It has been felt that persons who have habitually led decent and deserving lives should, if they require relief in their old age, receive different treatment from those whose previous habits and character have been unsatisfactory, and who have failed to exercise thrift in bringing up their families or otherwise. The Local Government Board consider that aged and deserving persons should not be urged to enter the workhouse at all unless there is some cause which renders such a course necessary, such as infirmity of mind or body, the absence of house accommodation, or of a suitable person to care for them, or some similar cause; but think they should be relieved by giving adequate outdoor relief. The Board are happy to think it is commonly the practice of Boards of Guardians to grant outdoor relief in such cases, but they are afraid that too frequently such relief is not adequate in amount. They are desirous of pressing upon the Boards of Guardians that such relief should, when granted, be always adequate. That is our authority for what we are doing.... For once in a way one can say this Inquiry at least will be an enlightening one. _Q._--I hope it will, Mr. Crooks. _A._--I am sure it will. _Q._--To other places than Poplar? _A._--I hope so indeed. Poplar will be a shining light in the days to come. CHAPTER XXII ELECTION TO PARLIAMENT Labour Candidate for Woolwich--Lord Charles Beresford describes Crooks as a Fair and Square Opponent--How the Election Fund was Raised--Crooks recommended by John Burns as "Wise on Poor Law"--Half-loaf and Whole Loaf--"Greatest By-election Victory of Modern Times." On the morning of February 19th, 1903, the Press stated that considerable excitement was created in London on the previous day by the announcement that Lord Charles Beresford had been offered the command of the Channel squadron, and that he was about to resign his Parliamentary seat in Woolwich. A few days later the genial admiral, from a public platform, was bidding good-bye to his constituents and introducing to them the Conservative candidate in the person of Mr. Geoffrey Drage. He took occasion to throw out the warning that the opposition candidate was a strong man, whom he knew to be a fair and square opponent. The reference was to Crooks. He had been adopted as Labour candidate some few weeks previously. The invitation sent to him by the Woolwich Labour Representation Association was a unanimous one. It surprised him to receive it, since his association with Woolwich--on the other side of the Thames two miles below Poplar--was a very slight one. When he accepted the invitation it was believed there would be at least two years to prepare for the General Election. The Labour candidate had barely made his _début_ before the by-election was announced.