in darkest england and the way out-第10节
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oral Salvation； of salvation from pinching poverty； from rags and misery； must be offered to all。 They may reject it； of course。 But we who call ourselves by the name of Christ are not worthy to profess to be His disciples until we have set an open door before the least and worst of these who are now apparently imprisoned for life in a horrible dungeon of misery and despair。 The responsibility for its rejection must be theirs； not ours。 We all know the prayer； 〃Give me neither poverty nor riches； feed me with food convenient for me〃and for every child of man on this planet； thank God the prayer of Agur； the son of Jakeh； may be fulfilled。
At present how far it is from being realised may be seen by anyone who will take the trouble to go down to the docks and see the struggle for work。 Here is a sketch of what was found there this summer：
London Docks； 7。25 a。m。 The three pairs of huge wooden doors are closed。 Leaning against then； and standing about； there are perhaps a couple of hundred men。 The public house opposite is full； doing a heavy trade。 All along the road are groups of men； and from each direction a steady stream increases the crowd at the gate。
7。30 Doors open； there is a general rush to the interior。 Everybody marches about a hundred yards along to the iron barriera temporary chair affair； guarded by the dock police。 Those men who have previously （i。e。； night before） been engaged； show their ticket and pass through； about six hundred。 The restsome five hundred stand behind the barrier； patiently waiting the chance of a job； but less than twenty of these get engaged。 They are taken on by a foreman who appears next the barrier and proceeds to pick his men。 No sooner is the foreman seen； than there is a wild rush to the spot and a sharp mad fight to 〃catch his eye。〃 The men picked out； pass the barrier； and the excitement dies away until another lot of men are wanted。
They wait until eight o'clock strikes； which is the signal to withdraw。 The barrier is taken down and all those hundreds of men； wearily disperse to 〃find a job。〃 Five hundred applicants； twenty acceptances！ No wonder one tired…out looking individual ejaculates； 〃Oh dear； Oh dear！ Whatever shall I do？〃 A few hang about until mid…day on the slender chance of getting taken on then for half a day。
Ask the men and they will tell you something like the following story； which gives the simple experiences of a dock labourer。
R。 P。 said： 〃I was in regular work at the South West India Dock before the strike。 We got 5d。 an hour。 Start work 8 a。m。 summer and 9 a。m winter。 Often there would be five hundred go； and only twenty get taken on （that is besides those engaged the night previous。） The foreman stood in his box； and called out the men he wanted。 He would know quite five hundred by name。 It was a regular fight to get work； I have known nine hundred to be taken on； but there's always hundreds turned away。 You see they get to know when ships come in； and when they're consequently likely to be wanted； and turn up then in greater numbers。 I would earn 30s。 a week sometimes and then perhaps nothing for a fortnight。 That's what makes it so hard。 You get nothing to eat for a week scarcely； and then when you get taken on； you are so weak that you can't do it properly。 I've stood in the crowd at the gate and had to go away without work； hundreds of times。 Still I should go at it again if I could。 I got tired of the little work and went away into the country to get work on a farm； but couldn't get it； so I'm without the 10s。 that it costs to join the Dockers' Union。 I'm going to the country again in a day or two to try again。 Expect to get 3s。 a day perhaps。 Shall come back to the docks again。 Then is a chance of getting regular dock work； and that is； to lounge about the pubs where the foremen go； and treat them。 Then they will very likely take you on next day。〃
R。 P。 was a non…Unionist。 Henry F。 is a Unionist。 His history is much the same。
〃I worked at St。 Katherine's Docks five months ago。 You have to get to the gates at 6 o'clock for the first call。 There's generally about 400 waiting。 They will take on one to two hundred。 Then at 7 o'clock there's a second call。 Another 400 will have gathered by then； and another hundred or so will be taken on。 Also there will probably be calls at nine and one o'clock。 About the same number turn up but there's no work for many hundreds of them。 I was a Union man。 That means 10s。 a week sick pay； or 8s。 a week for slight accidents； also some other advantages。 The Docks won't take men on now unless they are Unionists。 The point is that there's too many men。 I would often be out of work a fortnight to three weeks at a time。 Once earned #3 in a week； working day and night； but then had a fortnight out directly after。 Especially when then don't happen to be any ships in for a few days； which means； of course； nothing to unload。 That's the time； there's plenty of men almost starving then。 They have no trade to go to； or can get no work at it； and they swoop down to the docks for work； when they had much better stay away。〃
But it is not only at the dock…gates that you come upon these unfortunates who spend their lives in the vain hunt for work。 Here is the story of another man whose case has only too many parallels。
C。 is a fine built man； standing nearly six feet。 He has been in the Royal Artillery for eight years and held very good situations whilst in it。 It seems that he was thrifty and consequently steady。 He bought his discharge； and being an excellent cook opened a refreshment house； but at the end of five months he was compelled to close his shop on account of slackness in trade； which was brought about by the closing of a large factory in the locality。
After having worked in Scotland and Newcastle…on…Tyne for a few years； and through ill health having to give up his situation； he came to London with he hope that he might get something to do in his native town。 He has had no regular employment for the past eight months。 His wife and family are in a state of destitution； and he remarked； 〃We only had 1 lb。 of bread between us yesterday。〃 He is six weeks in arrears of rent； and is afraid that he will be ejected。 The furniture which is in his home is not worth 3s。 and the clothes of each member of his family are in a tattered state and hardly fit for the rag bag。 He assured us he had tried every where to get employment and would be willing to take anything。 His characters are very good indeed。
Now； it may seem a preposterous dream that any arrangement can be devised by which it may be possible； under all circumstances； to provide food； clothes； and shelter for all these Out…of…Works without any loss of self respect； but I am convinced that it can be done； providing only that they are willing to Work； and； God helping me； if the means are forthcoming； I mean to try to do it； how； and where； and when； I will explain in subsequent chapters。
All that I need say here is； that so long as a man or woman is willing to submit to the discipline indispensable in every campaign against any formidable foe； there appears to me nothing impossible about this ideal； and the great element of hope before us is that the majority are； beyond all gainsaying； eager for work。 Most of them now do more exhausting work in seeking for employment than the regular toilers do in their workshops； and do it； too； under the darkness of hope deferred which maketh the heart sick。
CHAPTER 5。 ON THE VERGE OF THE ABYSS。
There is； unfortunately； no need for me to attempt to set out； however imperfectly； any statement of the evil case of the sufferers what we wish to help。 For years past the Press has been filled with echoes of the 〃Bitter Cry of Outcast London；〃 with pictures of 〃Horrible Glasgow；〃 and the like。 We have had several volumes describing 〃How the Poor Live〃 and I may therefore assume that all my readers are more or less cognizant of the main outlines a 〃Darkest England。〃 My slum officers are living in the midst of it their reports are before me； and one day I may publish some more detailed account of the actual facts of the social condition of the Sunken Millions。 But not now。 All that must be taken as read。 I only glance at the subject in order to bring into clear relief the salient points of our new Enterprise。
I have spoken of the houseless poor。 Each of these represents a point in the scale of human suffering below that of those who have still contrived to keep a shelter over their heads。 A home is a home； be it ever so low； and the desperate tenacity with which the poor will cling to the last wretched semblance of one is very touching。 There are vile dens； fever…haunted and stenchful crowded courts； where the return of summer is dreaded because it means the unloosing of myriads of vermin which render night unbearable； which； nevertheless； are regarded at this moment as havens of rest by their hard…working occupants。 They can scarcely be said to be furnished。 A chair； a mattress； and a few miserable sticks constitute all the furniture of the single room in which they have to sleep； and breed； and die； but they cling to it as a drowning man to a half…
