -not pay to have in every town a lodging-house for single women, under -sufficient control to secure decency, such a lodging-house should be -provided. To this the married women with children might with advantage -be admitted, for if a father cannot provide a decent home for his wife -and children, he ought not to drag them down with him, but to be glad if -they are a little better provided for. If women were accommodated apart -from men, proper sanitary provision for each sex would be easier to -arrange. It would be no hardship to insist on separating the sexes, for -a man can always, with a little extra exertion, obtain a furnished -apartment for himself and family, and though these also need careful -sanitary inspection and are open to many evils, they do, at any rate, -preserve a vestige of family life, and there is not that indiscriminate -herding together of the sexes, which is a cover for all sorts of -immorality, as well as a danger to sanitation.[133] I believe, from -personal investigation, extended to towns in different parts of England, -that it is exceptional to find a town that has any adequate provision -for lodging single women apart from men--except as a matter of charity -in more or less restricting institutions. Yet the preponderance of -single women, necessitated by the excess of one sex over the other, -implies, without widowhood and desertion, a floating population of women -who fall an easy prey to wrong conditions. If a woman is not the -carefully-guarded inmate of a sheltering home, on whom devolves the duty -of caring for her? Surely on the manhood of the nation. The community -that fails to shield its women to the utmost of its power will either be -roused to its duty by the trumpet call of flagrant wrong, or will perish -by decay of manhood and of the family. - -There are not wanting signs that such decay is upon us. If side by side -with large aggregations of men, living under insanitary and unnatural -conditions, we allow the mixed common lodging-house--unclean in every -sense of the word, what can we expect? - -I do not mean to imply that it is impossible to live, even as a single -woman, a moral life in a common lodging-house, or that many of the -proprietors do not do their best to secure morality. But if, in any -stratum of society, men and women herded together under such conditions, -it would be only exceptional characters that could stand the strain. -Young men and women can, and do, go and live together in common -lodging-houses. You may go in on Sunday afternoons and find crowds of -young people, not all inmates, but all imbibing the fatal atmosphere of -unrestrained vile talk. In some of these lodging-houses older women live -who make a practice of tempting in younger girls, who thus are lost. It -would be much more easy to control many public evils if lodging-houses -were provided, decent and sanitary, and the sexes kept distinct.[134] We -exercise control over the inn, but the lodging-house, which is the -hostel of the travelling working-man, is not even sanitary in many -cases. - -We did not feel able to eat breakfast under such conditions. I waited -for my friend in the living-room, and an amusing incident occurred. One -of my room-mates came down in a skirt--forgetting her top skirt. But she -had not forgotten another adornment, namely, a huge pocket suspended -round her waist behind, which proclaimed her as a "moucher"! She -exclaimed:-- - -"Look what I've been and done! I've been over to the shop like this! -Good job a 'bobby' didn't see me!" - -There was room enough in this capacious pocket to "pinch" any number of -articles, but we will write her down "beggar" not "thief"! - -We left the children, undressed and unwashed, but some of them -breakfasting, at nine o'clock, and found our way to a cheap restaurant -where we got a good plain breakfast for fourpence each. - -Then we returned home to sundry necessary ablutions, as prelude to a -civilised existence. Alas! for those who cannot escape, but must needs -drift. Whither? - -It must be remembered that to a woman, for respectable existence, -cleanliness is an absolute necessity. An unemployed man may obtain work -at various occupations to which dirt is no hindrance. In fact, to some -occupations, respectability would be a bar. But a woman must "look -tidy," or no one will employ her. Therefore conditions destructive to -cleanliness are for her equivalent to forcing her down lower and lower -into beggary and vice. Once at a certain stage she cannot rise, "no one -would have me in their house," say, rightly enough, poor miserable -creatures "with scarcely a rag to their back." Those in this -lodging-house were not so badly off, but why? Because they had learned -to prey on society that rejected them. Each single woman was probably -supported by that foolish "charity" that acts as a salve to the -conscience of those who pity but do not bless the poor. - - -II. IN A NORTHERN CITY. - -When shall we apply common sense to the daily matters of town life? Not -till we recognise that a community is a unit, composed of many parts, -but when one suffers, all suffer. - -Having occasion to visit a northern city to address important gatherings -on social questions, I determined to devote one evening, previous to -speaking, to social investigation. I desired to find a woman, if -possible a lady, living in the district, willing to dress up and go with -me. As, however, my friends failed to find me one, I had to be content -to go alone, shadowed by a policeman in plain clothes. My object was to -find out where I should have to sleep if I arrived at night as a -stranger able to pay 6_d_. for my bed. The city is a very old one, and, -as usual, in the ancient parts houses are huddled together. I visited -some of the worst streets, and have never anywhere before seen such -closely packed humanity. Streets of houses back to back were huddled -under the shelter of a large flour mill working day and night, and -filling the air with dust. Some houses could never have daylight. Most -of the workers in the mills and factories came, I was told, from these -narrow streets, and some of the firms were very rich. It seemed to me -likely to be a hot-bed of consumption, to say nothing of vice and crime. -At the hour at which I went, between nine and ten, most of the houses -were closely shuttered, and few people were in the streets, except a few -lads and lasses who were courting at street corners. The friendly -"bobby" told me, however, of turbulent times and sudden brawls, making -this the worst quarter of the city. After public-house closing was -probably a lively time. He informed me that there were in the city but -two lodging-houses where women were taken at all. Both were common -lodging-houses, and very low places. It required a guide to find them. -One was in a court up an entry out of a narrow main street. I had to go -alone, for it would have roused suspicion had my guide accompanied me. -After knocking at one or two wrong doors I found it at last. The door -opened into a large kitchen packed full of men and women. I enquired -timidly if a bed was to be had. "No, we are quite full," shouted some -one. "Come in, you can have half my bed," shouted a man. This raised a -laugh. The company gazed curiously at me. I asked if there was anywhere -else where a woman could get a lodging, declining the proffered honour. -I was told a name previously heard from the policeman, and thanking the -informant turned away gladly. "You'd better share along of me," sang out -the man, and rather hurriedly I beat a retreat to my friendly "shadow." -The other house was still harder to find. I could not have retraced my -way through the maze of lanes and entries. My companion said he would -walk down the street in front of me to indicate the door, and then would -return and wait. A narrow dirty lane with houses on one side only, had -in it some of the smallest cottages I have ever seen. One of these had a -few sweets and eatables in the window, and was indicated as the place -where "the landlady" lived. Knocking, I was told to come in, and in the -minute room, shop and living room, lying on a wooden couch was a very -dirty woman with a still dirtier child. She was "the landlady"! She -looked at me and said she would take me in. I was to go two doors lower -down the street. I found I had to pay her 6_d_. for a bed. There was -only accommodation for five single women. - -Going down the street to the house indicated, I found myself in a -moderate-sized kitchen such as you find in a house of the olden times, -low but fairly large. A sink was partitioned off in the corner. A man -was cutting up wood, and one or two women and children were there. They -were talking about a man who had gone away deserting his wife and -children. One asked if I had not my man with me. I said "No." They had -seen my "bobby" friend pass. They said a man had passed. I said "I -thought he was a bobby." They said, "Right you are," and appeared to -accept me. I got a tea-pot and made myself some tea, and cut (with a -borrowed knife) some bread and butter. Thus making myself at home I -could observe the place and company. It was fairly clean for such -places; the company, both in appearance and language was low, and I was -glad I was not going to stay the night. It would probably have proved -much the same as the lodging-house in which I spent the second night -when on five days' tramp.[135] Having used my eyes well, after about -half an hour, I said I was going out, and left not to return, joining my -policeman friend. He told me this was the only other accommodation in -all that large city for women. He added that there was, however, a -charitable home or shelter, and if they found friendless women on the -streets at night they usually sent them there. - -It was the same old story, absence of decent sanitary self-respecting -accommodation for women. No "charity" can replace this. Rescue homes -pick up those who _have fallen_. - -The policeman told me much about the general condition of the city. He -said a municipal lodging-house was much wanted; that there was no -accommodation for travellers save common lodgings, often dreadfully -crowded and unsanitary. "I will let you have a look round one," he said. -"I will introduce you, and you must have a good look to see if your -'man' is there!" - -Accordingly he took me into an ordinary dwelling house at the corner of -a street. A boarded-off sanded passage led to a small room hardly as -large as in an ordinary dwelling house. The wooden seating round the -walls was filled with men, most smoking. They stood up and stared at me -and I at them. "You can't see your man," said the bobby. "No, he isn't -here," I replied. So I followed him elsewhere. He told me all the -lodging-houses were of this character, and insufficient in number. A -good lodging-house would be a boon, for in the holes and corners and -narrow lanes where those common lodging-houses are found, police -discipline is very difficult. By this time it was about 9.30 P.M., and -I returned to my friends for ablution and a change of raiment, able to -give point from personal experience to my remarks on the following day. - -FOOTNOTES: - -[123] See p. 49; also Appendix VIII. - -[124] See p. 195. - -[125] It is not sufficient to provide a refuge, there should be -accommodation not charitable, not for _rescue_ but for _prevention_, as -working women require to be free to come and go. - -[126] Contrast, p. 257. - -[127] See pp. 92, 104. - -[128] See p. 200. - -[129] A woman has, during the day, no access to a private room, where -search is possible, and the washing places are in the common kitchen -usually, or at any rate not private. Few lodging-houses have stoving -apparatus, it is too costly. - -[130] See Appendix VIII. - -[131] The contrast between the sanitary precautions of the tramp ward, -and the absence of common sanitation in the common lodging-house is -startling. - -[132] See pp. 36, 47. - -[133] These rooms, as they exist at present, are a grave social danger. -They also should be inspected and under municipal control See as to -Berlin arrangements, p. 21. These rooms are largely used for -prostitution. All places used as temporary dwelling places need most -careful and rigid supervision. Coroner's inquests often reveal sad -dangers to child-life, in such "holes and corners" as are now let at -exorbitant rents. A man can let _each room_ at a price that may cover -the house rent. 8_d_. per night is a usual charge in the north. Light -and fire to be found. See Appendix VIII. - -[134] See Appendix VII., VIII. - -[135] See p. 97. - - - - -CHAPTER VII. - -LONDON INVESTIGATIONS. - - -I. LONDON LODGINGS. - -I have been deterred from specimening women's lodgings in London by this -difficulty--that one could not be sure of emerging in a fit condition to -be received into the house of respectable friends. - -Being anxious, however, to find out something about them, previous to -speaking at a public meeting, at about 8 P.M. one evening, I started -from near one of the principal stations, with my son to shadow me. He -was dressed as a working man, and I as a woman of the vagrant class, -fairly decent. I was supposed to have arrived in London and to be -seeking a night's shelter. I crossed the street to enquire of an old -applewoman where a bed was to be had. Her answer was not very -encouraging. "There is a lodging-house for women at ---- Street, but -it's a bad place. I wouldn't advise you to go there if you are -respectable. There is another in ---- Street, it's a charity place." We -determined to try to find both. We found the bad one with difficulty, -and were again warned by a neighbour. So I did not venture there. Some -low streets near appeared to be frequented by doubtful characters. We -sought the "charity place." It was respectable, but, for one who was an -investigator, not desirable. I might have tried it, but found on enquiry -the price was above my purse, 8_d_. a night! Hardly a "charity," -therefore, though doubtless a boon to more wealthy women. - -We determined next to find out (as after repeated enquiry we could hear -of no other lodging-house) whether if I had happened to be really -stranded in London, I could at that hour get into the tramp ward. I -passed down through a crowded street with booths and a market. "Poor -thing," said one woman, whom I asked for the "Spital." "Have you got to -go _there_." I escaped questioning, and further on asked again. - -"Yes, you can get in,"--but again the look of pity. I thought it argued -badly for my treatment if I went in. I found the place, but did not -apply. I found I should have to walk a considerable distance to the -tramp ward. I could not on that day enter, not having time to spare for -two nights detention, but it was this tramp ward which I afterwards -specimened, and my experiences in it justified the pity.[136] - -I rejoined my son; we had satisfied ourselves that respectable lodgings -for women at my price were at any rate not easily found. Time was -passing; we heard there were lodgings in the city. We had already spent -over an hour in search, so to save time, we did what a tramp would not, -took 'bus to the heart of London. There by the simple expedient of -"asking a bobby," I at once found what I wanted. Up a narrow entry from -one of London's well-known thoroughfares was a lodging-house for men, -side by side with a lodging-house for "women only." So far good. I need -not have my son with me. So about 10 P.M. I sent him for a walk to -return before 11 P.M., and entered the court alone. I found that to -secure a bed I must go into the _men's_ lodging-house and pay my -money--6_d_.--to a man who was playing cards with several others. No -rude language was used, the men eyed me, that was all. I paid and passed -in next door. Upstairs was a small room in which a number of women, all -with their hats on save one--the "deputy"--were sitting. Some passed in -and out, but being a stranger I was not welcome, and was told to "go -forward." This was downstairs; and I found myself, after some turns I -cannot remember, in a long low cellar room, with concrete floor, very -dirty looking. A window at one end was half underground. A fireplace on -the right had bars and hobs, but no oven or range or proper kitchen -convenience. This was, however, the living and cooking room. Plenty of -garments were hanging up to dry on strings. Under the tables were heaps -of dirt and _débris_. A number of women were present sitting on forms, -who seemed to be hawkers, or women gaining some scanty livelihood. The -general conditions were much the same as in northern lodging-houses, -where 4_d_. is charged for a bed, only the cooking facilities were -poorer and the price was higher. I learned that in London a bed was not -easily got under 6_d_. "It took a good bit of getting," one woman said. -The sanitary state was no better than in the north, and I was thankful I -had not to stay the night. Towards eleven the deputy came with a bunch -of keys, calling out "Anyone for bed." I thought it best to escape, and -making an excuse rejoined my son. - -My remarks on this adventure at a subsequent meeting led to enquiry into -the state of this lodging-house. It was reported to be "regularly -inspected twice a week and nothing wrong with it." All I can say is that -either the visits of the inspector must be expected and prepared for, -_or_, as I have frequently remarked, inspection leads to purblindness. -"Anything is good enough for such inmates" comes to be the official -view.[137] - -Wishing to satisfy myself that I had not been mistaken, and as I had -that time no fellow-workers, I got my son subsequently to enter the male -side of the same lodging-house. His account not only confirmed mine, but -he found things worse than I had stated. The men's side had the same low -half cellar, not properly lighted or ventilated, deficient cooking -accommodation, dirty floor and _débris_. In addition, the habit of -smoking and spitting rendered the place abominable. The deputy appeared -to have no control, indeed, he laughed at extra filthy jests as if they -were to be enjoyed. My son said he should have been afraid to specimen -the sleeping accommodation. He has visited other lodging-houses--one -where a notice is up "Gents are requested not to sleep in their -boots"!--a notice often disobeyed. He is acquainted with Rowton Houses. -He says this is a particularly bad specimen. So after all my judgment -does not appear to have been at fault. A low standard of inspection -prevails in many places besides London; but the place itself was unfit -for the purpose for which it was used.[138] - - -II. IN A LONDON TRAMP WARD.[139] - -Towards six o'clock on a pleasant evening in March, my companion and I -found our way to the casual ward of a London workhouse, selected -because, on the testimony of Guardians, it was supposed to be -well-regulated and ideal. _Real_ beds and _porcelain_ baths, perfect -cleanliness and good management would surely afford comfortable -conditions. We did not go together, as I was announced to speak publicly -and known to take a companion, and it might therefore be difficult to -escape detection. But we were, as it happened, the only inmates, save a -woman going out in the morning. - -The ward was spotlessly clean. The brown bread and gruel, at first -glance, not unappetising. Alas! the bread was sour. Food first, and hot -bath to follow, wet hair, though more time than usual to dry. Clean -nightgown, and actually a bed. So far good. - -Locked in at about seven o'clock to solitary meditation, I rejoiced to -have found better conditions. Alas! I had not reckoned on the physical -effects of the unwholesome combination of the sour bread, followed by -hot bath, and backed up by imperfectly dried hair. Before long I was -violently sick, and every portion of my first meal returned. In the -darkness it was impossible to see if there was any means of -communication to beg a welcome drink of water. Presently my friend began -coughing and groaning. It seems the effect of the bath and wet head on -her was to produce a violent cold, headache, and sore throat. Then in -another cell a woman began retching and coughing badly. In the morning -we learned she also had been upset by the bath when she entered, but no -complaints were noticed. Her cough sounded like asthma or bronchitis, -and very bad. We asked her why she did not see a doctor. "No tramps were -allowed a doctor," she said.[140] She intended when out to try to get -into an infirmary. She had been in three days, and could not eat. - -This information, received after we had got up at 5.30, was somewhat -disheartening, for we were both ill. Breakfast none of us touched. Our -fellow tramp played with hers, pointing at the thick scum on the -unappetising gruel (very salt), served in a worn enamel mug, with no -spoon. "God alone knows," she said. "They will have to answer for it." -She told us she was detained a third night because she had been in -another casual ward during the month, and the officer "spotted" -her.[141] She was evidently a regular casual. "They all have to do it" -(_i.e._, to go from ward to ward), she said, describing how other wards -were better and how harsh this one was--and no one came in who could -help it. We asked how it was she came in herself. She said she had had -"business" in that part of the town, and could not reach another ward. -She said she was quite clean, as she had "been down" the previous -week-end. She said the treatment had made her ill; at the time we hardly -believed her. Later we knew. Seven o'clock, and a summons to work. We -began cheerfully under charge of an old woman. But already some -conception that we were under a hard taskmistress was dawning upon us. -"Be sure you only do what you are told," said the woman. The ward was -apparently clean, but the whole must be scrubbed. My portion was to do -four cells and a long, long passage leading past eighteen cells (nine on -a side), and two bath-rooms, and a lavatory with two w.c.'s. Cloths, -bucket, and soda were provided, no aprons till later. I had a kneeling -pad, my friend none. She was told off to the bath-rooms. - -It seems such a simple thing to tell that it is hard to convey the real -conditions. Presently our taskmistress came round. She was not unkind, -but one of those women to whom, in ordinary health, work is a joy in -itself, and the utmost scrupulosity of finicking cleanliness a thing to -be exacted as a matter of course. For every single detail a standard was -to be attained, at whatever cost to flesh and blood. For instance, all -blankets to be re-folded to an exact shape, and laid so--no otherwise. -To work hard, all day and every day, would probably be to her no task, -and the difference between working hard on a full and on a meagre diet -had never dawned upon her. Sickness was to be discredited--probably a -"dodge"--in any case, the fault of previous misdoings. Work was to be -exacted to the very last farthing. Faithfully she did her duty--as she -knew it. Nine hours' solid work (five in the morning, four in the -afternoon)--that was what the law exacted--and she got it. - -Now, to work as a charwoman on a comfortable breakfast, with a pause for -lunch, and prospective dinner, and the opportunity to chat and "take -your own time" is one thing. To work for a taskmistress with prison in -prospect for the slightest shirking--with no pause and no food--is -quite another. The matron knew I had been very sick--her assistant told -her--and also that I had had no food. "That old tramp, whom she couldn't -bear," as she told my friend, "had been eating stale fish; that was what -made her sick. She could tell that sort, she always knew what people -were like." This was so humorous that it decidedly relieved the -situation! We compared notes as we refilled buckets, but did not dare to -loiter or show knowledge of one another. Walls had ears, or, at any -rate, keyholes were handy. So we worked steadily, my friend's fate being -worse, as she worked under the taskmistress's eye. She won prime favour, -but never, never, in all her working days, had she worked so hard.[142] -She cleaned the bath-rooms and a whole flight of stairs, and then was -put on the private sitting-room, to be done most particularly, not even -the old woman attendant could be trusted to do it, it was usually the -matron's own work; but she had been ill, and it had "got neglected." How -hard my friend laboured she alone can tell. Every inch was gone over -many times under the vigilant eyes. Meanwhile, the "old tramp" laboured -as diligently as possible--when the eyes were upon her! They detected -some signs of "scamping," when her back was turned, so doubtless I was -"an old hand!" The fact of the matter was, that without such careful -"scamping" I positively could not have sustained the long, long hours -of labour. Four bucketsful of water--one for each cell--seven for the -long passage, two for lavatory and w.c.'s, brasses to clean, paint to -dust. It seemed a Sisyphean task, no sooner ended than a new one was -exacted. I wondered if by carefully husbanding strength I could hold -out. At dinner-time, twelve o'clock, we stopped for an hour. I could not -touch food. My friend, though fresh from the tantalising smell of beef -steak and onions, managed to eat a small portion of bread and cheese, -washed down by cold water. Our tea and sugar had been confiscated. - -Tired! That is no word for it! We had already done a charwoman's day's -work. My friend could hardly speak, and I had no strength save to lay my -head on the table and wonder how I should survive the afternoon. - -One o'clock and hard labour. My friend, on finishing two bedrooms, was -put to clean the store-room. So weary was she, that towards the close -even her taskmistress saw that she had overrated her strength, and gave -a sign of grace by saying she would help her to finish. Meanwhile, the -"old tramp" must do the day-room--it only served her right for the way -she "tickled the boards!" - -Five long and very ornamental forms and two long tables, to be scrubbed -on every inch of surface to immaculate whiteness with soap and water. -The floor to be scrubbed and every place dusted. Kneeling had become -such torture that the straining of the body up to scrub the -under-surface of the forms almost produced faintness. It must be -remembered that all this work was exacted without a particle of food. -The matron had come in at dinner-time and seen my food untasted. I told -her I could not touch it. She looked at it as if it was some rejected -dainty. "What a pity," she said--not at all as if it was a pity I could -not eat, but a pity to leave such good food! - -Flesh and blood found it hard to bear the long four hours' labour; over -and over again I failed quite to please my taskmistress and tried her -patience. She confided to my friend that she should have to keep out of -the room or lose her temper. She did not recognise the arm growing -weary, the heart sick and faint. But she did recognise the work of my -friend, and rewarded it by a cup of tea and two slices of bread and -butter. To eat these she was shut up in the store-room, and was by no -means to tell "that tramp" how she had been favoured! She did, however, -manage to run in and give me a drink of tea, but such was my internal -state, that it made me immediately violently sick. This was when work -was over, fortunately. For one blessed three-quarters of an hour before -I finished the taskmistress was away. She was very suspicious as to how -I had done the work in her absence. It passed muster. I did not dare to -stop, but certainly "hurried." It was necessary to survive. - -At last--five o'clock and respite. We both were more dead than alive. It -must be felt to be realised. - -Again we could not touch the food, but my friend had had a little. Again -no notice was taken of any symptoms of illness on my part, but a lozenge -was given my friend for her throat, as she was "prime favourite." - -At last 5.30, and we might seek bed. My friend was allowed to wear some -of her underlinen, as she had been very cold the previous night. The -"old tramp" must do as best as she could. What happened was another -night of long misery, desperate sickness on an empty stomach--no sounds -save the London sounds without, and the groaning and sighing of my -tortured friend within, close by in another cell. - -Long, long hours; would God it were morning! The cross-bars of the -window faintly seen against the sky spoke of the cross that is never -absent, of the woes of men and of Him Who is crucified in the least of -these, His brethren. When will the long torture of the ages end, and men -care for the poor? At last the torment ended--6.30. It was possible to -rinse the mouth with water. Oh, what it is to know thirst and sickness -combined! - -Every limb ached; my poor friend was no better; her knees were too sore -to touch. But soon there would be freedom. We ate no food, of -course,--but welcome liberty! To me the worst agony was the last -half-hour of patient waiting. No words can tell the passionate longing -that seized me to breathe free breaths. No such inward struggle may come -to those inured to hard conditions. Yet for them, also, the summer life -is free, and for freedom they sacrifice much. Who knows how a tramp -feels, save God? At last we are free; our money, tea, and sugar are -returned. Shelter and friends are near. - - * * * * * - -But for them? At this hour a procession of women issues from our casual -wards--hundreds, perhaps thousands, all over our land. Their faces are -set in the grey dawn--whither? Not to the tramp ward again--not at -once--it cannot be borne immediately; later it may be again a necessity. -Now anything is preferable. Prison? It has lost its terrors--it cannot -be harder.[143] It is only an incident in life to "go down." Sin? What's -the odds? It may pay for a decent bed and food. The river? That is best -of all, if one could manage to face it. Silence, oblivion, and the mercy -of the God above Who knows. Yet life is sweet, and it is a pleasant -thing to behold the sun. To be a beggar is best--spring stirs -already--God opens hearts. Food and shelter may be begged as "charity." -It is best to fall into the hands of God, not into the hands of man. The -vagrant life is sweetest. This is how tramps are made.[144] - - -_Note._ - -The severity of the treatment experienced in this tramp ward was such -that it brought on hæmorrhage, from which the author had not suffered -for years. She was obliged to remain in London ill, and to have medical -attendance. Dr. Jane Walker and Mrs. Percy Bunting can vouch for the -facts. Her fellow tramp was also ill and did not recover until she had -had a complete rest. It was a month before the author regained her -strength. If the effects of the treatment were such on those going in -with full health and strength (from a life in which food and rest had -continued till the last moment) able to return to good food and every -comfort, how must the destitute suffer under such treatment? They drift -and die, as the awful mortality from common lodging-houses proves.[145] - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[136] See pages 259-267. - -[137] See p. 49. This lodging-house is now suppressed. - -[138] See Appendix VIII. - -[139] Reprinted from _Daily News_ of April 18th, 1905. - -[140] This is not true, but where a doctor is not in residence it -appears as if officials often will not take the trouble to detain tramps -to see him, and permission if asked for is often refused. See pp. 43, -157. - -[141] See p. 29. - -[142] My friend was at one time accustomed to wash for a family of nine. - -[143] See pp. 26, 213. - -[144] See p. 171. - -[145] See pp. 30, 49. - - - - -CHAPTER VIII. - -A SYMPOSIUM IN A COMMON LODGING-HOUSE. - - -I. - -My friend and I have the rights of friendship in a lodging-house which -we frequently visit. The inmates of lodging-houses are often very dull -on Sundays. They cannot walk the streets, full of well-dressed people. -No one can have any idea who has not tried, how they welcome a friendly -visit, appreciate the gift of some magazines, and how often one or -another is in want of food, or even a few pence short of a bed. Few beg -on Sunday except from sheer necessity. This particular lodging-house -therefore, we tried to visit every Sunday, to sing for or with them, and -talk--not preach--to them. It was the "married and single quarters," -which consisted of two long low rooms in an old building in very bad -repair. I do not know whether it has anything to do with our frequent -visits, but the place is a great deal cleaner and tidier than when first -we went. It has been painted and whitewashed, and the floor seems to be -kept cleaner. But this leaves much to be desired! The women's -sitting-room upstairs (which always contains as many men as women) is a -room with a coke fire, the fumes from which are often almost -overpowering. A bench round the room, and tables covered with metal for -protection constitute the only furniture. The claim to be a -"sitting-room" consists in the fact that no cooking is done there, but -plenty of eating. There is but one gas-jet, and you can hardly see in -the farthest corners. A stair out of the room leads upstairs, where, I -am assured there are "good clean beds," a room for single women, and -cubicles for married folk, who pay 6_d_., and 1_d_. for each child who -sleeps with them, the unmarried paying 4_d_. - -Poor as it is, this room contains "the aristocracy," for though both -rooms appear to be free to all, you find above the regular residents who -are residing some time, though some of these even have a preference for -the democracy. Yet one can hardly understand why, for the room below -must be uncomfortable in the extreme. It is, to begin with, a half -cellar room approached by a stair, but leading out into the yard which -contains the sanitary arrangements. The roof is in such bad repair that -the laths of the ceiling are giving way, and water often drips from an -imperfect pipe. The position of the doors ensures a through draught when -they are opened, which is constantly happening. A dark entry with no -door gives access to a room containing the lavatory accommodation--a set -of wash-basins, above each of which is inscribed the motto, "Be just." -This room, which is quite open to everyone, is the sole lavatory -accommodation for both men and women. In the centre of the room is a -huge stove, the heat from which is terrific, and makes this part of the -room near the solitary gas-jet almost unbearable. Yet these two rooms -accommodate about sixty inmates, and I am assured that the cooking -arrangements are so deficient that they cannot get their food except in -turns, and dinner is often delayed till very late in the afternoon for -this reason. The place is, however, always full, for it is the cheapest -place in town, and the beds, I am told, are far better than many others -where the sitting room and lavatory accommodation is superior. There are -clean sheets once a week! A woman can keep herself respectable, as the -deputy and his wife endeavour to exclude prostitutes. - -In these rooms are gathered every Sunday a motley assembly of men, -women, and usually a few children. The inmates change, but there are -always enough of the old to carry on the tradition of friendship, and -some few are permanent. There is a living to be had in a lodging-house -for a woman who can repair clothes, or earn a little by cleaning the -rooms, or do a little washing. - -To this lodging-house I took one Sunday night a letter "On Tramps, by a -Tramp," which appeared in _The Daily News_, and reads as follows:-- - - "SIR,--I am a tramp, a man without a habitat. No outcry uprose in - winter while the East End sheltered the tramp. When he trudges - west after waste food and a grassy couch, the press rises up in - arms. Each one of these 'bundles of rags' on the grass has a - history, some an interesting one. I have been despoiled of the - fruitage of my labours; have acted the role of errand lad, shop - assistant, clerk, traveller, market-man, barber, canvasser, - entertainer, mummer, song-writer, and playwright. I have dwelt - within workhouse, asylum, and prison-walls; have scrubbed the - filthy, tonsured the imbecile, tended the aged, soothed the dying. - A pedlar of toys, many a time I have enjoyed a night on a turfy - bed, the stars my coverlet, the hedge fruit my morning meal, my - bath the shallow stream. Nature suns the nomad as well as the - traveller. Derelicts, wastrels, paupers, pests, vagrants, bundles - of rags! dub us what men will, we are human. There are tramps and - loafing tramps; ill-clad and well-tailored loafers. Make all work, - west and east. Loafing is infectious. - - "Rowton House. - "O. QUIZ." - -We visited downstairs first, and, sitting on the table, as the cleanest -place, giving a view of the company, I read it in a tone of voice -calculated to reach the further corners of the room. It elicited great -admiration. "That chap knows what he's writing about"; "He's put it well -together." I joined in the praise, and told them I had come to get their -opinion on tramp wards. I wanted them to help me for a speech I was -going to give on vagrancy, and I had in my mind a good many things to -say, and wanted to know if they were all right. One man burst out about -detention. He wanted to know what chaps were to do if they were kept in -till eleven if they went for a night's shelter. He said a man couldn't -get work, and all he could do was to walk ten or fifteen miles to -another workhouse, and then he was no better off. I mentioned a -neighbouring workhouse where they were detained two nights, and let out -at an early hour. But they appeared to dislike two nights' detention -upon such poor diet, and said they had "no right" to keep a man more -than one night. One said that by favour he had got out at 5.30, and that -was much better; it gave a man a chance. - -I next proposed discussion on the diet. One and all waxed eloquent on -this topic. They declared it was "starvation," bread and water, scalded -meal in some workhouses. "It wouldn't hurt them to give us a drink of -tea." Most of the gruel went to the pigs and there wasn't bread enough -to keep a man from being hungry. Prison fare was better. "What about the -tasks set?" I said. "Three sleepers to saw," said one man; "15 cwt. of -stone to break," said another. "It isn't good enough." One man reckoned -you could _earn_ 3_s_. 6_d_. for sawing that amount of wood (two saw -together). "How much do you reckon the bed and food is worth?" I said. -"Bed!" broke out one, "you gets two blankets and bare boards; sometimes -three in a cell. Twopence is all it's worth, and 3_d_. the food." "Then -you think they make something out of you?" "Yes," replied another, "you -could get 2_s_. 6_d_. in the roads for less stone-breaking. A chap goes -in tired and hungry, because he's nowhere to go, and they set him hard -work, and he comes out worse." "What about the bath?" "The bath's all -right, but they stove your clothes, and they come out all soft and -creased." "Then they can tell you've been in the workhouse?" I said. -"Yes, or in jail." "And that doesn't help a man to get work." "I should -think not!" was the response. One man waxed eloquent with indignation. -"I was passing a workhouse when the chaps was coming out," he said. "I -hadn't been in myself, but I seed one or two I knew and they had on good -clothes the day before, they were all crumpled" (here he took hold of -his trouser leg and creased it up), "and burnt in places. One man showed -me his shoes; they had even put _them_ in the oven, and the toes was -turned up with the heat; he couldn't get them on his feet and had to -walk barefoot." There was a chorus of indignation. The verdict was that -tramp wards were to be avoided. The open was better, but a "cold shop" -any night of the year, but a man could go on his way any time he -liked.[146] - -I then explained to them the German system of Relief Stations and -Workmen's Homes. They were much interested and thought it excellent. -They gave appreciative particulars of experiments in this direction in -Manchester, and of an "ex-convict" who "knowed what a chap's feelings -were," who had during the last winter opened a large room every night -and let in as many men as it would hold, and let them stay till morning. -I had not heard of this before. They said hundreds were turned away from -the Church Army Shelter, where they could chop wood for bed and board. - -I then introduced the subject of Colonies to set a man on his feet. -Opinion seemed in favour, but not enthusiastic. Thanking them for their -frankness, we left them after singing "Abide with me," the tramp's -favourite hymn, and went upstairs. - - -II. - -We spent an hour over a lively discussion which would have done credit -to any debating society. I read the letter as before, and it was -received with admiration. "That chap's a champion writer." They told me -about one part of London that was "sleeping-out" quarters; one park went -by the significant name of "The Lousy Park." I wondered if its -frequenters by day knew this. I asked them why a man preferred to sleep -out to going to the tramp ward. A man got up and stood in the middle of -the room and waxed indignant. Food and detention, as below, came in for -scorn. "The Local Government Board will give you 2_s_. 6_d_. for -breaking 10 cwt. of stone, and _they_ gives you 15 cwt. and prison if -you don't do your task." "A man comes in who has walked fifteen miles, -and they give him bare boards to sleep on," broke in another. "How is a -fellow to get work when he's let out at eleven, I should like to know; -he can only tramp to another workhouse." "There was a councillor once," -broke in another, "he met a chap in the road, and he says, 'Young man, -change clothes with me. I've got plenty of good clothes at home,' then -he changes clothes and goes in the tramp ward; he's quite upset by what -he sees, and when he's coming out he says, 'You can have my share, I'm -going to have a good breakfast.'" "Yes," said another, "that was -Councillor S---- of S----, and he did _give_ it to the guardians." "What -about prison fare?" I said. "Prison is better; you get good soup, better -food all round."[147] "And what about the work?" I said. "They don't -make you work harder than you're able. Hard work may be oakum picking." -"The worst of prison is the being kept in," broke in another. "You can -do with a week, but a fortnight is too much of it." Then it suddenly -seemed to occur to them that they had been "giving themselves away." -"We're a nice lot," he said, "prison and workhouse, but I've been in -prison more than once; I'm not ashamed to own it." Wishing to "save -their face," as the Chinese say, I suggested that it was not hard for a -man who was down to get into prison. "That's true for you," he replied. -"I got a month once for sleeping out.[148] I was going to N----, where -they keep a week at May day" [He is a cripple who gets his living by -singing] "and I went the night before. The workhouse was full and the -lodging-houses were full, so we had to sleep out. We goes to a heath -that was common ground, but there was a bit of private ground near it, -and we gets among the bushes. A bobby comes round. 'You might let us -stop,' I says; 'we can't get in.' 'Keep where you are and don't let any -other police see you,' he says. In about five minutes he comes back; -'Come along of me,' he says, and locks us up. I gets a month for that, -'trespassing and sleeping out.'" I remarked that in court the prisoner's -side was often not properly heard. "Yes," he said, waxing indignant. -"When they says, 'Any questions to ask the officer?' I says, 'Didn't you -tell me to stay where I was and not let the officers see me?' 'No, I did -not,' he says. 'Very well,' I said, but I knowed what he had been -after--he had been down to the police-station and told on us, and the -superintendent had told him to lock us up." We all agreed it was a mean -trick. "They'll kiss the book and swear themselves red in the face," -said another. "I've seen 'em, they know they're not telling truth, but -it's 'We must believe an officer,' and if you say a word it's 'Wow, wow, -wow'"--and with a significant gesture he showed how the magistrates put -down a man who attempted self-defence, and all the room laughed in -sympathy. "Perhaps you've had a drop of drink," he said, "but you're -walking steady; an officer puts his hand on your shoulder and gives you -a shove, if you say anything he has you, 'Drunk and disorderly!' A -magistrate once saw an officer take a man who was quite quiet, and he -followed him. The man got let off." - -I was able to cap their story by a true incident that had come under my -own observation. A quiet little man, devoted to his wife and children, -and decidedly henpecked and without vices, was taking a country walk one -Sunday and saw a knot of men in a quarry. Interested in their -proceedings he got on a hill and watched them. He and they were raided -in by the police; they were gambling and he was charged with "aiding and -abetting." The police swore he was signalling! As a matter of fact when -suddenly arrested he lifted his arms and said, "My God!" This was -interpreted as a "warning." It was only through the good character given -him by his parson that he got off. The room appreciated the story. "What -about relieving officers?" I said, feeling the way was open. A look of -unutterable disgust crept into their faces. A woman came forward and -began to relate how they treated an old man, but she was not allowed to -speak, for everyone had something at the tip of his tongue. "If the -public knew their carryings on and how they blackguards you," one summed -up, "there'd be a stop put to it, it's shameful." Evidently if a -policeman's reputation was bad, that of a poor law officer was worse. -"They've no right to do it," was the general verdict. Prison again came -in for preference. "You've nothing to do but walk up to an officer and -hit him in the ear-hole, and you'll get sent down for free lodgings. -Breaking plate-glass windows is the way they do it in London."[149] - -I asked some questions about preference with regard to plank, chain, or -straw beds to change the subject, but all agreed that "they weren't -worth calling _beds_." "You do get a _shelter_," said one, raising his -hand and arching it to imply there was something over your head, "but -_beds_! You get the floor and two blankets, perhaps three in a cell if -they are full.[150] I think they ought to give you that free; it's not -worth 2_d_. The Salvation Army give you what they call a bunk--like a -coffin, and oilcloth to put over you--for 2_d_.! That's charity for you -and religion!" - -I propounded the German Relief Station system as below. It was received -with great attention and warm appreciation. "It would be ever so much -better," they all agreed. "The Salvation Army has a metropole at -Leeds," one volunteered. Another referred appreciatively to Central -Hall, Manchester. "You can go in at 3.0 and work and get out in the -morning early." I mentioned earning tickets for food and shelter. "That -would do for us men," he said, "but not for women--they'd give anything -for drink." A chorus of protest and laughter greeted him. "You're very -hard on the ladies," I said. "You're wife won't thank you for a -character." "But it's true," he said. It was a warm subject, so I -changed it by asking about accommodation for women. I learnt in reply -some startling facts. It was stated that in some towns, notably Leeds, -women could not get sleeping accommodation. Lodging-houses had been -pulled down where women used to be taken, and they actually could not -get shelter. "It's harder on them than us; we can protect ourselves, but -a woman gets run in." Evidently here is a great social lack. Women's -lodging-houses--and what can be more needful for the morals of the -community? I asked about accommodation in this town. "They take women -everywhere," was the reply. "Not everywhere," said another; "there are -not so many that take women as there used to be." All agreed that -accommodation was short for women in many towns, and might be for men, -but of that they were not sure, only they knew numbers were taken up for -sleeping out. "Four men were taken up for sleeping in a hole near a -coal-pit the other day," they said. I suggested prices of beds might go -up, but this did not seem to have happened. 4_d_. a bed was the -standard, but 6_d_. for a married couple was not always accepted, and -children were charged for. "I have two children in an Industrial Home," -said one. - -I mentioned the Labour Colony, but though I sang its praises, it did not -seem to be very acceptable, though tolerable if a step to better things. -Regular tramps known by the name of "hedge sparrows" could always get a -living. Either "he" or "she" hawked or "did some'at" and got a living -for both. _They_ never went into the workhouse, they "knew better." It -was "us poor folks that was hard up had to go in."[151] - -"How about the regular workhouse diet," I said. "No one gets fat on it." -"See them come out, they can hardly crawl." "The pigs get most of the -porridge." "Porridge and skim till we're sick of it." "They're very hard -on us young men." "'Marjery Jane'--that's what we calls it--and bread." -"Bread and cheese for your Sunday dinner." A chorus of disapprobation! -Evidently to be an inmate was not inviting. One told a legendary story -of a guardian who stood by when a man complained of his porridge and -argued with another guardian who wished to change his food. "What would -become of the pigs?" the guardian was reported to have said as a -clinching argument! The humane guardian was reported to have gone off -the Board in disgust! One woman began to relate that a workhouse existed -where they were allowed rations freely and it didn't cost the guardians -half so much, but she was promptly put down by two others, a man and a -woman. Such a thing was out of the question. _He_ had been in the union -she mentioned and it was no such thing. Finally she had to admit she had -"heard tell of it" but "had not been in herself." I thanked them for -their stories and information. I ventured to inquire into a practice I -knew existed in the workhouse of selling food. - -"A man will do anything for baccy," said one; "if you've been used to -it, and are sitting with a roomful of men all smoking you fair crave for -it. I'll tell you what. I went into the workhouse for sickness, and all -I had was 3_d_. I laid it out 1-1/2_d_. on sugar, 1-1/2_d_. on tea, and -I kept selling a bit. I sold my cheese too, eating the dry bread, and -when I came out I had half a sovereign! It was cold and wet the day I -was going out, and knowing I had been ill the officer said, 'What are -you doing, going out such a day; you haven't got nothing to go with.' -'Look here! I've got that!' says I, and shows him the half-sovereign, -but he couldn't take it off me!" - -Having myself been offered a halfpenny for a screw of sugar in the Tramp -Ward I could believe him. I thanked them again for their information, -and told them I should try to make a good use of it, and couldn't "give -them away," not knowing any names. We closed our interview by singing -"Light in the darkness, sailor," and I spoke a few words about my -sincere desire that some change in our country's laws should create a -better "life-boat" than the present Tramp Ward. - -FOOTNOTES: - -[146] See p. 51. - -[147] See p. 26. - -[148] See p. 31. - -[149] See p. 29. - -[150] See p. 41. - -[151] See p. 19. - - - - -CHAPTER IX. - -VAGRANCY AND THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION. - - -If you stand, in the clear fresh dawn of an early summer morning, on a -hill-top in the northern country where I live, and look towards the -dawn, you see outspread before you a wide stretch of bare green hills, -intersected by the dark stone lines of fields. Your eye follows -caressingly each dip and fold of the bosom of Mother Earth, beautiful in -bareness, the outline clear against the sky. In each nook and hollow lie -grey patches, clumps of stone houses, witnesses to human habitation, and -blue spires of smoke ascend revealing the hidden lights of homes. From -each group arises the tall spire of a mill chimney, not yet belching -smoke, and in the valley cluster the giant mills of to-day, each larger -than his brother. As the eye takes in each feature, the mind can by a -"bird's-eye view" reconstruct history. There far away is the hill top -whereon our Celtic forefathers worshipped when all the British were rude -dwellers on hills and in dales--_Short shrift to the vagrant of another -tribe in those days!_ There, over yonder hill, lies a Roman camp, to -which leads an old Roman road, civilisation was imposed on barbarism; -now roads intersect the landscape on every side. With communication -comes travel, and the vagrant becomes possible. But _vagrancy is not a -problem of unsettled and warlike times_. - -On yonder hillsides, if the snow lay thinly on them, you could trace -even now by disused furrows the patches of arable land, amid fields for -pasture, lying round each little clump of houses, speaking of the day of -village communities and communal rights. Between the scattered hamlets -lay wide stretches of moor. There would then exist survivals of the past -savagery, nomads living a wild life like gipsies; or the marks of the -new era, pilgrims bound to shrines making use of the roads, roving -soldiers, travelling merchants, here and there a vagrant, made so -probably by crime, slipping out of his place in society, but _with all -the wide stretches of country between villages to choose from if he -would_. Such a man, an involuntary vagrant, was looked on with -suspicion, his hand against every man. Bands might gather and live in -the forests, like Robin Hood and his merry men. - -But yet again, you may watch in thought the spread of those grey lines -which speak of ownership of the soil. The village sucks in the -surrounding country, the very moors become enclosed, _small space is -left for the nomad life_. - -Watch! The clustering cottages develop into industrial communities, -yonder village bears a name borrowed from Holland, and there still stand -the loom cottages empty of looms. Now the landscape is crowded with -busy hives of industry, town and country go hand in hand, the farmer and -the weaver live side by side or combine the two occupations. Agriculture -gives place to pasture for sheep, as wool is needed. The displaced -husbandman, after a period of restlessness _in which the vagrant problem -first arose_, settles to weaving or kindred industry. None need now -wander save by choice, from hereditary nomad taste for liberty, and the -bold life of soldier, sailor, or smuggler lies open for such. - -But again comes change. The small grey mill rises in the landscape, the -clustering village becomes the small town, houses thicken, land grows -scarce--what now is to become of the nomad? _He must "take to the road" -for nowhere else is left him._ Society no longer wants him, and barely -tolerates him. Hospitality, a virtue of scattered communities, dwindles -to--the Tramp Ward!! He must needs, if he would travel, turn to prey on -the communities who will not recognise him otherwise. He becomes hawker, -tinker, pedlar, beggar and thus in his turn acquires a trade. We might -let him survive as an interesting relic of the past, and die a natural -death, by the catching and cultivation of his children. - -But hark! A sudden noise breaks the stillness of morning. A noise like -nothing else on earth, a whistle and a boom combined. It is the -"buzzer." The landscape has changed again, and there, the landmark of -_the Industrial Revolution_, stands the giant mill; and now comes a -rush of human life, clank, clank, clank, the stream of mill-hands in -clattering wooden clogs is hastening to work. It is the daily _migration -of labour_, the tide morning and night ebbs and flows. Yet no two days -will the stream be alike. Accident, sickness, misfortune, or fault, will -each day leave some units stranded, and others take their place, and if -you look you see another feature in the landscape, a long line of -railway stretches as a link for swift travel between town and town. Here -is something _altogether new_. These human units, divorced from native -communities, cannot be expected to be readily anchored, and accordingly -you see around each ancient community and interspersed with it, crowds -of workmen's cottages, _each a tent rather than a home_, taken to-day, -and left in a month or two. If you could uncover life and watch it as -you do an anthill, you would find that it had attained a new and fresh -activity. On every side Humanity is becoming organic. Huge -conglomerations which we call cities blacken whole stretches of country, -and the feature of the life of most men is _daily migration_. By train, -tram, or road, tides of humanity move to toil; every holiday sees crowds -covering green fields in pleasure parties, or transported by train. The -whole of life has grown _migratory_. Is it not evident that we have here -not the ancient problem of the _Tramp_, but the _modern_ problem of the -_Fluidity of labour_! To expect our Tramp Ward--the _repressive -provision of a stationary society_ for the sparse survivals of a -previous age--to cope with the needs of _Migration of Labour_ is about -as reasonable as it would be to expect the ancient windmill to grind -corn for our modern population! - -Let us examine the new state of things in reference to that citadel of -national life--_the home_. I shall place before you the problem in a -startling light, if I ask you whether the present Vagrancy problem is -not to a large extent _the disintegration of the home_; and whether, -therefore, we are not face to face with the root problem on which the -very existence of our civilisation depends, since _by the preservation -or extinction of the home a nation stands or falls_. - -Right down through all the changes but the last, you would have found -the population mainly stationary. Even now the existence of local names, -so widely spread that you may have fourteen or fifteen families in a -small district of the same surname, reveals the remains of the -stationary life. But for good or for evil it has gone. Examine any -family you like and it will be the exception to find it whole. -Individuals are scattered far and wide when up-grown, perhaps in -England, perhaps over the world. Only the stagnating slum population is -stationary. And this is not their virtue. If they had a little more -initiative they would not stagnate; they form a _pool_ of underfed and -ill-paid labour, and constitute by far the largest part of the modern -problem of the unemployed. The alert and well-trained workman is -_migratory_--at the news of a "better shop" he will be off to another -town, with or without wife and family. The young man will desert the -country side to try his luck in some great centre--the girl may go to -service. We no longer _expect_ families to stay whole. Greater freedom -has brought greater travel, and a relaxing of the bonds of parental -discipline. Our streets are crowded nightly by the young, on whom the -restless activity of our age has taken such effect that they cannot and -will not seek sleep till evening is far advanced. The very "day of rest" -is a day of travel. - -What is the result of all this increase of migration? The old inn has -become the modern hotel, the occasional "apartment to let" has -multiplied a thousand-fold, the seaside resort has sprung up with -apparatus of pier and promenade, since we must move about even on a -holiday. The whole world is on wheels or on a walking tour. But what -about the destitute pedestrian? Is it fair to dub him a _tramp_? Travel -he must if he is to live, but truly he is between Scylla and Charybdis. -For, unmoored from home and friends, he has on the one side the tender -mercies of the Tramp Ward, which are often cruel, and on the other the -horrors of the common lodging-house. Society hustles him hither and -thither, throwing him a dole; or offering him a prison, if he ventures -to sleep out. He can hardly exist at all, unless he is clever enough to -prey on the community; he becomes a bundle of rags, fain to lie all -night in a London park, or sleep near a brick-kiln. It is "hard lines." -If he would die out quietly it would be all right for Society; he would -not be missed, no one wants him, and this he feels bitterly. But, -unfortunately, his class, in the absence of any provision of Society for -his needs, is constantly being recruited. _It is no longer a question of -the suppression of hereditary vagrancy._ The vagrant class is -microscopic by the side of the _stranded inefficient labourer_, who -recruits the necessarily migratory class of the "unemployed." Unless -Society will take into account this new factor, it will be the worse for -Society. For _every member of a community who is not living a wholesome -life is a danger to it_, and the increase and propagation of an -underfed, ill-bred, uneducated offspring is the menace of civilisation. - -Let me sound the alarm note as loud as I can, for already evil has gone -far. While we have been elaborating costly tramp wards, erecting baths -and stoving apparatus, and frightening the genuine tramp away, common -lodging-houses have been increasing on every side. The following is the -testimony of the Rev. Arthur Dale, of Manchester, and it is not one whit -exaggerated:--"The men who habitually live there are almost universally -morally bad. Many are married, but have left their wives and families; -nearly all are the victims of drink. A few, but very few, are honest. -Some are idle, and profess their inability to get up early enough to go -to work. Some will work for a day or two and then 'slack.' There are -large numbers out of work simply for this cause. Fornication and -gambling are both practised largely."[152] Yet in every large town these -men are now counted by hundreds, sometimes by thousands, every night. -Has not the disintegration of the home proceeded very far? For, by -common experience, prosecutions for child maintenance and separation -orders as between husband and wife are granted daily, and with terrible -facility the marriage bond is practically annulled, and yet the -individual is not freed. What is the consequence? The man removes to -another town and lives in nominal celibacy. Vice and idleness may make -him a _tramp_. He can no longer have a home; for if he takes a partner -and rears children they have all the fatal taint of illegitimacy, they -will not respect or obey him. The whole of our lower working class is -thus becoming leavened with immorality. And what about the woman? The -life and death of our nation depends on an awakening to the gravity of -the menace that threatens the true home on every side. An unstable -society has brought about fear. People fear to fall out of employment -and be thrust down into the abyss, and hence the custom of _limitation -of family_, with all its consequences, is spreading to the upper stratum -of the working classes. I cannot recall any one of the many respectable -young couples I have known married during the last sixteen years with a -large family of living children. Fear has also _postponed marriage_, -except in the improvident. Many spend the flower of their youth in -gathering for a home. The improvident alone rush to marriage as boys and -girls, and rear an unhealthy offspring, to whom they can never teach -self-control. - -Hence to the _male_ vagrant problem is added the corresponding half, the -_female_. Since the balance of the sexes is in England already against -women, _what becomes of those who in our large towns correspond to the -hundreds or thousands of men who live in lodging-houses or lodgings, -homeless_? The answer has been becoming ever more plain to me, but it -has only been demonstrated by personal suffering. I could not have -believed had I not seen. Our streets contain an army of prostitutes, and -there has arisen over against the male problem a vast female problem -with which our increasing Homes and Refuges and Shelters are unable to -cope. _The correlative of the male wanderer is the female prostitute._ A -woman must "get her living," and she does it "on the streets." The man -who should support her honourably as a wife is himself a wanderer, -afraid to incur family ties, but bound by no wholesome home influence to -self-restraint. In 1904 I spent three nights in so-called respectable -female lodging-houses.[153] They contained between them close on a -hundred women, and, with few exceptions, they were all living by -prostitution. The hour when a decent woman retires found almost all -perambulating the streets. No rest was possible till the early morning, -as at all hours they were admitted, many of them drunk. Those not -admitted spent the night in hotels, or in some of those "furnished rooms -for married couples," which are multiplying in districts near common -lodging-houses with fatal rapidity. - -Men and women are making fortunes out of this state of things. To my -knowledge, a man who was a barman is said now to own sixteen -_lodging-houses_, and a cobbler has risen to be proprietor of lodgings -for 600 and _two public-houses_. A man can rent a house at 4_s_., and -get a little furniture in, and can then let _each room_ for more than -the house-rent per week. To places like this drift many young men or -women who are stranded far away from home. A girl gets out of a -situation; she seeks a women's lodging-house, and if she enters one -where the management connives or winks at vice, in three weeks, or less, -she may be manufactured into a full-blown prostitute. This state of -things is such as should shock every right-thinking English man and -woman. In one street in a northern town a young man of eighteen, fresh -from home, who was with a companion who unfortunately "knew too much," -passed in a short walk seventy-five prostitutes. With these problems on -our hands in such magnitude, can we stop to tinker at our Tramp Ward -and ask if we are to amend it by giving coffee instead of gruel? The -wonder is that any one seeks it; that it is used at all shows the stern -pressure of destitution more than anything else. For, as I have stated, -and must state repeatedly, the Tramp Ward is itself a factor in national -degradation, the mockery of a provision for need; meaning often -semi-starvation, weary toil and unrest. A man or woman _must_ emerge -from it more unfit for toil, and learn to avoid such a place if possible -in future. The tramp uses it as an occasional disinfectant; the genuine -working man or woman who is stranded may be forced into it temporarily -and learn to be a _tramp_. Mr. Long recently stated that not more than -25 per cent. of the vagrants of the country were in any way within reach -of the Local Government Board. The remainder were not paupers, for -somehow or other they got a living for themselves. I believe his -percentage is too high, owing to the number who simply _sample_ a Tramp -Ward and never again enter it. A recent census in Lancashire revealed -that out of 936 persons reported only thirty-three were habitual -vagrants.[154] Why should they go there? A man who "keeps" (?) a woman -can live in idleness on the produce of her industry or sin; a woman can -live "on the streets." This has a great deal to do with two features of -present-day life--the number of incorrigibly idle, worthless men, who -apparently can exist to loaf and drink, side by side with _the -deplorable increase of drunkenness among women_. - -I am convinced that many of the lower public-houses simply play into the -hands of the harlot, and that the marked development of the public-house -is due to the homelessness of our people. Alderman Thompson has pointed -out in "The Housing Handbook" the existence of a universal house famine. -He says: "Putting the case in its simplest form, we find, in the first -place, that if every room, good and bad, occupied or unoccupied, in all -the workmen's dwellings in the country be reckoned as existing -accommodation, there are not enough _of any sort_ to house the working -population without unhealthy overcrowding.... In the second place, we -find that, so far from new rooms being built in sufficient quantities to -make up the deficiency, there is a distinct lessening in the rate of -increase" ("Housing Handbook," W. Thompson, pp. 1-2). This _total_ -overcrowding accounts for the pressure on Shelters and common -lodging-houses and tramp wards. Numbers in London are _refused -admission_ to tramp wards; numbers sleep out.[155] Inevitably the class -that can pay least, or cannot pay at all, will be crowded out, if house -accommodation is scanty, and this will especially be the case with the -migrating "out-of-work" who has no particular claim on any one. Even if -he has money in his pocket, it is difficult to say whether he is not in -as grave danger, moral and sanitary, if forced to be a lodger in some -already overcrowded home, as if forced into the common lodging-house. -Like a sponge, a slum neighbourhood sucks up by overcrowding in winter -those who in summer obtain varied occupation far and wide. Is it any -wonder that the children of such overcrowded homes, deprived of the joys -of nature, succumb to the attractions of the brilliantly lighted street? -If the predatory female nightly angles there, in all the attraction of -her tawdry finery; if large numbers of men, divorced from home ties, are -there to be angled for, and money can freely be obtained, the customary -"drink" being proffered; what wonder if the home itself becomes insipid, -if the husband seeks the flaring and enticing public-house or not less -fatal club, and the wife seeks _him_--or some other man--in the same -places, while the children, never at home if they can help it (for home -means unpleasantness, or inconvenient toil), walk out with one another -in the dangerous thoroughfare, and learn in mere boyhood and girlhood -the fascination of passion without responsibility? - -How must we face such grave national issues? _The home must be made the -centre of all our thought, the focus of national consciousness._ We must -educate each boy and girl to be primarily father and mother; we must -worship at the cradle of the child. The _community_ must assume -fatherhood and motherhood, and enforce a right conception of their -duties on its subsidiary units. To counteract the restlessness of modern -life we must make of our Fatherland a Home, where every man, woman and -child will be rightly cared for, disciplined if need be, but embraced in -the wide brotherhood of Humanity. - -We cannot turn back the hour-glass of time and stay the new-born -activity, but we can utilise the new energy of Humanity as we have -learned to utilise steam and electricity. The units divorced from true -use in our social system may, nay must, become a desolating flood, -unless we dig channels and build reservoirs, and so direct the living -stream back to the formation of true homes, utilising the resources of -the smiling acres of our native land, spreading out our cities, and -afforesting our barren moors. - -The Fluidity of Labour is a fact that has come to stay. Modern -subdivided employment depends on _the ready supply at particular places -of necessary workmen_. If a man is destitute through remaining too long -where work is not to be had, he must travel, and we need to -_facilitate_, not to hinder, his rapid transit to the right place, and -to furnish him with all information as to whither he should go. We need -to provide him, in fair return for a moderate task of work, with bed and -board on the journey. _Except in exchange for work we should give -neither State aid nor charity to the traveller_, since, if he cannot -work enough to find bed and board, he belongs to the _incapable_, for -whom a special provision is required, or the "_won't work_" for whom -compulsion is best. The universal provision of a proper remedy for -migrating destitution would soon avail to sort men into the three -classes of _refractory_, _incapable_, or simply "_unemployed_." The -Relief station method of Germany is the key to the situation. - -But the Relief station alone will not cope with the evil _unless the -common lodging-house is reformed from top to bottom_. It is necessary to -recognise the existence not only of _destitute_ homelessness, but of -_migratory_ homelessness. It is necessary to get into safe and sanitary -surroundings the whole of the outcasts who sleep out, and to purify our -parks and streets. One thousand four hundred and sixty-three men walking -London streets in one night constitute a social danger. In addition to -this we have on the same night 21,058 single men under the undesirable -conditions of the common lodging-house. London common lodging-houses are -only required to find 240 cubic feet of air for each lodger, as against -300 cubic feet in the provinces, and 350 cubic feet in an ordinary -dwelling house. Alderman Thompson says (p. 22): "Anything less than 350 -cubic feet per head ought to result in a conviction before the most -reactionary justices." Add the number crowded into London slums, what an -army of homelessness! - -The one thing in the finding of the Vagrancy Committee with which the -author does not agree is the stricture on Shelters. The Shelter reveals -the magnitude of the problem that is upon us. It is the provision that -has arisen over against this grave national danger. It is insufficient, -it is not always well managed. But _it is seldom less sanitary and well -managed than the common lodging-house_. The dangers it replaces are -largely out of sight, but they are none the less real. It is true that -the lowest class gravitate to the Shelter. Let us be thankful that it is -so. "Out of sight is out of mind," but not out of existence. How real -and keen the competition for bed and board is, is demonstrated by the -pressure on prisons. It has come to something serious in our national -history when the last social deterrent to crime has been removed and -_men seek prison as their only home_. Even girls "do not mind being -pinched," it "gives them a rest."[156] - -It is absolutely necessary that good and sufficient Workmen's Homes, -municipal or State, should supersede the common lodging-house. Glasgow -has been able to make its seven lodging-houses, accommodating 2,166 men -and 248 women, pay a reasonable interest on capital. London has only -one, and accommodates but 324.[157] The cost per head of 68_l_. per bed, -as against 39_l_. per bed in Glasgow, militates against financial -success, though the charge is 6_d_. per night as against 3-1/2_d_. and -4-1/2_d_. Nevertheless receipts appear to more than cover expenditure -(2,942_l_. against 2,844_l_.), and the benefit to the community must be -reckoned an asset. London has 611 common lodging-houses, Manchester 268. -In Glasgow the provision of municipal lodging-houses has reduced the -total to 81; most of the old insanitary ones have disappeared, and those -newly built are superior even to the municipal ones. Thus Glasgow has -demonstrated the way out. The Glasgow Women's Lodging-house pays 5 per -cent., is orderly, closes at a decent hour, and is well managed and -sanitary. The pressure on its accommodation shows that another is -required, as women are turned away for want of room. Where do they -sleep? - -It is not enough to receive destitute women into the workhouse. In every -town there is needed _some safe place for a working woman to sleep_, and -some provision of employment that will just earn bed and board to stand -between a struggling woman and vice. In every town there should be some -co-ordinating charitable institution, like the Citizens' Guild of Help, -or the Charity Organisation Society at its best, to link together the -benevolence of the district, to pass persons on to employment or to the -Poor-law authorities. _It is necessary to sound the depths of our -poverty problems, or our charity is unavailing._ It is necessary to -have compulsion at the bottom of our social system and apply it to the -wastrel. - -For men we need at the back a graded system of colonies, such as is -described in Mr. Percy Alden's recent pamphlet on "Labour Colonies" -(price 1_d_., 1, Woburn Square, London, W.C.). - -But the author is convinced that while such national reservoirs are -essential as a background, the real problems of poverty must be worked -out in connection with the _municipality_. Charity cannot cope with -accumulated national evil, neither can the State redress it. The State -can "way-bill" the migrating workman, can sift the mass of vagrancy and -apply "compulsion to work," can link labour bureaux, can reform the Poor -Law. But we possess, at present hardly tapped, a vast fund of local -patriotism. _It is to reconstructed civic life we must look for the -solution of civic problems_, the abolition of the slum, the education of -the child, the provision of "unemployed" capital to place "unemployed" -labour on "unemployed" land, and thereby convert "a trinity of waste -into a unity of production." A great step has been taken by the -Unemployed Act, however imperfect. The whole subject of unemployment the -author has dealt with in a book entitled "How to Deal with the -Unemployed" (Brown, Langham & Co.), and she regards the chapter on "The -Labour Market" as the key to the solution of the problem. - -We shall have to recognise the maintenance of the home by the -recognition of the _droit au travail_--"the right to work"--in some form -or another. The streams of labour, which, if let loose in misery and -idleness, are destructive, can, if rightly husbanded, fertilise the -soil. - -Grave as are the problems to be solved, menacing as is the danger if -reforms are neglected or delayed, I believe the Spirit of God which -created in the mind of our forefathers the ideal of the "_Commonwealth_" -will guide our national policy into right channels, - - "True to the kindred points of Heaven and Home." - -FOOTNOTES: - -[152] It must be remembered that the largest cities attract such, and -form, as it were, cesspools of degeneration. The honest traveller may be -in some lodging-houses in larger proportion, but he has to herd with the -worst, or sleep out. See pp. 35-37. - -[153] See Chap. V. - -[154] See p. 19. - -[155] See Minutes of Evidence before Vagrancy Committee, 10,482-10,492. - -[156] See p. 213. - -[157] Rowton Houses, however, accommodate large numbers of working men - - - - -APPENDIX I. - -TRANSFER OF CASUALS TO POLICE SUPERVISION. - - -The placing of Casual Wards under police authority is a bold step, but -one of which the author thoroughly approves. The Report of the Committee -on Vagrancy was issued subsequently to the writing of this book. It is -in substantial agreement with the author's facts and opinions. The prime -necessity for a consistent and uniform national policy will be much -better met in the way proposed than by any mere _reform_ of the Tramp -Ward. - -The policeman, by his constant contact with life of all kinds and by his -opportunities for observation, is much more fitted than the isolated -Poor-law official for wise treatment of "all sorts and conditions of -men." If women were still considered vagrants, grave evils might arise -from transfer of casual wards to police authorities. But if all -destitute women can at once claim the protection of the Workhouse, there -is no reason why the police should not deal with vagrancy. - -Theoretically a destitute woman can at present enter the Workhouse, but -practically there are difficulties. She cannot claim entrance unless she -has slept a night in the town and can give her address. If she gives a -lodging-house address she would be presumed to be only suitable for the -Tramp Ward, if lately come to the town. It is but little considered how -much the ancient right of "settlement" continues to hamper the -administration of the Poor-law as a provision for destitution. A case -in point is as follows: A woman visiting her husband, from whom she had -been parted for years, was given in charge for drunkenness and got a -week's imprisonment. She lost her work in a neighbouring town, and -returning to her birthplace, being unable to find shelter, took refuge -in the Tramp Ward. Next morning she applied for admission to the -Workhouse, being quite destitute. The Relieving Officer told her to -apply to the Guardians _the following Wednesday_. It was then Friday. -What was she to do meanwhile? I have selected this incident because it -is not implied that the woman was "deserving," and it is evident that -the Relieving Officer was justified in using caution in the present -state of the law. Nevertheless, it illustrates the fact that _immediate -shelter pending inquiry_ is, in the case of women, a prime necessity. -Delays in admission, coupled with the fact that re-admission to the -Tramp Ward is discouraged, must often, in the case of women, be _fatal_. - -Undoubtedly difficulties will arise in the course of transfer, but it is -probable that our whole Poor Law system and its relation to the -Municipality will be largely modified before long. - -The change from an agricultural England to an industrial England and the -massing of population in large towns, calls for unification of authority -in our great industrial centres for effectual dealing with problems of -poverty. The proposed change is therefore to be welcomed as one step in -the right direction. - -It will also solve the knotty problem as to the incidence of local -charges and national charges. - - - - -APPENDIX II. - -SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS OF VAGRANCY COMMITTEE. - - -429. The following is a summary of the principal recommendations made by -the Vagrancy Committee. - - -CASUAL WARDS. - -1. Wards to be placed under control of police authority (120-147).[158] -See Appendix I. - -2. Existing buildings, where required, to be rented or purchased by -police authority (132-3). P. 74. - -3. Superfluous wards to be discontinued (130, 133). P. 75. - -4. Where practicable, existing officers of wards to be continued in -office (135). - -5. Where wards adjoin or form part of the workhouse, arrangements to be -made with the guardians for supply of stores, heating, etc. (134). - -6. Diet to be adequate, and provision to be made for mid-day meal on day -of discharge (95, 181, 308-10). Pp. 26, 75. - -7. Task of work to be enforced, and to be a time task[159] (93, 148-9). -P. 76. - -8. Detention to be for a minimum of two nights, except in case of men -with way-tickets (151-2, 180). P. 81. - -9. Expenses of wards to be charged to the police fund (129, 136, 142). -Appendix I. - - -ASSISTANCE TO WORK-SEEKERS. - -10. Tickets to be issued by the police to persons who are _bonâ fide_ in -search of work (178). P. 81. - -11. The ticket to be for a definite route, and available only for a -month, with power to police to alter route if satisfied that this is -necessary (179, 182). P. 80. - -12. The holder of a ticket to be entitled to lodging, supper and -breakfast at the casual ward, and to be able to leave as early as he -desires after performing a small task (179-80). Pp. 75, 80. - -13. The holder of a ticket to have a ration of bread and cheese for -mid-day meal given him on leaving the casual ward in the morning (181). -P. 67. - -14. Information as to work in the district to be kept at casual wards -and police stations for assistance of work-seekers (184-5). Pp. 75, -76. - - -VAGRANCY OFFENCES. - -15. Short sentences to be discouraged. Where the sentence is for less -than fourteen days, it should be limited to one day, and the conviction -recorded (196, 224). Appendix V. - -16. Habitual vagrants to be sent to certified labour colonies for -detention for not less than six months or more than three years (221-3, -286). P. 72. - - -LABOUR COLONIES FOR HABITUAL VAGRANTS. - -17. Labour colonies for habitual vagrants to be certified by Secretary -of State and generally to be subject to regulations made by him (284-5, -304). P. 81. - -18. Councils of counties and county boroughs to have power to establish -labour colonies, or to contribute to certified colonies established by -other councils or by philanthropic agencies (284-5, 287-8). P. 82. - -19. Exchequer contribution to be made towards cost of maintenance of -persons sent to labour colonies (287-8). P. 75. - -20. Subsistence dietary to be prescribed. Inmates to have power to earn -small sums of money by their work, and, by means of canteen, to -supplement their food allowance (290, 312-5). Pp. 59, 79. - -21. Discharge before the conclusion of sentence to be allowed on certain -conditions (286). P. 59. - -22. Industrial as well as agricultural work to be carried on (299-302). -See Appendix III. - - -ECONOMY IN BUILDINGS. - -23. Buildings for casual wards and in connection with labour colonies to -be erected cheaply (291-2, 317-23). - - -COMMON LODGING-HOUSES (OUTSIDE LONDON). - -24. Common lodging-houses to be licensed annually by local authority -(326-7). Pp. 46-51. - -25. Stricter supervision and control to be exercised by local authority -(326-7). P. 61. - -26. Police to have right of entry (327). P. 61. - - -REGULATION OF SHELTERS AND FREE FOOD DISTRIBUTIONS. - -27. Shelters to be licensed and regulated by local authority (366-7). P. -76. - -28. Free food distribution to be subject to veto of local authority -(360). P. 76. - - -SPREAD OF DISEASE BY VAGRANTS. - -29. Necessity of stricter enforcement of existing law (375, 377). Pp. -37, 42, 49. - -30. Notice to be given to neighbouring districts of small-pox occurring -in common lodging-houses or casual wards (377). - - -SLEEPING OUT. - -31. Sleeping out to be an offence whenever it takes place in buildings -or on enclosed premises, or is a danger or nuisance to the public (384). -P. 30. - - -PEDLARS. - -32. Practice as to issue, renewal and endorsement of certificate to be -uniform (400). - - -WOMEN. - -33. Female vagrants to be received into the workhouse instead of the -casual wards (405-8). Appendix IV. - - -CHILDREN. - -34. Children of persons dealt with as habitual vagrants to be sent to -industrial schools or other place of safety (428). P. 84. - -35. Child vagrants to be received into the workhouse instead of the -casual wards (406, 428). Appendix IV. - -36. Section 14 of the Industrial Schools Act, 1866, to apply to vagrant -children (418). - -FOOTNOTES: - -[158] References in parentheses are to sections in the Vagrancy Report. - -[159] I do not agree as to time task. See p. 45. See pp. 181-184, "How -to Deal with the Unemployed." - - - - -APPENDIX III. - -LABOUR COLONIES.[160] - - -The Report as to Labour Colonies may be summarised as follows:-- - - - HOLLAND. BELGIUM. - -1818. Société de Benéficence established _Free Colonies_ (_i.e._, -_Fredericksoord_, _Willemsoord_, and _Willewminsoord_). Population -decreasing (1902, 1,460). Also _Beggar Colonies_, _Wortel_ and -_Merxplas_, handed over to Government in 1859. - -In 1831 Holland and Belgium separated. - - HOLLAND now possesses: BELGIUM now possesses: - - _Veenhuizen_ for men: 3,000 _Hoogstraeten_, _Wortel_, - to 4,000 inmates. Committed _"Maisons de Refuge,"_ - by magistrates, six months voluntary colonies. - to three years. - - _Hoorn_ for women: Vagrant _Merxplas "Depôt de Mendicité":_ - class. 5,110 inmates, 1905. - - Agricultural and industrial. - - Net annual cost per head, £9. - - Average detention, 16 months. - - Earnings per day, 1_d_. to 3_d_. - - Vagrant class. - - - GERMANY. SWITZERLAND. - - _Labour Colonies_, 34: _Labour Institutions_ in nearly - every canton. - - About 4,000 inmates. Vagrants committed for two to - six months. - - Admission voluntary. Examples: - - Example: _Wilhelmsdorf_, _Witzwyl:_ About 200 inmates. - founded 1882. Agricultural. Agricultural and industrial. - - Small wage allowed. _Appenzell:_ Pays its way. - - Also _Workhouses_ (arbeits _St. Johannsen:_ £6 per head. - hauser), 24: - - Forced labour. Detention, _Lucerne:_ £14 per head. - one year. Accommodate - 14,836. Cost small, e.g., - _Westphalia_, cost £17 8_s_., - earnings £8 14_s_.; _Moritzburg_, - cost £14 9_s_. 2_d_., earnings - £11 10_s_. 8_d_. - - Mainly handicrafts. _Voluntary Colonies:_ - - Example: _Herdern_, more - expensive, £50 per - head. - - - HADLEIGH. LINGFIELD. - - _Salvation Army._ _Christian Social Brotherhood._ - - _Inmates:_ Paupers, men _Inmates:_ Workhouse cases and - from "Elevators," inebriates; private cases. - private cases. - - _Capital cost_, about £300 per _Capital cost_, about £160 per - head. head. - - _Average annual cost_, nearly _Average annual cost_, £33 per - £34 per head. head. - - Agriculture and brick-making. Training in farm and dairy work. - - Forty per cent. emigrate to - Canada. - - - HOLLESLEY BAY. LAINDON. - - _London County Council._ _Poplar Guardians._ - - Established 1904-5. Established 1904. - - Principally "unemployed." Able-bodied paupers. - - Cost of food per week, Cost of food per week, 5_s_. - 6_s_. 3_d_. to 7_s_. 1_d_. per 8_d_. per head. - head. - - Agriculture. Spade labour. - - Accommodates 150 inmates. - - -RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE VAGRANCY COMMITTEE. - -_Labour colonies_ on the lines of inebriate reformatories. - -Compulsory detention for from six months to three years. - -Also _State colony_. - -Equal contributions from the State and local authority. - -Small wage as incentive to work. - -Simple subsistence diet, supplemented by canteen. - -_Estimated cost, 1s. 6d. per week per head_ (section 315). - -Industrial and agricultural. - -FOOTNOTES: - -[160] Chapter VII., Vagrancy Report. - - - - -APPENDIX IV. - -WOMEN. - -_Extract from Report of Vagrancy Committee, pp. 111-112._ - - -403. At present separate accommodation, under the charge of female -officers, is provided for women in the casual wards. The rules as to -their detention are the same as in the case of men, and their diet is -also the same, though less in quantity. The task of work which is -prescribed for them by the regulations is picking oakum (half the -quantity given to the men) or domestic work, such as washing, scrubbing, -cleaning, or needlework. Oakum picking as a task of work for females, -however, has been discouraged for some time by the Local Government -Board, but it is still in force in many unions. - -The number of female vagrants is comparatively small. Out of 9,768 -vagrants relieved in casual wards in England and Wales on the night of -1st January, 1905, only 887, or 9 per cent., were women. On the 1st -July, 1905, there were 813 female casual paupers out of a total of -8,556. - -404. We have proposed that casual wards should be continued for the -reception of male wayfarers, but we are strongly of opinion that women -should be provided for elsewhere. Mrs. Higgs said:-- - -"I should propose that single women should be received into the -workhouse proper. I would do away with the casual ward for women. The -reason of that would be three-fold. First of all, the woman, if she -were admitted into the workhouse proper, would receive the workhouse -clothes; therefore, she would not work in her own, and her own would not -be destroyed. She would go out in as good a state of cleanliness as -before. Besides that, I think it is altogether wrong to recognise a -class of vagrant women at all. I think it is a great evil to recognise -that a woman has the right to go about from place to place in that -unattached kind of way. I think she should be received at the workhouse -proper.... I think it is a great mistake for our country to educate any -women into vagrancy." And as regards women who are tramping with their -husbands, she said:-- - -"I think that women ought not to be allowed to travel about like that. I -think it would be better if they were taken into the workhouse, and the -husbands were made to pay for them. I think they could go out with their -husbands, if there was a reasonable presumption that the husband was a -working man travelling about for work, after the ordinary detention." - -405. We entirely approve of this suggestion. At present the treatment -that female casuals receive is often unsatisfactory, and the complaints -that Mrs. Higgs made of her experience in certain wards cannot be -disregarded. But apart from this, we think it undesirable to encourage -the female tramp. No similar provision is made for this class in other -countries; and we feel that great advantage would ensue from the closing -of the casual wards to women in this country. We gather from experienced -officers that only a small percentage of the female tramps are with -their husbands; temporary alliances seem rather to be the rule of the -road. No doubt there may be exceptional cases, where a woman may have -satisfactory reasons for tramping, but in any such case, if she is a -decent person, she could hardly fail to prefer the accommodation of the -workhouse to that of the casual ward. To a woman who is an habitual -vagrant the workhouse would probably be a deterrent. - -406. In many workhouses there are receiving wards where female vagrants -could well be lodged for a night or two; but in any case we do not think -that there need be any insuperable difficulty in arranging for their -reception. If they are able-bodied, their services will be useful in -many workhouses for domestic work, as there is often a difficulty in -getting sufficient help from the ordinary inmates. From the point of -view of the woman the change from the casual wards to the workhouse will -be of considerable benefit. In the workhouse she will be given other -clothes to work in, and will thus avoid the hardship of which Mrs. Higgs -complains. Moreover, she will receive better treatment generally, and, -in many cases, may be brought under reformatory influences which in the -casual wards she would escape. In the case of children, also, the -workhouse is obviously a more suitable place than the casual ward. - -407. We suggest that admission should be on an order from a relieving -officer or assistant relieving officer,[161] or, in sudden or urgent -cases, on the authority of the master of the workhouse, and that -discharge should be subject to the notice which is now required in the -case of ordinary inmates of the workhouse. The possession of a way -ticket would entitle a woman to admission to the workhouses on her -route, and if she was tramping with her husband she should be allowed to -discharge herself on the morning after admission so as to join her -husband. It is not likely that such cases would be numerous. - -408. The removal of women from the casual wards will be of material -assistance in connection with our proposal for placing the control of -the wards in the hands of the police. It will greatly simplify the -provision of the necessary casual wards, and there will be no need, as -now, for a female staff. We think, however, that in the case of some of -the larger casual wards now existing, where ample provision both in -accommodation and staff has been made for the reception of female -vagrants, it may be desirable, for some time after the transfer of the -wards to the police authority, to continue to receive females in them. -We do not contemplate that any such arrangement as this should be other -than temporary, and we trust that it will be found practicable -eventually to establish a uniform system throughout the country. - -409. Apart from the reception of women into the workhouse, we do not -propose that their treatment should differ materially from that proposed -for men. The female habitual vagrant should, we think, be liable to be -sent to a labour colony, which, of course, should be one appropriated to -women only. We do not anticipate that there will be many cases which -will need to be sent to a labour colony, and probably one or two -institutions for the whole country would be sufficient. It seems to us -that there would be special advantage in these being provided--at any -rate, in the first instance--by private enterprise, and it is possible -that there are institutions at present in existence which might properly -be certified for this purpose. They should be subject, in so far as they -are used for the compulsory detention of vagrant women, to the -inspection and control of the Home Office. - -410. We are inclined to accept the view that the question of female -vagrants is comparatively unimportant,[162] and that if the men are -removed, the women and children will soon disappear from the roads. -Without the men, the women will find it easy to maintain themselves, and -their case will present little difficulty. - -FOOTNOTES: - -[161] See Appendix I. Great care will be necessary to ensure admission -to _all really destitute_. - -[162] See Appendix VII. - - - - -APPENDIX V. - -EVILS OF SHORT SENTENCES. - - -These evils may be summarised as follows:-- - -(1) Uneven administration of justice, as sentences frequently vary from -three to twenty-eight days for the same offences, _i.e._, refusing to -perform workhouse task or destroying clothing. The sentence of a -stipendiary often differs from that of a local magistrate in the same -town. - -The great majority of sentences (13,831 out of 16,626 for begging, and -5,198 out of 6,219 for sleeping out) are for less than fourteen and -probably for only seven days. - -(2) Such short sentences are not deterrent, and are very costly. Two -vagrants cost in travelling expenses alone £12 and £16 10_s_. Hardly any -work can be exacted during a short sentence. - -The committee recommend that a minimum sentence of one day should be -_recorded as a conviction_ for vagrancy. If again convicted the prisoner -could be then committed to a labour colony. - - - - -APPENDIX VI. - -PREFACE, BY CANON HICKS, OF SALFORD, TO "FIVE DAYS AND NIGHTS IN A TRAMP -WARD." - - -The narrative may be relied upon as true in every detail. The facts were -burned in upon the minds of the two pilgrims, and were put on paper at -once. - -Certain names are omitted for obvious reasons; they are known and can be -verified. - -The lady whose courage and devotion first suggested this descent into -the Inferno, who took the lead in it and then recorded its results, was -inclined, when it came to printing them, to suppress certain revolting -particulars. At my express desire they were retained. They are essential -to her case. For, of course, the facts here revealed are a terrible -indictment of our present arrangements, and cry aloud for reform. In the -interests of morality alone, our Workhouse Tramp-wards and Municipal -Lodging-houses need far more careful supervision. It will be found also -that efficiency, common-sense, and kindliness would tend to economy and -prevent waste. As to the Common Lodging-house, it is a focus of moral -and physical mischief. - -It is hoped that this pamphlet will stimulate local authorities; will -awaken the ratepayers to a livelier interest in the appointment of Poor -Law Guardians, and will quicken the conscience of many more women to -offer themselves for election. - - EDWARD LEE HICKS. - _Manchester, January, 1904._ - - _N.B.--This Pamphlet was published by the Women Guardians and - Local Government Association, 66, Barton Arcade, Manchester, and - may still be had from them, price 1d._ - - _Chapter III., "The Tramp Ward" price 2d., Chapter IV., "A Night - in a Salvation Army Shelter," price 1d., Chapter V., "Three Nights - in Women's Lodging-houses," price 1d., may be obtained in pamphlet - form from the Author, post free._ - - - - -APPENDIX VII. - -IMMORALITY AS CAUSED BY DESTITUTION AMONG WOMEN. - - -The causes of immorality among women are deep-seated in modern life. -They are due to--(1) widespread changes in sex relationship, combined -with (2) changes in modes of life due to the industrial revolution, and -complicated by (3) psychic developments in humanity itself. - -(1) Suppose we take the largest and most universal change first. In -modern civilisation the psychic relationships of man and woman are -changing. Intensity has come into sex relationships. It is reckoned -right, or at least pardonable, for men and women to do "for love" what -may be against the dictates of common sense. To a large extent this is -ephemeral, and belongs to the erotic age alone. But necessarily the -effect on the young of both sexes of the "novel" with its coloured -picture of life, must be great, and greatest on the most emotional sex. -Fictitious views of life influence minds just endeavouring to grasp life -as a whole. A woman may be placed in circumstances of destitution in -pursuit of the _ideal_ life. It matters little to evolution that -thousands of lives perish. The evolution of woman involves, like all -other evolutions, _sacrifice_. - -(2) Let us now look at the second large factor--what is called the -Industrial Revolution. It has been pointed out by Mrs. Stetson, that -hitherto man has been the economic environment of woman. We are still -in a transition period, but largely in the middle and working classes, -women before marriage, and even after, are escaping to economic -independence. This change is so vast and far-reaching (involving an -adjustment of all our social institutions) that we can hardly yet -appreciate it. Once begun, it must go forward. But at present, as half -begun, it means in all directions the danger and sacrifice of individual -lives. Over against the problem of unemployed men, we now have -unemployed women also--women not dependent, but on their own economic -footing. - -(3) Changes in sex relationship rapidly follow on changes in economic -status. The attainment of economic status as distinct from economic -value is imperceptibly modifying marriage and the family. Woman and man -are partners. While the child becomes more and more the centre on which -public interest focusses, at the same time the ties both of wifehood and -of parentage and of brotherhood and sisterhood are relaxed. Community -interest and life replaces by degrees parental restraint and -responsibility. Freedom has its blessings and also its penalties. - -Let us trace a woman through her normal life and see what dangers of -destitution beset her. - -As at first born, the home is her support and natural habitat. But -economic independence being possible at an early age, parental restraint -is lighter. I have known cases of girls even of fourteen and sixteen -leaving home, and with a companion or two, clubbing together and setting -up house. They were then free to invite young men, with what -consequences may be imagined. A girl in "lodgings" or "with friends" may -easily become destitute through changes in employment. - -In addition to these wandering children, parents often cast off girls on -very slight grounds. To turn a child into the street, if the girl is out -of work or supposed to be idle or disorderly, is by no means uncommon. -It is so common that some provision for it should be made in every town. - -Short of actually leaving home, our girls are now exposed to the -temptations of the free life of the street, of largely unrestricted -intercourse, often under wrong conditions, with the other sex. This -intercourse, however, cannot under modern circumstances, be prevented -except by exceptional parents. It should be under healthy conditions and -wise control. But at present it is a large factor in destitution, for -the lad and lass spend their earnings largely on sex attraction and are -penniless in emergencies sure to occur. Hasty and ill-considered -marriage may follow. A national education for motherhood is much to be -desired; it is perilous and unwise to keep up the old conventional ideas -as to "innocence" and "purity" being fostered by ignorance. Let us face -the question boldly, and encourage the teaching of right and pure and -true views of marriage. Forewarned is often forearmed. At any rate, at -this period in life, orphanhood, or some change in family relations, -stepfatherhood or motherhood being frequent, may throw the girl much on -her lover. There is no reserve of maidenly provision as in many -countries. The legislation of betrothal might even be a good thing, and -the State might require at least a little forethought. More and more the -State becomes the universal child-parent. It is time it studied its -responsibilities. - -Before our typical woman lie two paths. Into the usual one of marriage -the vast majority of industrial women are carried. The marriage state -still involves support, but also involves a change in economic -relationship which more and more galls. Curious partnerships result -where both are self-supporting, one or the other being predominant -partner. In middle-class life still, conventions largely rule; but in -industrial centres the marriage bond itself is much less binding than of -old. Separations become more and more common. The amount of support that -can be claimed by a wife is so insufficient that often they come -together again perhaps only to part. Both are often young. Before the -man lies a long celibate life, he is under no vow--self-restraint is -normally not attained. The large numbers of imperfectly-mated men -leading a life divorced from home ties constitute a grave social peril. -In every town a great number of middle-class and many working men live -free from social responsibility to support women, yet do partially -support some at any rate, either as lovers, as betrothed sweethearts, or -in less sacred relationships. Destitute and deserted wives are common, -cast-off sweethearts not a few; women derelicts abound; they are the -"unemployed," alas not unemployed in sin, but a source of moral -contagion in their easy life. - -For the other career of womanhood is hard, and as yet a path not for the -many, and therefore all the harder. A woman may attain economic -independence; but she is sadly handicapped. Her wage is low, often -lowered by dress expense; and her woman nature, especially under modern -pressure of sentimental literature, demands satisfaction in husband and -child. What wonder if she gives up the hard struggle and strays from -this path. Society owes much to the women who toil on, cutting by -degrees the stairs of progress. If they succeed in self-support, how -often age overtakes them as toilers; women's physical disabilities -(created or complicated by a false civilisation) leave them stranded. -The middle-aged unemployed female is a most serious national problem at -present. It calls loudly for universal sisterhood. Drink too often -claims the unloved and unlovable spinster. She can no longer spin; she -must work under conditions in which she ages fast. Independence is -hardly to be won. Our workhouses are full of derelict womanhood. Nor is -the married woman always more fortunate. Industries often kill husbands -when still young. Widows abound. It is extremely difficult to make a -woman self-supporting with more than one, or at most with two children, -in such a way as to secure sufficient food and clothes for these -children. Into married destitution, if the husband lives, I need not -enter; it is part of the unemployed problem, and a serious one. - -How can we face these problems? They are on every hand. We have no -effective State provision. The Tramp Ward is a mockery, a robbery and -insult to womanhood. The common lodging-house is a snare and a trap. -Surely _it belongs to womanhood to befriend womanhood_. It is little use -to multiply Rescue Homes while we leave untouched the causes that are -stranding more and more of our sisters. - -What is needed is--in every town an industry for destitute women; in -every town a Shelter to pick up strays and guide them to self-support; -in every town Women's Hostels under kind, wise, but not restrictive -supervision; in every town provision for glad, free girl life, and -joined to this distinct, clear, national purity teaching. What is needed -is a pure, free, enlightened womanhood, ready to stand side by side with -man to mother the world. - - MARY HIGGS. - - [_Read at Conference of Reformatory and Refuge Union and National - Association of Certified Reformatory and Industrial Schools, - Birmingham, June 21st, 1905._] - - - - -APPENDIX VIII. - -COMMON LODGING-HOUSES VERSUS SHELTERS. - - -The laws of evolution apply to social phenomena. Tested by these we see -that _the Shelter_, the _Municipal Lodging-house_, and the _Rowton -House_ are replacing the _common lodging-house_. Is there any reason why -they should not, when for the rich the hotel has replaced the inn? It is -a question of national moment what provision should be made for the -floating population of men and _women_. - -In smaller towns the common lodging-house is _disappearing_ (see Minutes -of Evidence before Vagrancy Committee, section 1752). In London the -accommodation is _decreasing_ (see _ibid._, section 5784). Is this to be -deplored or hastened? The poor must sleep _somewhere_. Let us first of -all distinguish between the _Free_ Charitable Shelter and _Free_ Meals, -and the question of provision of adequate housing accommodation for our -floating population. - -The provision for _absolute destitution_ belongs to the _State_. Only -the State, or the State through the Municipality, can exercise -sufficient authority to sift the incapable and "won't-works" from the -simply "unemployed." The former should be in some State or -State-subsidised institution, unless supported by relatives. The -"won't-works" require coercion. Any form of charity that impedes right -State action is harmful. It has arisen because the State has shirked its -duty. The public should be satisfied that every _destitute_ man and -woman gets bed and board, with even-handed justice, in return for a -task, if capable, or with proper care if incapable. Then Free Shelters -and Free Meals would disappear. - -But _provision_ of proper accommodation for those who are struggling to -earn their living is another matter. Hitherto it has grown up haphazard, -sanitary regulations have slowly been made, still more slowly enforced, -and are often a dead letter. - -If the question of the common lodging-house were simply that of -enforcing on the proprietor of a certain house, by means of adequate -inspection, a certain standard of cleanliness and decency, there would -still be reasons why a Municipal lodging-house or charitable Shelter -would, if under strict supervision, be a better provision for the poor. -I will tabulate these. - - COMMON LODGING-HOUSE. MUNICIPAL LODGING-HOUSE - OR SHELTER. - - _Interested Management._ _Disinterested Management._ - - Not to proprietary _interest_ to Against interest to have - put down vice and drunkenness, disturbances, and therefore - and to call in police. desirable to prevent vice - Interest to secure greatest and drunkenness from - number of lodgers. commencement. - - Interest to provide _minimum_ Interest to provide - that will pass muster, _e.g._, _maximum_ consistent with - usually no stoving apparatus cleanliness. Usually apparatus - to prevent vermin, for stoving, and - and no lockers to prevent lockers for private property. - theft. - - Imperfect sanitary arrangements, Sanitary arrangements considered - deficient arrangements in building. - for cooking and Proper arrangements for - washing. cooking and washing. - - Deputy (usually chosen from Management removes at - inmates) exercises little once any warden suspected - control. of ill conduct. - - Regulations if made, hard Regulations being made by - to enforce, as _interest_ is management can be more - retention of lodgers. easily enforced. - - Small number makes better Larger number allows of - provision not profitable. better provision. - -But it is not a question _merely_ of the state of the common -lodging-house. Bound up with this is the fact that around the common -lodging-houses in each large town is growing up silently a great evil, a -network of single "furnished rooms," which are the last refuge of -evicted householders, but also the home of immorality. The insufficient -provision of the common lodging-house is being silently largely -supplemented by these. These evils are flagrant. Yet they cannot be -_suppressed_. The homeless must have somewhere to go. The crowding of -slum areas by "lodgers" is as grave an evil. - -The "way out" is to _provide_ in every town, under charge of the -Municipality, _well-regulated sanitary_ and _sufficient_ accommodation. -As a _national_ provision is required, Municipalities of smaller towns -might be encouraged by loans for building purposes on national credit, -Government in return exercising care as to expense. Glasgow has shown -that such enterprises - -(1) Suppress the poor insufficient houses, - -(2) Provide adequate return on capital, - -(3) Lead to the rise of still better accommodation for working men. - -A Municipal lodging-house should be linked to remedial agencies, and a -chain should exist on routes of travel. - -Especially for _women_, municipal lodging-houses are a _necessity_. With -regard to the question of "bunks" _versus_ "beds," it is strange that -while on the one hand for sanitary reasons the Government allows plank -beds and wire mattresses, it is about to enforce _for a class -confessedly dirtier_ (see Vagrancy Report, 335) a universal bed. The -idea that "inspection" can keep beds clean without stoving is futile. -Some of the vermin most troublesome to get rid of are microscopic. Also -the idea that people undress to go to bed, and do not undress in a bunk, -is not correct. The class that possess only "what they stand up in" -possess no night garments. Women keep some of their garments on. Men may -undress (for _protection_ from vermin). All the garments not worn all -night are usually tucked into the bed for fear of thefts. I have seen -women undressing similarly in a bunk. The Salvation Army keeps its -shelters spotlessly clean and free from vermin. Unless cleansing of the -person is compelled by law, all that can be done for the lowest class of -all is to provide some easily cleansed resting-place (see p. 30). -Something must be done to prevent the scandal of "sleeping out" in our -wealthy cities. - -The popularity of the Shelter shows it meets a social need. Also in -connection with public institutions, remedial action and sorting into -classes is possible, which is impossible in places provided for private -profit. We should aim at getting every individual into a safe and -sanitary shelter at night. How can a _destitute_ woman find 3_s_. 6_d_. -per week for bare shelter? If she pays this should not it entitle her to -a place which is clean, where she can keep herself clean, and can _keep -her self-respect_? - - - - -INDEX. - - - Aboriginal Vagrant, 2 - - Admission, Refusal of, 29 - - Afforestation, 77 - - Agricultural Vagrancy, 5, 83 - - Appenzell, 310 - - - Beggars, 11, 19, 97-100 - - - Casual Ward, Admission to, 109, 120, 139-142, 295, 304, 312-315; - Bath, 37, 39, 40, 80, 111, 121, 144, 260; Bed, 114, 122, 146, 167, - 279; Cleanliness, 34, 37, 39, 80, 111, 114, 144, 145; Cost of, 79; - Defects of, 53, 54, 111, 113, 124, 125, 147-149, 168, 172, 274, - 294; Detention, 29, 81, 273; Drink, 113, 124, 129, 164, 260; Food, - 26, 27, 33, 40, 44, 75, 112, 115, 123, 125, 129, 143, 168, 260, - 305; Institution of, 14; Investigation of, 33; Overcrowding, 37, - 39, 41, 42, 44, 80; Task, 22, 28, 33, 34, 40, 45, 96, 117, 126-128, - 154, 162-165, 261, 264, 273 - - Casuals, Statistics of, 17, 18, 19, 20, 65, 67, 68, 294 - - Central Hall, Manchester, 71, 85, 280 - - Charity, 58, 76 - - Common Lodging-House, 35, 36, 47, 94-106, 175-177, 232-254, - 269-271, 307; Beds in, 48, 49, 101, 102; Cost in, 48; Cleanliness - of, 47-49, 103-105, 237, 241, 242, 245, 246, 252, 270; Overcrowding - in, 47, 104, 252, 254, 271, 298; _versus_ Shelter, 324-327 - - - Danish Poor Law, 58 - - Department of Labour, 74 - - Dietary, Tramp Ward, 26 - - Doctor refused, 37, 43, 157 - - Drink, 20, 139, 161, 186, 189 - - - Ensor, Research by, 25 - - - Forced Labour, 59, 61, 63 - - Fuller on Vagrancy, 3 - - Furnished Rooms, 176, 247 - - - German Relief Station, 14 - - German Colonies, 62, 310 - - Glasgow Municipal Lodging-Houses, 299-300 - - - Herdern, 310 - - Hibbert, Sir John, 44 - - Home, Disintegration of the, 12, 288-297, 321, 322 - - - Identification, 81 - - Impotent, 6, 32, 36, 42 - - Incapable, 5, 7, 32, 42, 150, 151, 156, 157, 298 - - _Independent Review_, 25 - - Inefficient, 8, 10, 20, 26, 53, 290 - - Inspection, 48, 258 - - Investigation, Value of, 23 - - Investigation into Belgian Labour Colonies, 54 - - Investigation into Manchester poverty, 12 - - - Labour Bureaux, 62, 75 - - Labour Colonies, 82, 173, 271, 281, 301, 306-311; Cost in, 58, 62, - 76, 173, 309-310, 311; _English:_ Hadleigh, 310; Hollesley Bay, 71, - 311; Laindon, 71, 311; Lingfield, 71, 310; _Foreign:_ Belgian, 56, - 57, 309; Dutch, 62, 309; German, 62, 310; Swiss, 63, 310; Visit to, - 34; Wage in, 79 - - Legislation against Vagrancy, 3, 4, 11-15, 53, 64, 81 - - Legislation, Faults of, 15, 16 - - Lodging-houses, 35, 36, 47-49, 76, 94-106, 173, 191, 197-231, 233, - 293, 299 (_see_ Shelters); German, 60; Municipal, 49, 74, 89-93, - 178, 299, 324-326; (Glasgow), 299; Rowton Houses, 50, 324; Women's, - 197-231. 255-259, 280 - - London Lodging-houses, 48, 254-259, 298, 300; Tramp Ward, 259-268 - - Low-skilled Labour, 8 - - Lucerne, 310 - - Luhterheim, 62 - - - Magistrates, 11, 69, 306, 316 - - Merxplas, 56, 57, 309 - - Migration, 9, 19, 29, 35, 38, 51, 66, 72, 287-290, 297 - - Moritzburg, 310 - - Municipality, 73, 301 - - - Nomad, 1 - - - Pastoral Vagrancy, 2 - - Personality, Theory of, xxi. - - Police, 303-305 - - Prison, 25, 28, 29, 31, 38, 55, 56, 172, 214, 276-279, 299; Cost, - 58; Food, 27, 276 - - Prostitution, 200-203, 206-208, 212-216, 220, 222, 226, 231, 292, - 294, 296, 319-327 - - - Relief Station, 14, 60, 61, 63, 65, 173, 275, 279, 306 - - Rose, "Rise of Democracy", 12 - - Rosebery, Lord, 12 - - Rowton Houses, 50 - - - Settlement, Law of, 4, 303 - - Shelters, 29, 30, 48, 130-135, 173, 190, 195-196, 295, 299, 307, - 324-327; Beds in, 133; German, 61; Salvation Army, 175-196, 233; - Beds in, 180, 183; Food in, 184, 192 - - Sleeping Out, 13, 18, 30, 31, 38, 51, 65, 137, 166, 171, 275, 308 - - Small-pox, 37, 42, 105, 245, 307 - - Soldiers discharged, 21 - - St. Johannsen, 63, 310 - - - Task of Work, 15, 33, 34 - - Theory of Personality, xxi. - - Tramp Ward defects, 53, 54 _See_ Casual Ward. - - - Unemployed, 20, 21, 24, 25, 29-32, 35, 36, 50, 51, 56, 69, 72, 84, - 137, 150, 162, 167, 188, 189, 215, 220 - - Unemployment in England, 73, 76, 77, 301; in Denmark, 59; in - Germany, 60-62 - - Unions, Combination of, 81 - - Unskilled Labour, 5, 9, 18, 20, 70 - - - Vagrancy Definition of, 1; in early England, 3, 284-285; - Agricultural, 5, 11, 83, 85, 285; Industrial, 6, 83, 85, 286; - Modern, 7, 16-23; in other countries, 54-64 - - Vagrancy Committee, Recommendations of, 305-308 - - Vagrancy Reform, 71-82 - - Vagrants, Number of, 4, 5, 10, 17, 20, 21-23, 25, 43, 67, 261 - - Veenhuizen, 209 - - - Way Tickets, 60, 63, 65-69, 80, 81, 306 - - Westphalia, 310 - - Wilhelmsdorf, 310 - - Witzwyl, 63, 310 - - Women, 312-315, 319-327; Dirty Clothing of, 129, 191, 244, 250; - Lodging-Houses for, 93, 95, 176, 190, 191, 195, 196-231, 233, 247, - 248, 252-259, 280, 300; Sanitation for, 92, 93, 104-105, 235, 242, - 243, 257; Vagrants, 80, 114, 116, 135, 160-161, 188, 193, 211, 225, - 228, 237, 249, 267, 304, 308, 312-315 - - Workhouse, Cost in, 58; Austrian, 64; Danish, 58, 59; German, 61 - - - - -How to deal -with the -Unemployed. - - -_By_ MARY HIGGS, -_Author of "Five Days and Five Nights as a Tramp among Tramps."_ - - -A Contribution of Value towards -the Solution of Social Problems. - - * * * * * - -_Crown 8vo, Paper, 6d. net._ - - * * * * * - -"The book is a genuine effort to solve the great problem of the -unemployed by scientific methods."--_To-day._ - -"The book is an attempt to analyse the whole of the unemployed -problem."--_Review of Reviews._ - - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Glimpses into the Abyss, by Mary Higgs - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK GLIMPSES INTO THE ABYSS *** - -***** This file should be named 40122-8.txt or 40122-8.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/4/0/1/2/40122/ - -Produced by Annie R. 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