Agricultural colonies; Poor -- Great Britain; Salvation Army; Unemployed -- Great Britain
Now let me introduce you to our Labour Yard. Here is no pretence
of charity beyond the charity which gives a man remunerative labour.
It is not our business to pay men wages. What we propose is to enable
those, male or female, who are destitute, to earn their rations and do
enough work to pay for their lodging until they are able to go out into
the world and earn wages for themselves. There is no compulsion upon
any one to resort to our shelter, but if a penniless man wants food he
must, as a rule, do work sufficient to pay for what he has of that and
of other accommodation. 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.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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