in darkest england and the way out-第28节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


tion。　　I　say　as　a　rule　because；　of　course；　our　Officers　will　be　allowed　to　make　exceptions　in　extreme　cases；　but　the　rule　will　be　first　work　then　eat。　　And　that　amount　of　work　will　be　exacted　rigorously。　　It　is　that　which　distinguishes　this　Scheme　from　mere　charitable　relief。

I　do　not　wish　to　have　any　hand　in　establishing　a　new　centre　of　demoralisation。　　I　do　not　want　my　customers　to　be　pauperised　by　being　treated　to　anything　which　they　do　not　earn。　　To　develop　self…respect　in　the　man；　to　make　him　feel　that　at　last　he　has　go　this　foot　planted　on　the　first　rung　of　the　ladder　which　leads　upwards；　is　vitally　important；　and　this　cannot　be　done　unless　the　bargain　between　him　and　me　is　strictly　carried　out。　　So　much　coffee；　so　much　bread；　so　much　shelter；　so　much　warmth　and　light　from　me；　but　so　much　labour　in　return　from　him。

What　labour？　it　is　asked。　　For　answer　to　this　question　I　would　like　to　take　you　down　to　our　Industrial　Workshops　in　Whitechapel。　　There　you　will　see　the　Scheme　in　experimental　operation。　　What　we　are　doing　there　we　propose　to　do　everywhere　up　to　the　extent　of　the　necessity；　and　there　is　no　reason　why　we　should　fail　elsewhere　if　we　can　succeed　there。

Our　Industrial　Factory　at　Whitechapel　was　established　this　Spring。　We　opened　it　on　a　very　small　scale。　　It　has　developed　until　we　have　nearly　ninety　men　at　work。　　Some　of　these　are　skilled　workmen　who　are　engaged　in　carpentry。　　The　particular　job　they　have　now　in　hand　is　the　making　of　benches　for　the　Salvation　Army。　　Others　are　engaged　in　mat…making；　some　are　cobblers；　others　painters；　and　so　forth。　This　trial　effort　has；　so　far；　answered　admirably。　　No　one　who　is　taken　on　comes　for　a　permanency。　　So　long　as　he　is　willing　to　work　for　his　rations　he　is　supplied　with　materials　and　provided　with　skilled　superintendents。　　The　hours　of　work　are　eight　per　day。　　Here　are　the　rules　and　regulations　under　which　the　work　is　carried　on　at　present：…

THE　SALVATION　ARMY　SOCIAL　REFORM　WING。

Temporary　Headquarters　36；　UPPER　THAMES　STREET；　LONDON；　E。C；

CITY　INDUSTRIAL　WORKSHOPS。

OBJECTS。These　workshops　are　open　for　the　relief　of　the　unemployed　and　destitute；　the　object　being　to　make　it　unnecessary　for　the　homeless　or　workless　to　be　compelled　to　go　to　the　Workhouse　or　Casual　Ward；　food　and　shelter　being　provided　for　them　in　exchange　for　work　done　by　them；　until　they　can　procure　work　for　themselves；　or　it　can　be　found　for　them　elsewhere。

PLAN　OF　OPERATION。All　those　applying　for　assistance　will　be　placed　in　what　is　termed　the　first　class。　　They　must　be　willing　to　do　any　kind　of　work　allotted　to　them。　　While　they　remain　in　the　first　class；　they　shall　be　entitled　to　three　meals　a　day；　and　shelter　for　the　night；　and　will　be　expected　in　return　to　cheerfully　perform　the　work　allotted　to　them。

Promotions　will　be　made　from　this　first…class　to　the　second…class　of　all　those　considered　eligible　by　the　Labour　Directors。　　They　will；　in　addition　to　the　food　and　shelter　above　mentioned；　receive　sums　of　money　up　to　5s。　at　the　end　of　the　week；　for　the　purpose　of　assisting　them　to　provide　themselves　with　tools；　to　get　work　outside。

REGULATIONS。No　smoking；　drinking；　bad　language；　or　conduct　calculated　to　demoralize　will　be　permitted　on　the　factory　premises。　No　one　under　the　influence　of　drink　will　be　admitted。　　Any　one　refusing　to　work；　or　guilty　of　bad　conduct；　will　be　required　to　leave　the　premises。

HOURS　OF　WORK。7　a。m。　to　8。30　a。m。；　9　a。m。　to　1　p。m。；　2　p。m。　to　5。30　p。m；　Doors　will　be　closed　5　minutes　after　7；　9；　and　2　p。m。　　Food　Checks　will　be　given　to　all　as　they　pass　out　at　each　meal　time。　　Meals　and　Shelter　provided　at　272；　Whitechapel　Road。

Our　practical　experience　shows　that　we　can　provide　work　by　which　a　man　can　earn　his　rations。　　We　shall　be　careful　not　to　sell　the　goods　so　manufactured　at　less　than　the　market　prices。　　In　firewood；　for　instance；　we　have　endeavoured　to　be　rather　above　the　average　than　below　it。　As　stated　elsewhere；　we　are　firmly　opposed　to　injuring　one　class　of　workmen　while　helping　another。

Attempts　on　somewhat　similar　lines　to　those　now　being　described　have　hitherto　excited　the　liveliest　feelings　of　jealousy　on　the　part　of　the　Trade　Unions；　and　representatives　of　labour。　　They　rightly　consider　it　unfair　that　labour　partly　paid　for　out　of　the　Rates　and　Taxes；　or　by　Charitable　Contributions；　should　be　put　upon　the　market　at　less　than　market　value；　and　so　compete　unjustly　with　the　production　of　those　who　have　in　the　first　instance　to　furnish　an　important　quota　of　the　funds　by　which　these　Criminal　or　Pauper　workers　are　supported。　　No　such　jealousy　can　justly　exist　in　relation　to　our　Scheme；　seeing　that　we　are　endeavouring　to　raise　the　standard　of　labour　and　are　pledged　to　a　war　to　the　death　against　sweating　in　every　shape　and　form。

But；　it　will　be　asked；　how　do　these　Out…of…Works　conduct　themselves　when　you　get　them　into　the　Factory？　　Upon　this　point　I　have　a　very　satisfactory　report　to　render。　　Many；　no　doubt；　are　below　par；　under…fed；　and　suffering　from　ill　health；　or　the　consequence　of　their　intemperance。　　Many　also　are　old　men；　who　have　been　crowded　out　of　the　labour　market　by　their　younger　generation。　　But；　without　making　too　many　allowances　on　these　grounds；　I　may　fairly　say　that　these　men　have　shown　themselves　not　only　anxious　and　willing；　but　able　to　work。　Our　Factory　Superintendent　reports：…

Of　loss　or　time　there　has　practically　been　none　since　the　opening；　June　29th。　　Each　man　during　his　stay；　with　hardly　an　exception；　has　presented　himself　punctually　at　opening　time　and　worked　more　or　less　assiduously　the　whole　of　the　labour　hours。　　The　morals　of　the　men　have　been　good；　in　not　more　than　three　instances　has　there　been　an　overt　act　of　disobedience；　insubordination；　or　mischief。　　The　men；　as　a　whole；　are　uniformly　civil；　willing；　and　satisfied；　they　are　all　fairly　industrious；　some；　and　that　not　a　few；　are　assiduous　and　energetic。　The　Foremen　have　had　no　serious　complaints　to　make　or　delinquencies　to　report。

On　the　15th　of　August　I　had　a　return　made　of　the　names　and　trades　and　mode　of　employment　of　the　men　at　work。　　Of　the　forty　in　the　shops　at　that　moment；　eight　were　carpenters；　twelve　labourers；　two　tailors；　two　sailors；　three　clerks；　two　engineers；　while　among　the　rest　was　a　shoemaker；　two　grocers；　a　cooper；　a　sailmaker；　a　musician；　a　painter；　and　a　stonemason。　　Nineteen　of　these　were　employed　in　sawing；　cutting　and　tying　up　firewood；　six　were　making　mats；　seven　making　sacks；　and　the　rest　were　employed　in　various　odd　jobs。　　Among　them　was　a　Russian　carpenter　who　could　not　speak　a　word　of　English。　　The　whole　place　is　a　hive　of　industry　which　fills　the　hearts　of　those　who　go　to　see　it　with　hope　that　something　is　about　to　be　done　to　solve　the　difficulty　of　the　unemployed。

Although　our　Factories　will　be　permanent　institutions　they　will　not　be　anything　more　than　temporary　resting…places　to　those　who　avail　themselves　of　their　advantages。　　They　are　harbours　of　refuge　into　which　the　storm…tossed　workman　may　run　and　re…fit；　so　that　he　may　again　push　out　to　the　ordinary　sea　of　labour　and　earn　his　living。　The　establishment　of　these　Industrial　Factories　seems　to　be　one　of　the　most　obvious　duties　of　those　who　would　effectually　deal　with　the　Social　Problem。　　They　are　as　indispensable　a　link　in　the　chain　of　deliverance　as　the　Shelters；　but　they　are　only　a　link　and　not　a　stopping…place。　And　we　do　not　propose　that　they　should　be　regarded　as　anything　but　stepping…stones　to　better　things。

These　Shops　will　also　be　of　service　for　men　and　women　temporarily　unemployed　who　have　families；　and　who　possess　some　sort　of　a　home。　In　numerous　instances；　if　by　any　means　these　unfortunates　could　find　bread　and　rent　for　a　few　weeks；　they　would　tide　over　their　difficulties；　and　an　untold　amount　of　misery　would　be　averted；　In　such　cases　Work　would　be　supplied　at　their　own　homes　where　preferred；　especially　for　the　women　and　children；　and　such　remuneration　would　be　aimed　at　as　would　supply　the　immediate　necessities　of　the　hour。　To　those　who　have　rent　to　pay　and　families　to　support　something　beyond　rations　would　be　indispensable。

The　Labour　Shops　will　enable　us　to　work　out　our　Anti…Sweating　experiments。　　For　instance；　we　propose　at　once　to　commence　manufacturing　match　boxes；　for　which　we　shall　aim　at　giving　nearly　treble　the　amount　at　present　paid　to　the　poor　starving　creatures　engaged　in　this　work。

In　all　these　workshops　our　success　will　depend　upon　the　extent　to　which　we　are　able　to　establish　and　maintain　in　the　minds　of　the　workers　sound　moral　sentiments　and　to　cultivate　a　spirit　of　hopefulness　and　aspiration。　　We　shall　continually　seek　to　impress　upon　them　the　fact　that　while　we　desire　to　feed　the　hungry；　and　clothe　the　naked；　and　provide　shelter　for　the　shelterless；　we　are　still　more　anxious　to　bring　about　that　regeneration　of　heart　and　life　which　is　essential　to　their　future　happiness　and　well…being。

But　no　compulsion　will　for　a　moment　be　allowed　with　respect　to　religion。　The　man　who　professes　to　love　and　serve　God　will　be　helped　because　of　such　profession；　and　the　man　who　does　not　will　be　helped　in　the　hope　that　he　will；　sooner　or　later；　in　gratitude　to　God；　do　the　same；　but　there　will　be　no　melancholy　misery…making　for　any。　　There　is　no　sanctimoniou