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poverty which destroys them physically and spiritually； that fully one…
fourth of the dwellers do not have enough to eat； are inadequately clothed；
sheltered； and warmed in a rigorous climate； and are doomed to a moral
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degeneracy which puts them lower than the savage in cleanliness and
decency。
After listening to the wail of an old Irish peasant in Kerry； Robert
Blatchford asked him what he wanted。 〃The old man leaned upon his
spade and looked out across the black peat fields at the lowering skies。
'What is it that I'm wantun？' he said； then in a deep plaintive tone he
continued； more to himself than to me； 'All our brave bhoys and dear
gurrls is away an' over the says； an' the agent has taken the pig off me； an'
the wet has spiled the praties； an' I'm an owld man； AN' I WANT THE
DAY AV JUDGMENT。'〃
The Day of Judgment！ More than he want it。 From all the land
rises the hunger wail； from Ghetto and countryside； from prison and casual
ward； from asylum and workhousethe cry of the people who have not
enough to eat。 Millions of people； men； women； children； little babes；
the blind； the deaf； the halt； the sick； vagabonds and toilers； prisoners and
paupers； the people of Ireland； England； Scotland； Wales； who have not
enough to eat。 And this； in face of the fact that five men can produce
bread for a thousand； that one workman can produce cotton cloth for 250
people； woollens for 300； and boots and shoes for 1000。 It would seem
that 40；000；000 people are keeping a big house； and that they are keeping
it badly。 The income is all right； but there is something criminally wrong
with the management。 And who dares to say that it is not criminally
mismanaged； this big house； when five men can produce bread for a
thousand； and yet millions have not enough to eat？
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CHAPTER XXVIDRINK；
TEMPERANCE； AND THRIFT
The English working classes may be said to be soaked in beer。 They
are made dull and sodden by it。 Their efficiency is sadly impaired； and
they lose whatever imagination； invention； and quickness may be theirs by
right of race。 It may hardly be called an acquired habit； for they are
accustomed to it from their earliest infancy。 Children are begotten in
drunkenness； saturated in drink before they draw their first breath； born to
the smell and taste of it； and brought up in the midst of it。
The public…house is ubiquitous。 It flourishes on every corner and
between corners； and it is frequented almost as much by women as by men。
Children are to be found in it as well； waiting till their fathers and mothers
are ready to go home； sipping from the glasses of their elders； listening to
the coarse language and degrading conversation； catching the contagion of
it； familiarising themselves with licentiousness and debauchery。
Mrs。 Grundy rules as supremely over the workers as she does over the
bourgeoisie； but in the case of the workers； the one thing she does not
frown upon is the public…house。 No disgrace or shame attaches to it； nor
to the young woman or girl who makes a practice of entering it。
I remember a girl in a coffee…house saying； 〃I never drink spirits when
in a public…'ouse。〃 She was a young and pretty waitress； and she was
laying down to another waitress her pre…eminent respectability and
discretion。 Mrs。 Grundy drew the line at spirits； but allowed that it was
quite proper for a clean young girl to drink beer； and to go into a public…
house to drink it。
Not only is this beer unfit for the people to drink； but too often the
men and women are unfit to drink it。 On the other hand； it is their very
unfitness that drives them to drink it。 Ill…fed； suffering from innutrition
and the evil effects of overcrowding and squalor； their constitutions
develop a morbid craving for the drink； just as the sickly stomach of the
overstrung Manchester factory operative hankers after excessive quantities
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of pickles and similar weird foods。 Unhealthy working and living
engenders unhealthy appetites and desires。 Man cannot be worked worse
than a horse is worked； and be housed and fed as a pig is housed and fed；
and at the same time have clean and wholesome ideals and aspirations。
As home…life vanishes； the public…house appears。 Not only do men
and women abnormally crave drink； who are overworked； exhausted；
suffering from deranged stomachs and bad sanitation； and deadened by the
ugliness and monotony of existence； but the gregarious men and women
who have no home…life flee to the bright and clattering public…house in a
vain attempt to express their gregariousness。 And when a family is
housed in one small room； home…life is impossible。
A brief examination of such a dwelling will serve to bring to light one
important cause of drunkenness。 Here the family arises in the morning；
dresses； and makes its toilet； father； mother； sons； and daughters； and in
the same room； shoulder to shoulder （for the room is small）； the wife and
mother cooks the breakfast。 And in the same room； heavy and sickening
with the exhalations of their packed bodies throughout the night； that
breakfast is eaten。 The father goes to work； the elder children go to
school or into the street； and the mother remains with her crawling；
toddling youngsters to do her houseworkstill in the same room。 Here
she washes the clothes； filling the pent space with soapsuds and the smell
of dirty clothes； and overhead she hangs the wet linen to dry。
Here； in the evening； amid the manifold smells of the day； the family
goes to its virtuous couch。 That is to say； as many as possible pile into
the one bed （if bed they have）； and the surplus turns in on the floor。 And
this is the round of their existence； month after month； year after year； for
they never get a vacation save when they are evicted。 When a child dies；
and some are always bound to die； since fifty…five per cent。 of the East
End children die before they are five years old； the body is laid out in the
same room。 And if they are very poor； it is kept for some time until they
can bury it。 During the day it lies on the bed； during the night； when the
living take the bed； the dead occupies the table； from which； in the
morning； when the dead is put back into the bed； they eat their breakfast。
Sometimes the body is placed on the shelf which serves as a pantry for
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their food。 Only a couple of weeks ago； an East End woman was in
trouble； because； in this fashion； being unable to bury it； she had kept her
dead child three weeks。
Now such a room as I have described is not home but horror； and the
men and women who flee away from it to the public…house are to be pitied；
not blamed。 There are 300；000 people； in London； divided into families
that live in single rooms； while there are 900；000 who are illegally housed
according to the Public Health Act of 1891a respectable recruiting…
ground for the drink traffic。
Then there are the insecurity of happiness； the precariousness of
existence； the well…founded fear of the futurepotent factors in driving
people to drink。 Wretchedness squirms for alleviation； and in the public…
house its pain is eased and forgetfulness is obtained。 It is unhealthy。
Certainly it is； but everything