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THIS MIŠERY OF BOOTS. By H. G. WELLS. Paper cover, design
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FABIANISM AND THE EMPIRE: A Manifesto.
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FABIAN ESSAYS IN SOCIALISM. (43rd Thousand.)
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FABIAN TRACTS and LEAFLETS.

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TRACTS.-121. Public Service versus Private Expenditure. By Sir OLIVER LODGE. 113. Communism. By WM. MORRIS. 107. Socialism for Millionaires. By BERNARD SHAW. 133. Socialism and Christianity. By Rev. PERCY DEARMER. 78. Socialism and the Teaching of Christ. By Dr. JOHN CLIFFORD. 87. The same in Welsh. 42. Christian Socialism. By Rev. 8. D. HEADLAM. 79. A Word of Remembrance and Caution to the Rich. By JOHN WOOLMAN. 75. Labor in the Longest Reign. By SIDNEY WEBB. 72. The Moral Aspects of Socialism. BY SIDNEY BALL. 69. Difficulties of Individualism. By SIDNEY WEBB. 51. Socialism: True and False. By S. WEBB. 45. The Impossibilities of Anarchism. By BERNARD SHAW (price 2d.). 15. English Progress towards Social Democracy. By S. WEBB. 7. Capital and Land (6th edn. revised 1904). 5. Facts for Socialists (10th edn., revised 1906). LEAFLETS—13. What Socialism Is. 1. Why are the Many Poor? 38. The same in Welsh. II.-Applications of Socialism to Particular Problems. TRACTS.-131. The Decline in the Birth-Rate. By SIDNEY WEBB. 130. Home Work and Sweating. By Miss B. L. HUTCHINS. 128. The Case for a Legal Minimum Wage. 126. The Abolition of Poor Law Guardians. 122. Municipal Milk and Public Health. By Dr. F. LAWSON DODD. 120. "After Bread, Education." 125. Municipalization by Provinces. 119. Public Control of Electrical Power and Transit. 123. The Revival of Agriculture. 118. The Secret of Rural Depopulation. 115. State Aid to Agriculture: an Example. 112. Life in the Laundry. 98. State Railways for Ireland. 124. State Control of Trusts. 86. Municipal Drink Traffic. 85. Liquor Licensing at Home and Abroad. 84. Economics of Direct Employment. 83. State Arbitration and the Living Wage. 48. Eight Hours by Law. 23. Case for an Eight Hours Bill. 47. The Unemployed. By JOHN BURNS, M.P. LEAFLET.—104. How Trade Unions benefit Workmen. III.-Local Government Powers: How to use them. TRACTS.-117. The London Education Act, 1903: how to make the best of it. 111. Reform of Reformatories and Industrial Schools. By H. T. HOLMES. 109. Cottage Plans and Common Sense. By RAYMOND UNWIN. 103. Overcrowding in London and its Remedy. By W. C. STEADMAN. 76. Houses for the People. 99. Local Government in Ireland. 82. Workmen's Compensation Act. New edition for the Act of 1906. 62. Parish and District Councils. 54. The Humanizing of the Poor Law. By J. F. OAKESHOTT. LEAFLETS.-68. The Tenant's Sanitary Catechism. 71. Same for London. 63. Parish Council Cottages and how to get them. 58. Allotments and how to get them. FABIAN MUNICIPAL PROGRAM, FIRST SERIES (Nos. 32, 36, 37). Municipalization of the Gas Supply. The Scandal of London's Markets. A Labor Policy for Public Authorities. SECOND SERIES (Nos. 90 to 97). Municipalization of Milk Supply. Municipal Pawnshops. Municipal Slaughterhouses. Women as Councillors. Municipal Bakeries. Municipal Hospitals. Municipal Fire Insurance. Municipal Steamboats.-Second Series in a red cover for 1d. (9d. per doz.); separate leaflets, 1/- per 100.

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V.-General Politics and Fabian Policy.

127. Socialism and Labor Policy. 116. Fabianism and the Fiscal Question: an alternative policy. 108. Twentieth Century Politics. By SIDNEY WEBB. 70. Report on Fabian Policy. 41. The Fabian Society: its Early History. By BERNARD SHAW.

VI.-Question Leaflets. Questions for Candidates: 20, Poor Law Guardians. 24, Parliament. 28, County Councils, Rural. 102, Metropolitan Borough Councils.

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A Plea for Poor Law Reform.*

(REVISED MARCH 1907.)

THE Poor Law was established to relieve and diminish poverty. It was the most humane of our institutions in its origin in its administration it is so harsh and humiliating that most self-respecting workers prefer starvation, and some prefer death, to acccepting the relief it offers. The harshness might be justified if our industrial system were such as to secure to every reasonably thrifty person the means of providing for old age and misfortune without the aid of the Poor Law. But, as a matter of fact, low wages and precarious employment make it difficult for a large proportion of the laboring class to live even in the humblest decency, and utterly impossible for

them to save.

Each day in the year about 1,000,000 persons iu the United Kingdom are driven to accept relief as paupers. In the course of every year more than two millions of separate individuals are thus relieved.

At least one in five persons over 65 is a pauper.

In London alone there were on the 1st January, 1906, 78,668 indoor and 50,836 outdoor paupers, over 300,000 separate individuals falling for longer or shorter periods into this condition in the course of the year.

One in every five of deaths in London takes place in a workhouse or other Poor Law institution.

Poor Law administration, since 1834, has aimed at abolishing pauperism by deliberately increasing the miseries of poverty. By making public relief dishonorable, and disfranchising the receiver, it has reduced the number of applicants; but it has done nothing to root out destitution, and it has not reduced the Poor Rate. It has often, in saving the ratepayers the expense of relieving a pauper, put upon them the expense of prosecuting and punishing a prisoner.

No distinction in treatment is made between the professional idler, and the worker who, through accident, sickness, misfortune, or depression of trade, is thrown on the rates. No honor, but deliberate dishonor, is assigned to the old age of the poor. No sufficient care is taken to ensure that the destitute children of whom the State takes charge shall be reared as efficient and self-respecting citizens.

See also Fabian Tracts Nos. 54 and 126, entitled "Humanizing the Poor Law" and "The Abolition of l'oor Law Guardians."

I.-Improved Education for Children.

Over 250,000 children in England alone are in the charge of the Poor Law authorities, one-fifth of them in institutions and four-fifths of them upon outdoor relief. Their treatment is condemned by the fact that many of them, especially of those in receipt of outdoor relief, grow up to lead pauper lives. They should not be taught in Poor Law" barrack" schools, but in the public elementary schools. They should not under any circumstances live in workhouses, but should be boarded-out in the country. The present practice of placing them out as mere laborers, or as errand boys and domestic drudges, should be abandoned. They should be well started in life by teaching them (whether girls or boys) some skilled trade. They must not be made to feel that their dependence is in any way criminal or disgraceful, and they must therefore not be marked out, either by dress or in any other way, from the children of more fortunate parents. The Children of the State must be made a credit,

not a disgrace, to its citizens.

II. State Pensions for the Aged.

About 160,000 retired civil servants, military and naval officers and men, policemen, postmen and others, receive pensions. In all these cases the pension is given from the State as a matter of right; and the pensioner enjoys, in addition, whatever he may have saved out of his pay. But an ordinary wage-earner who has saved a little out of his wages, is not allowed to do this. If he has saved less than enough to live on, he must actually spend all his little capital before the Guardians will come to his assistance; for until he is absolutely destitute the law refuses him relief. This is a hardship all round: it increases the burden of the rates, and makes the laborer feel that it is useless for him to practise the "thrift " that is preached to him so freely. Every worker directly or indirectly contributes, whilst he works, towards the rates and taxes. Every citizen should have the right, when he can work no more, to a pension from the State-after the age, say, of 65.

III. The Humanizing of the Workhouse.

At present the workhouse is too often made a prison. The aged and infirm within its walls are not allowed to go out except for a day or two in each month; they are deprived of their little comforts, clothed in a pauper uniform, and made to feel themselves, not honorable pensioners, but dishonorable burdens upon the community. Pending the establishment of State pensions, the well-conducted aged poor should be allowed to go out on every fine day; their dietary should be improved; they should be clothed in a way not marking them out as paupers; they should be supplied with tobacco and tea, given no compulsory tasks, and permitted to occupy themselves in any way not inconvenient to their comrades; and aged married couples should have every facility for living together as the law at present allows. The Veterans of Labor should be made in every way to realize that they are enjoying the provision willingly made for them by the community which they have served.

IV. Public Aid for the Sick.

Every sufferer from serious illness should be entitled to free medical treatment as a matter of course, whether destitute or not, either at home or in hospital, as is medically most advantageous for his case. In London nearly two-thirds of our hospital accommodation is maintained out of the rates, although the citizens have practically no control over it and do not even know that they contribute to it otherwise than by private voluntary subscription. The existing distinction between the so-called voluntary and the rate-supported hospitals ought everywhere to be abolished, and the whole public provision for the prevention and cure of every kind of disease (including lunacy) united under the public health authority.

V.-Reform of the Casual Ward.

The casual wards have encouraged a class of habitual vagrants, who make no attempt to better their condition. Habitual casuals and demoralized loafers should be sent to a reforming labor colony, where they could earn their subsistence by the performance of some useful work. Willing workers of good character, when the uncer. tainty of employment under our present industrial system forces them to resort to the casual ward, should be helped to find employment.

VI. Administrative Reforms.

The regulations of the Local Government Board under which relief is now given, were drawn up in 1844, 1847 and 1852. They need thorough revision in accordance with the wiser counsels and new discoveries that have come since that time. A revised set of regulations could sweep away the inhumanities of a pauper dress, oakum picking and stone breaking; the dietary could be improved; the outdoor relief system could be put on the basis of scientific treatment of individual needs; the treatment of the children could be reformed, and a thorough and effective system of inspection and grant in aid could be organized. A few strokes of the pen could effect quite a revolution, for all these things could be done without any new Act of Parliament.

VII. The Abolition of the Poor Law.

But a large part of the remedy for the imperfections of the present Poor Law must be sought in its cessation as a separate department. The Boards of Guardians should be abolished, and their duties divided between the County Councils (including the Councils. of County Boroughs) and the minor Public Health authorities (Urban and Rural District Councils and Metropolitan Boroughs). The care of the sick, the insane and the children, for instance, should pass to the public health, asylums and education committees. The time has come for the abolition of the Poor Law.

The figures in the above are obtained from the Reports of the Local Government Boards for England and Wales, and for Ireland; the Report of the Board of Supervision of Poor for Scotland; and Pauperism and Old Age Pensions, by C. Booth, p. 130.

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