Agricultural colonies; Poor -- Great Britain; Salvation Army; Unemployed -- Great Britain
In this we do not propose to supersede or interfere with the regular
Trade Unions. Where Unions exist we should place ourselves in every
case in communication with their officials. But the most helpless mass
of misery is to be found among the unorganised labourers who have no
Union, and who are, therefore, the natural prey of the middleman.
Take, for instance, one of the most wretched classes of the community,
the poor fellows who perambulate the streets as Sandwich Men. These
are farmed out by certain firms. If you wish to send fifty or a
hundred men through London carrying boards announcing the excellence of
your goods, you go to an advertising firm who will undertake to supply
you with as many sandwich men as you want for two shillings or half a
crown a day. The men are forthcoming, your goods are advertised,
you pay your money, but how much of that goes to the men? About one
shilling, or one shilling and threepence; the rest goes to the
middleman. I propose to supersede this middleman by forming a
Co-operative Association of Sandwich Men. At every Shelter there would
be a Sandwich Brigade ready in any numbers when wanted. The cost of
registration and organisation, which the men would gladly pay, need not
certainly amount to more than a penny in the shilling.
All that is needed is to establish a trustworthy and disinterested
centre round which the unemployed can group themselves, and which will
form the nucleus of a great Co-operative Self-helping Association. The
advantages of such a Bureau are obvious. But in this, also, I do not
speak from theory. I have behind me the experience of seven months of
labour both in England and Australia. In London we have a registration
office in Upper Thames Street, where the unemployed come every morning
in droves to register their names and to see whether they can obtain
situations. In Australia, I see, it was stated in the House of
Assembly that our Officers had been instrumental in finding situations
for no less than one hundred and thirty-two "Out-of-Works" in a few
days. Here, in London, we have succeeded in obtaining employment for a
great number, although, of course, it is beyond our power to help all
those who apply. We have sent hay-makers down to the country and there
is every reason to believe that when our Organisation is better known,
and in more extended operation, we shall have a great labour exchange
between town and country, so that when there is scarcity in one place
and congestion in another, there will be information immediately sent,
so that the surplus labour can be drafted into those districts where
labour is wanted. For instance, in the harvest seasons,
with changeable weather, it is quite a common occurrence for the crops
to be seriously damaged for want of labourers, while at the same time
there will be thousands wandering about in the big towns and cities
seeking work, but finding no one to hire them. Extend this system all
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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