in darkest england and the way out-第18节

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　deal　with　the　submerged　residuum？　　I　had　intended　at　one　time　to　have　devoted　considerable　space　to　the　description　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　I　need　to　do　is　to　indicate　the　limitationsit　may　be　the　necessary　limitationsunder　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。

The　beds　are　mostly　of　the　plank　type；　the　coverings　scant；　the　comfort　nil。　　Be　it　remembered　that　this　is　the　treatment　meted　out　to　those　who　are　supposed　to　be　Casual　poor；　in　temporary　difficulty；　walking　from　place　to　place　seeking　some　employment。

The　treatment　of　the　women　is　as　follows：　　Each　Casual　has　to　stay　in　the　Casual　Wards　two　nights　and　one　day；　during　which　time　they　have　to　pick　2　lb。　of　oakum　or　go　to　the　wash…tub　and　work　out　the　time　there。　While　at　the　wash…tub　they　are　allowed　to　wash　their　own　clothes；　but　not　otherwise。　　If　seen　more　than　once　in　the　same　Casual　Ward；　they　are　detained　three　days　by　order　of　the　inspector　each　time　seen；　or　if　sleeping　twice　in　the　same　month　the　master　of　the　ward　has　power　to　detain　them　three　days。　　There　are　four　inspectors　who　visit　different　Casual　Wards；　and　if　the　Casual　is　seen　by　any　of　the　inspectors　（who　in　turn　visit　all　the　Casual　Wards）　at　any　of　the　wards　they　have　previously　visited　they　are　detained　three　days　in　each　one。　The　inspector；　who　is　a　male　person；　visits　the　wards　at　all　unexpected　hours；　even　visiting　while　the　females　are　in　bed。　　The　beds　are　in　some　wards　composed　of　straw　and　two　rugs；　in　others　cocoanut　fibre　and　two　rugs。　　The　Casuals　rise　at　5。45　a。m。　　and　go　to　bed　7　p。m。　　If　they　do　not　finish　picking　their　oakum　before　7　p。m。；　they　stay　up　till　they　do。　　If　a　Casual　does　not　come　to　the　ward　before　12。30；　midnight；　they　keep　them　one　day　extra。　　The　way　in　which　this　operates；　however；　can　be　best　understood　by　the　following　statements；　made　by　those　who　have　been　in　Casual　Wards；　and　who　can；　therefore；　speak　from　experience　as　to　how　the　system　affects　the　individual：　

J。　C。　knows　Casual　Wards　pretty　well。　　Has　been　in　St。　Giles；　Whitechapel；　St。　George's；　Paddington；　Marylebone；　Mile　End。　They　vary　a　little　in　detail；　but　as　a　rule　the　doors　open　at　6；　you　walk　in；　they　tell　you　what　the　work　is；　and　that　if　you　fail　to　do　it；　you　will　be　liable　to　imprisonment。　　Then　you　bathe。　　Some　places　the　water　is　dirty。　　Three　persons　as　a　rule　wash　in　one　water。　At　Whitechapel　（been　there　three　times）　it　has　always　been　dirty；　also　at　St。　George's。　　I　had　no　bath　at　Mile　End；　they　were　short　of　water。　If　you　complain　they　take　no　notice。　　You　then　tie　your　clothes　in　a　bundle；　and　they　give　you　a　nightshirt。　　At　most　places　they　serve　supper　to　the　men；　who　have　to　go　to　bed　and　eat　it　there。　　Some　beds　are　in　cells；　some　in　large　rooms。　　You　get　up　at　6　a。m。　　and　do　the　task。　　The　amount　of　stone…breaking　is　too　much；　and　the　oakum…picking　is　also　heavy。　　The　food　differs。　　At　St。　Giles；　the　gruel　left　over…night　is　boiled　up　for　breakfast；　and　is　consequently　sour；　the　bread　is　puffy；　full　of　holes；　and　don't　weigh　the　regulation　amount。　Dinner　is　only　8　ounces　of　bread　and　1　1/2　ounce　of　cheese；　and　its　that's　short；　how　can　anybody　do　their　work？　　They　will　give　you　water　to　drink　if　you　ring　the　cell　bell　for　it；　that　is；　they　will　tell　you　to　wait；　and　bring　it　in　about　half　an　hour。　　There　are　a　good　lot　of　〃moochers〃　go　to　Casual　Wards；　but　there　are　large　numbers　of　men　who　only　want　work。

J。D。；　age　25；　Londoner；　can't　get　work；　tried　hard；　been　refused　work　several　times　on　account　of　having　no　settled　residence；　looks　suspicious；　they　think；　to　have　〃no　home。〃　　Seems　a　decent；　willing　man。　Had　two　penny…worth　of　soup　this　morning；　which　has　lasted　all　day。　Earned　1s。　6d。　yesterday；　bill　distributing；　nothing　the　day　before。　Been　in　good　many　London　Casual　Wards。　　Thinks　they　are　no　good；　because　they　keep　him　all　day；　when　he　might　be　seeking　work。　Don't　want　shelter　in　day　time；　wants　work。　　If　he　goes　in　twice　in　a　month　to　the　same　Casual　Ward；　they　detain　him　four　days。　　Considers　the　food　decidedly　insufficient　to　do　the　required　amount　of　work。　If　the　work　is　not　done　to　time；　you　are　liable　to　21　days'　imprisonment。　　Get　badly　treated　some　places；　especially　where　there　is　a　bullying　superintendent。　　Has　done　21　days　for　abso