It may be said by those who have followed me to this point that while it is quite true that there are many who are out of work,and not less true that there are many who sleep on the Embankment and elsewhere,the law has provided a remedy,or if not a remedy,at least a method,of dealing with these sufferers which is sufficient:The Secretary of the Charity Organisation Society assured one of my Officers,who went to inquire for his opinion on the subject,"that no further machinery was necessary.All that was needed in this direction they already had in working order,and to create any further machinery would do more harm than good."Now,what is the existing machinery by which Society,whether through the organisation of the State,or by individual endeavour,attempts to deal with the submerged residuum?I had intended at one time to have devoted considerable space to the deion of the existing agencies,together with certain observations which have been forcibly impressed upon my mind as to their failure and its cause.The necessity,however,of subordinating everything to the supreme purpose of this book,which is to endeavour to show how light can be let into the heart of Darkest England,compels me to pass rapidly over this department of the subject,merely glancing as I go at the well-meaning,but more or less abortive,attempts to cope with this great and appalling evil.
The first place must naturally be given to the administration of the Poor Law.Legally the State accepts the responsibility of providing food and shelter for every man,woman,or child who is utterly destitute.This responsibility it,however,practically shirks by the imposition of conditions on the claimants of relief that are hateful and repulsive,if not impossible.As to the method of Poor Law administration in dealing with inmates of workhouses or in the distribution of outdoor relief,I say nothing.Both of these raise great questions which lie outside my immediate purpose.All that Ineed to do is to indicate the limitations--it may be the necessary limitations--under which the Poor Law operates.No Englishman can come upon the rates so long as he has anything whatever left to call his own.When long-continued destitution has been carried on to the bitter end,when piece by piece every article of domestic furniture has been sold or pawned,when all efforts to procure employment have failed,and when you have nothing left except the clothes in which you stand,then you can present yourself before the relieving officer and secure your lodging in the workhouse,the administration of which varies infinitely according to the disposition of the Board of Guardians under whose control it happens to be.
If,however,you have not sunk to such despair as to be willing to barter your liberty for the sake of food,clothing,and shelter in the Workhouse,but are only temporarily out of employment seeking work,then you go to the Casual Ward.There you are taken in,and provided for on the principle of making it as disagreeable as possible for yourself,in order to deter you from again accepting the hospitality of the rates,--and of course in defence of this a good deal can be said by the Political Economist.But what seems utterly indefensible is the careful precautions which are taken to render it impossible for the unemployed Casual to resume promptly after his night's rest the search for work.Under the existing regulations,if you are compelled to seek refuge on Monday night in the Casual Ward,you are bound to remain there at least till Wednesday morning.
The theory of the system is this,that individuals casually poor and out of work,being destitute and without shelter,may upon application receive shelter for the night,supper and a breakfast,and in return for this,shall perform a task of work,not necessarily in repayment for the relief received,but simply as a test of their willingness to work for their living.The work given is the same as that given to felons in gaol,oakum-picking and stone-breaking.
The work,too,is excessive in proportion to what is received.
Four pounds of oakum is a great task to an expert and an old hand.
To a novice it can only be accomplished with the greatest difficulty,if indeed it can be done at all.It is even in excess of the amount demanded from a criminal in gaol.
The stone-breaking test is monstrous.Half a ton of stone from any man in return for partially supplying the cravings of hunger is an outrage which,if we read of as having occurred in Russia or Siberia,would find Exeter Hall crowded with an indignant audience,and Hyde Park filled with strong oratory.But because this system exists at our own doors,very little notice is taken of it.These tasks are expected from all comers,starved,ill-clad,half-fed creatures from the streets,foot-sore and worn out,and yet unless it is done,the alternative is the magistrate and the gaol.The old system was bad enough,which demanded the picking of one pound of oakum.As soon as this task was accomplished,which generally kept them till the middle of next day,it was thus rendered impossible for them to seek work,and they were forced to spend another night in the ward.The Local Government Board,however,stepped in,and the Casual was ordered to be detained for the whole day and the second night,the amount of labour required from him being increased four-fold.
Under the present system,therefore,the penalty for seeking shelter from the streets is a whole day and two nights,with an almost impossible task,which,failing to do,the victim is liable to be dragged before a magistrate and committed to gaol as a rogue and vagabond,while in the Casual Ward their treatment is practically that of a criminal.They sleep in a cell with an apartment at the back,in which the work is done,receiving at night half a pound of gruel and eight ounces of bread,and next morning the same for breakfast,with half a pound of oakum and stones to occupy himself for a day.
